Park Information
Updated December 15, 2006
Park Details
Lois Hole Centennial Provincial Park was established on April 19, 2005, becoming the 69th provincial park in Alberta.
The park contains the former Big Lake Natural Area and an additional 302 hectares of Crown land, for a total of 1421 hectares. The lake makes up around 59 per cent of the park's total area.
Location
Lois Hole Centennial Provincial Park is adjacent to the cities of Edmonton and St.Albert and Sturgeon and Parkland counties.
Facilities
There is a wildlife viewing platform is located along the eastern shore of Big Lake at the mouth of the Sturgeon River.
Access to the platform is off Riel Drive in St.Albert, or from the Red Willow Trail system by following the trail west along the south bank of the Sturgeon River.
Natural Features
Big Lake is a freshwater wetland ecosystem surrounded by small deciduous and coniferous woodlands.
The lake is globally recognized as an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International because it supports large nesting grounds and many migrating waterfowl and shorebirds.
Tundra and trumpeter swans use the lake during migration.
More than 220 species of birds have been sighted within the park, including Franklin's gull, black tern, eared grebe, northern pintail, yellowlegs, dowitcher, pectoral sandpiper and American avocet.
Other animals that make their home in the area include deer, moose and coyotes, as well as smaller animals like damselflies and butterflies.
The lake is shallow, with an average depth in the middle of its two basins of less than 4 metres and supports considerable emergent vegetation such as cattails and bulrushes.
History
On May 5, 1999, an area of 1,119 hectares near the City of St. Albert was designated as Big Lake Natural Area as part of the Special Places program.
Volunteer Steward
Big Lake Environment Support Society (BLESS) - www.bless.ab.ca
BLESS formed in 1991 and has been the official volunteer steward of the site since 2002.
BLESS works with Alberta Parks and Protected Areas and other partners to construct and maintain facilities in the park, including:
- the wildlife viewing platform at the mouth of the Sturgeon River
- a picnic shelter along Red Willow Park Trail near the St. Albert Rugby Club
- trail improvements between Red Willow Park Trail and the viewing platform
- signage related to bird species
Education and Research
The park will have a major impact on education and research because of its proximity to one million people, including 144,000 school children.
BLESS works with Alberta Parks and Protected Areas to provide educational programming and conduct research:
- Every spring, the Springing to Life at Big Lake environmental education program takes place at the picnic shelter.
- Educational presentations to groups.
- Field trips to Big Lake for schools, churches, guides/scouts, and seniors organizations.
- An aquatic studies kit is available to grade five classes studying wetlands as part of their science course.
- Coordinate the twice-a nnual bird counts and the Migratory and Breeding Bird Survey.
Important Bird Areas of Canada: www.ibacanada.com
