Overview
Chemainus Lake Park is a public recreational area located in Chemainus, British Columbia featuring a 2.5-kilometer loop trail around a scenic lake.
The park offers a dog-friendly environment where pets can swim and walk on-leash along the shaded trail system. The path consists of gentle slopes with no steps, making it accessible for both children and elderly visitors, though there’s one short steep section.
The park provides basic amenities including an outhouse near the parking area and garbage bins for dog waste. Set in a natural forest setting, the trail runs mostly under a tree canopy and showcases local features including traditional cedar bark stripping sites and petroglyphs.
The lake itself is stocked with fish, though it contains invasive sunfish and some shoreline vegetation. Historically known as Weddle’s Lake by local residents, the area once housed a small sawmill operated by the Weddle family in the early 1900s.
History of Chemainus Lake Park
Chemainus Lake Park’s history is closely tied to the Weddle family, who were prominent early settlers in the area. In the early 1900s, the Weddle family operated a small sawmill on the lake’s shore and maintained a homestead adjacent to what’s now the park entrance.
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The lake was historically known as “Weddle’s Lake” by local residents, as documented by historian W.H. ‘Harry’ Olsen in his 1963 book “Water Over The Wheel,” published by the Chemainus Valley Historical Society.
Over time, the area transformed from an industrial site into a recreational space, with the development of the 2.5-kilometer loop trail and basic amenities.
The park preserves significant Indigenous heritage features, including traditional cedar bark stripping sites and petroglyphs, reflecting the area’s long human history.
Today, the park is maintained as a public recreation area, though some longtime residents continue to advocate for recognition of its historical name honoring the Weddle family’s contribution to early local development.
Dog Park Rules in Chemainus Lake Park
While enjoying the scenic trails around the lake, visitors must follow specific dog-related rules to guarantee everyone’s safety and enjoyment.
You’ll find a 2.2 km trail that encircles the lake where your dog can exercise off-leash in designated areas. However, you must keep your dog leashed in all other sections of the park. The municipality provides additional off-leash options at Fuller Lake Park for dog owners.
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Key Rules to Follow:
- Keep your dog on a leash unless you’re in clearly marked off-leash zones
- Clean up after your pet – waste bins are provided throughout the park
- Limit yourself to walking no more than three dogs at a time
- Don’t bring puppies under 4 months or females in heat to off-leash areas
From September 1 to March 15, you can also use Field #3 at Chemainus Ball Park as an off-leash area.
Remember that sports fields and playgrounds remain strictly off-limits to dogs year-round to maintain everyone’s safety and enjoyment of these shared spaces.
What to Expect at Chemainus Lake Park
The park is especially popular with dog owners, who appreciate the lake for swimming and the shaded walking paths.
“My dogs love swimming there,” shares Sonja Efford, though lanlan wang cautions about lake weeds near the shoreline.
Basic amenities include an outhouse near the parking area and garbage bins for dog waste.
Nature enthusiasts will discover unique cultural and historical features along the trail.
Paul Considine describes finding “recent grinder petroglyphs” and “traditional cedar tree bark stripping,” while Ian Ralston recommends early morning visits when “mist hanging over the water” creates a particularly beautiful scene.
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The park holds historical significance as the former site of the Weddle family sawmill in the early 1900s, locally known as “Weddle’s Lake” according to historian Mark Syme.
