Terry Baptiste plans to make White Sands beach family friendly with clean-up, usage fee. (Keith Lacey photo)
One of the most popular sections of Osoyoos Lake for visitors and locals alike to visit for a day of sunshine and good times over the past several decades is the beautiful beach called White Sands on the northeast section of the lake.
Starting next week, there are going to be some dramatic changes at White Sands –and adjacent beach frontage on Osoyoos Lake – as a member of the Osoyoos Indian Band has started working to clean up the area and the party scene that is commonplace in that area of the lake during the summer months.
Terry Baptiste, 40, has received the support and consent of Chief Clarence Louie and the band council with the Osoyoos Indian Band (OIB), to try and turn White Sands into a “family-friendly, unique outdoor experience.”
The lawyer representing the OIB has promised Baptiste that liability concerns and insurance will be taken care of early next week and the permit to make him the rightful manager of this land owned by the band will be in full effect this week, he said.
For decades, literally hundreds of people travel by boat and personal watercraft every warm and sunny day in July and August – and often in June and September – to visit White Sands.
Starting next week, those leaving their boats and other watercraft to access the beautiful beach at White Sands will now be charged a minimal fee.
“I’m thinking in the range of $10 to $20 per boat … more likely in the range of $10 to start,” said Baptiste.
Once he starts generating revenue, Baptiste said he plans on cleaning up several acres of land around the White Sands beach area and offering things like overnight camping, beach volleyball courts, horseshoe tournaments, food vendors and portable washrooms.
He even talked of one day being able to host a large-scale music festival with overnight camping in the coming years.
He would also be looking to offer a shuttle service for visitors at Nk’Mip RV Campground and local hotels to the White Sands area, said Baptiste.
“This is something I’ve been thinking about for about 10 years,” said Baptiste, whose father Sam is a former Chief of the OIB. “I’ve never had the support of the Chief and council, but now I have it.
“I think this place has great potential and we could turn the area into something very special. It’s the best place to swim on the lake and has one of the best views.”
Baptiste hopes to transform several acres of land near White Sands into an “off the grid” campground that would only be accessible by water.
The biggest problem with White Sands beach for the past many years is there are often loud parties that last for hours as well as extreme littering and he and members of the OIB want that to stop, he said.
“There’s a lot of drinking and parties and some serious littering going on out there every single day,” he said. “I know it’s certainly a small handful of people who ruin it for everyone, but it has to stop.
“We feel that if we charge a small fee, we can get rid of the people who just want to go out there and party. We would like White Sands to appeal to families and the vast majority of people who just want to spend a nice, quiet day in one of the most beautiful areas of the lake.”
Around the corner north of White Sands is another popular swimming and boating area popularly known at Brown Sands and Baptiste is hoping to clean up the shore line and offer full-day rentals to large groups interested in hosting their own private parties away from the large crowds at White Sands.
“They would pay a fee for the day and have their own private area no one else would be allowed to visit,” he said. “It would be perfect for things like birthday parties and wedding receptions.”
Baptiste, who will be living at the site for the remainder of the summer, spent several hours last Thursday talking to visitors about his plans.
The reception he received was overwhelmingly positive, with a couple of exceptions.
“One guy called me a crook and a thief and a second guy said he wouldn’t pay a redneck penny to come out here,” he said smiling. “I told both of them, ‘that’s fine’ because those are the people who come out here just to party and make noise.
“If we can get rid of the minority who only want to drink and party, I think this place will be more popular than ever.”
Over the Canada Day long weekend, several people set up a speaker system that blared loud music almost around the clock, which resulted in dozens of complaints from nearby residents at the Nk’Mip RV Campground and those staying in local hotels, said Baptiste.
“This is our (OIB) land and things like that aren’t going to be tolerated any longer,” he said. “No one asked permission, but they set up this PA system and blared music 24 hours a day. I want people who visit here to feel privileged and not entitled, but far too many feel entitled and don’t respect that fact we own this land on the east side of the lake.”
Charging a very small daily fee to access the beach at White Sands will allow him to generate the revenue needed to make that beach and adjacent land more attractive and more appealing to more visitors, said Baptiste.
“I think we could turn this place into something very magical and unique … and a place that appeals to a lot more than people who just want to party,” he said. “It’s totally off the grid. There’s no power, no road, no water. My plan is to offer those services and make White Sands beaches a place everyone who comes to this area wants to visit.”
KEITH LACEY
Osoyoos Times
