Oyama

Located in the Okanagan Valley in the heart of Lake Country, between beautiful Wood Lake and Kalamalka Lake, Oyama is a small town known for its pristine lakes where water activities abound, and inviting hospitality. The quaint town plays host to those who want a quiet getaway from modern day stresses. Like the other communities that make up Lake Country, Oyama is comprised mostly of rural orchards where you can buy local fruit and vegetables and large acreages of farmland. Here in Oyama, visitors will find serenity among some of the British Columbia’s finest lakeside scenery.

Location

Oyama is located in Lake Country in the Thompson Okanagan region of BC. Situated on Oyama Road off the east side of Hwy 97, 25 km (16 mi) south of Vernon, and 11 km (7 mi) north of Winfield.

A Step Back in Time

The District of Lake Country is located near the centre of the Okanagan Valley and is made up of four distinct neighbourhood communities: Oyama, Winfield, Carr’s Landing, and Okanagan Centre.

The District was incorporated as a municipality in 1995 but Lake Country has a long pioneer history. Prior to European settlement, First Nations people inhabited this area. Several locations indicate the existence of First Nations settlements dating back 7,000 to 8,000 years.

The Europeans arrived more than 100 years ago to ranch and work the abundant forests, make homes, and farm the rich lowlands and arable hillsides. Irrigation helped agriculture blossom in the early 1900s.

The once thriving fruit canneries on Okanagan Lake are gone today, as are the ferries that plied the lake for the first half of the 1900s. Yet you don’t have to look far to find lush green orchards, rolling vineyards, and farms growing everything from Macintosh apples to blueberries. Fruit packinghouses remain an important part of our local economy, and Lake Country maintains a strong sense of community, vitality, and a pioneering spirit.