Sikome Lake
Encyclopedia
The Sikome Aquatic Facility, commonly referred to as Sikome Lake, is a man made lake
in the city of Calgary
, Alberta
, Canada
. It is located in the south-east quadrant of the city, within the Fish Creek Provincial Park
, and is part of the Bow River
basin. It lies at an elevation of 1005 m and has a surface of 0.4 km² (98.8 acre).
First opened in August 1978, it is a swimming area open during the summer as a public beach. Up to 20,000 swimmers a day visit the lake during summer week-ends. The beach is staffed by Alberta Provincial Parks aquatic staff. During the winter the water is drained, and it takes three weeks to fill the lake every spring. A filtration system that chlorinates
the water supply was implemented in 1988 at a cost of $
1.8 million.
For the 2007 season, the lake was closed to public due to construction. It has been closed before, in July 1991 and August 1999, due to excessive contamination from bird droppings and in July 2005 due to flooding. A fence was constructed in 2008 to increase public safety and control unwanted behaviour.
Although there are aquatic staff on duty, policy dictates that it is the responsibility of adults to supervise their children. There are change rooms, a concession stand and a playground in the immediate area of the sandy beach. Barbecues are permitted in the area, as long as they are gas-powered and are used in the lawn areas adjacent to the beach. The lake facilities are open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day from mid-June to the Labour Day weekend. Pets are not permitted in the Sikome Lake area.
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
in the city of Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It is located in the south-east quadrant of the city, within the Fish Creek Provincial Park
Fish Creek Provincial Park
Fish Creek Park is a provincial park located in the southern part of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It is one of the largest urban parks in North America, stretching from east to west. At , it is over three times the size of Vancouver's Stanley Park....
, and is part of the Bow River
Bow River
The Bow River is a river in the Canadian province of Alberta. It is a tributary of the South Saskatchewan River, and is considered the headwater of the Nelson River....
basin. It lies at an elevation of 1005 m and has a surface of 0.4 km² (98.8 acre).
First opened in August 1978, it is a swimming area open during the summer as a public beach. Up to 20,000 swimmers a day visit the lake during summer week-ends. The beach is staffed by Alberta Provincial Parks aquatic staff. During the winter the water is drained, and it takes three weeks to fill the lake every spring. A filtration system that chlorinates
Chlorine
Chlorine is the chemical element with atomic number 17 and symbol Cl. It is the second lightest halogen, found in the periodic table in group 17. The element forms diatomic molecules under standard conditions, called dichlorine...
the water supply was implemented in 1988 at a cost of $
Canadian dollar
The Canadian dollar is the currency of Canada. As of 2007, the Canadian dollar is the 7th most traded currency in the world. It is abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or C$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
1.8 million.
For the 2007 season, the lake was closed to public due to construction. It has been closed before, in July 1991 and August 1999, due to excessive contamination from bird droppings and in July 2005 due to flooding. A fence was constructed in 2008 to increase public safety and control unwanted behaviour.
Although there are aquatic staff on duty, policy dictates that it is the responsibility of adults to supervise their children. There are change rooms, a concession stand and a playground in the immediate area of the sandy beach. Barbecues are permitted in the area, as long as they are gas-powered and are used in the lawn areas adjacent to the beach. The lake facilities are open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day from mid-June to the Labour Day weekend. Pets are not permitted in the Sikome Lake area.
See also
- List of lakes in Alberta
- List of attractions and landmarks in Calgary