The renaming of Chilliwack Lake Provincial Park, to reflect the area’s place name in Halq’eméylem and the Indigenous heritage of the area, is under consideration.
The proposed name, ‘Sxotsaqel/Chilliwack Lake Park’ is part of a larger collaborative process between BC Parks, Ts’elxwéyeqw Tribe and the S’olh Téméxw Stewardship Alliance, to map out a new park management plan for the coming years.
Fraser Valley Regional District officials were asked for commentary on the renaming over the summer, according to FVRD documents.
The proposed new park name, Sxotsaqel, means ‘sacred lake’ in Halq’eméylem and the area is considered the ancestral homeland of the Ts’elxwéyeqw.
The renaming requires an amendment to the Protected Areas of B.C. Act., and getting feedback from a range of parties and agencies was part of that process.
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