News Detail
Lake Omar
When the School began, the site of Lake Omar was simply a small clearing. In 1959 it was transformed into a sewage lagoon – a large, shallow pond that treats wastewater naturally using sunlight, wind, and bacteria. Waste settled into an anaerobic sludge layer below, while an oxygen-rich surface layer supported algae and hardworking microbes above. To the casual observer, however, it mostly looked like a thick green carpet with a scent that left little doubt about its purpose. Students soon nicknamed it “Lake Omar,” after the maintenance man responsible for keeping the campus plumbing behaving itself.
Many people have heard about a helicopter trying to land on Lake Omar in 1977. From the air, the algae-covered pond looked remarkably like a field. It appeared to bystanders that the helicopter was going to land on this “field,” but once the blades disturbed the blanket of algae to reveal the pond beneath, it suddenly changed its course and instead landed nearby. Observers swear that the helicopter “almost landed on Lake Omar!” The pilot and passenger, however, insisted that they intended all along to land in a small clearing adjacent to the pond, and that their approach from the treeless north side of the lake disturbed algae on the pond. Naturally, the more exciting version became part of School lore.
In 1988, a modern sewage treatment facility eliminated the need for the lagoon. Effluent quality was improved even further in 2009 with a state-of-the-art double-redundancy system. Much effort went into rehabilitating the pond, and today Lake Omar, literally, has a new life. Now a thriving ecosystem, it has become a habitat for water and riparian plants, invertebrates, insects, birds, and other animals. It is not uncommon for those strolling along its banks to spot ducks and otters. When stocked with trout seasonally, it is a favourite spot for students to flyfish. Unfortunately, the pond is too shallow to maintain a suitable temperature for fish year-round. In an effort to better stabilize the temperature, a “summer umbrella” was created in 2025 out of logs and riparian plants, a “floating island” which will act as a biological filter and also a safe habitat for wildlife.
Lake Omar also supplies seasonal water to the hatchery and overflows into Hartl Creek, which feeds Shawnigan Creek and eventually the ocean. Maintaining the pond’s health remains an ongoing effort. As good stewards of the land, specialists in biology, fisheries, and water quality – along with Shawnigan science teachers – have installed aeration and biofiltration systems to keep the ecosystem thriving.
Today, both functional and scenic, Lake Omar has evolved from its rather fragrant beginnings into a surprisingly charming feature of campus life.
The information presented in this write-up is based on current information available in the School's Archives and consultation with key people who have some relevant connection to this "object." If you have further information about this "object" that you would like to contribute, please contact the School’s Advancement Office at alumni@shawnigan.ca.
In 1988, a modern sewage treatment facility eliminated the need for the lagoon. Effluent quality was improved even further in 2009 with a state-of-the-art double-redundancy system. Much effort went into rehabilitating the pond, and today Lake Omar, literally, has a new life. Now a thriving ecosystem, it has become a habitat for water and riparian plants, invertebrates, insects, birds, and other animals. It is not uncommon for those strolling along its banks to spot ducks and otters. When stocked with trout seasonally, it is a favourite spot for students to flyfish. Unfortunately, the pond is too shallow to maintain a suitable temperature for fish year-round. In an effort to better stabilize the temperature, a “summer umbrella” was created in 2025 out of logs and riparian plants, a “floating island” which will act as a biological filter and also a safe habitat for wildlife.
Lake Omar also supplies seasonal water to the hatchery and overflows into Hartl Creek, which feeds Shawnigan Creek and eventually the ocean. Maintaining the pond’s health remains an ongoing effort. As good stewards of the land, specialists in biology, fisheries, and water quality – along with Shawnigan science teachers – have installed aeration and biofiltration systems to keep the ecosystem thriving.
Today, both functional and scenic, Lake Omar has evolved from its rather fragrant beginnings into a surprisingly charming feature of campus life.
The information presented in this write-up is based on current information available in the School's Archives and consultation with key people who have some relevant connection to this "object." If you have further information about this "object" that you would like to contribute, please contact the School’s Advancement Office at alumni@shawnigan.ca.
We acknowledge with respect the Coast Salish Peoples on whose traditional lands and waterways we live, learn and play. We are grateful for the opportunity to share in this beautiful region, and we aspire to healthy and respectful relationships with those who have lived on and cared for these lands for millennia.
Shawnigan Lake School is an independent co-educational boarding school for ages 13 –18 on Canada’s beautiful Pacific Coast. Our diverse, interdisciplinary and innovative programming helps shape the next generation of global leaders.
