The first project COLT was involved in was the acquisition of a lot that included part of Rose Valley Pond, located adjacent to Rose Valley Elementary School in West Kelowna which was completed in 1992. The pond is favoured habitat for both yellow-headed and red-winged blackbirds, as well as many other marsh and aquatic species, and it was felt it would make an ideal outdoor classroom.
The developer agreed in 1991 to hold the .54-hectare property without interest for one year, and see if the community could come up with $65,000 to purchase it.
Students rallied around with ‘Save our Pond’ signs and t-shirts with the yellow-headed blackbird printed on them were sold to raise funds. Neighbours, parents, teachers and other groups came on board to help raise the needed funds and the developer reduced the price by $5,000. In the end, the lot was purchased with donated funds, including a $5,000 grant from COLT, and $20,000 from the Nature Trust of B.C., which holds title to the lot.
Because of the grassroots effort to conserve the pond, the Regional District asked the province to add the remainder of the pond to the park along with adjacent property between the pond and Rose Valley Reservoir, over a hill to the west from it, and a lease was entered into that allowed the park around the pond to be expanded to 245 hectares. That lease expires in 2016, but it has been renewed in the past when it expired.
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