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Reflections of Ponoka: Chain Lakes...one of nature’s diamonds in the rough

The science books tell us that many of Alberta’s amazing lakes were delicately formed during the last glaciation period
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Jay Berdine and Elizabeth Fleming enjoy an afternoon of boating on Chain Lakes in 1915. These three pristine lakes and deep surrounding valley south-east of Ponoka have been a popular spot for many recreational and family activities

The science books tell us that many of Alberta’s amazing lakes were delicately formed during the last glaciation period about 12,000 years ago. One of the most magnificent examples of nature’s magic of creation is Chain Lakes, three small lakes located in a wild and deep valley just a few miles southeast of Ponoka.

Early settlers moving into the Scott district in the early 1900s found the tranquil setting of the connected lakes, which were teeming with fish, and the surrounding steep hillsides and land abounding with many species of game and birds, as well as a lush and wide variety of trees and plants. The very first settler to come into the area was a man named Sausen, who established his homestead in 1898, and then following close behind were the early district founding families of the Trumans, Huscrofts, Jones, Algars, Stoutenbergs, Bures, Donavans, Newtons and on and on. Dr. A.A. Drinnan, Ponoka’s very first doctor purchased land in the district in 1900 and built a magnificent British style home overlooking Chain Lakes.

Those who first arrived in the area and wandered through the muskeg and hilly countryside around the lakes would discover numerous waterfalls, caves, unique rock formations, bubbling underground streams, and very thick foliage and trees. As our earliest pioneers began to settle into the Scott and surrounding districts and established their homesteads in the late 18th century, they likely found many signs of the nomadic Indian tribes who camped and travelled in the area looking for food while following the massive herds of bison who also roamed the vast area as far as Buffalo Lake and beyond. The survival of those early farm families relied on their ability to catch their fair share of bountiful fish from the lakes, to hunt and trap the countless species of game, and to pick the wild berries and raise the big gardens that would fill their food cellars all year round. These hardy folks also cut down some of the thousands of massive trees to build their homes, their barns, and the fences that would protect their livestock and mark the land that they would slowly break to plant and raise their crops.

From the memoirs of Earl Berdine

The Berdine family were early and longstanding residents of the Chain Lake area, and as a youngster, Earl recalled that the three lakes were about two miles long and connected by a creek to one another. Due to the abundance of water in the valley, the lakes were constantly spring fed and always remained quite cold and at the same level all year round. Earl explained the unique appearance of Chain Lakes as being nestled in a deep narrow valley with very steep wooded banks that likened them to our pristine mountain lakes far to the west. 

In the early days, the Chain Lakes quickly became one of the main recreation areas in the Ponoka districts, as well as attracting many visitors and tourists to enjoy the countless activities and experience its awesome natural beauty. On most summer Sundays, quite a number of people in cars or buggies or on horseback went through Mr. Rook’s farmyard on their way down the long hill to the lake to enjoy many hours of fishing, swimming, playing ball, horseshoes and enjoying a picnic. For everyone to get themselves and their boat on to the lake the kindly Rook had dug a path out of the bank with a pick and shovel. Another real treat was provided by Mr. Herb Rees, the owner of the machine shop in Ponoka, who would come out and cruise around the lake and give rides in his fast and fancy boat made out of sheet metal and powered by a model T-Ford engine. Mrs. Truman also remembers that some of the local churches often held their baptismal services at the lake on a quiet Sunday morning. There may still be a few old lime kilns near the lakes, where the settlers burned the limestone to make lime.

Chain Lakes has always been a favourite spot for fishing in both winter and summer, with large numbers of pike always the biggest prize. Other popular winter sports included skating, as well as bravely sliding on toboggans, sleighs, skis or whatever down the steep hill from the top, quite often gliding right out into the middle of the lake. Overnight camping also became a popular pastime around Chain Lakes, with a camp kitchen and tables provided by the County of Ponoka, as well as fire pits for many a roaring bonfire. From what I fondly recall as a young lad, there were a few really good parties with the old gang out there, which was also an ideal place for courting. In the 1950s, the Provincial Mental Hospital Association approved the development of a spacious recreation area and some cabins on the shores of the first of Chain Lakes, which was used for many years for the enjoyment of hundreds of patients and staff members from the Alberta Hospitals at Ponoka and Oliver. When Camp Eden was closed, the Ponoka Fish and Game Association took over the 50 acre spot to assure the protection and future of this age-old natural habitat and environment that has brought pleasure to so many. The second Chain Lake is also under the watchful eye of the Ponoka and Lacombe Fish Associations, who have maintained a public access to the lake, as well as hosting annual kids’ camps and other activities.

Over the years and to this present day, the land around Chain Lakes has seen a great deal of development of farming operations and large homes. For countless centuries, the magnificent Chain Lakes basin has survived and thrived because of the ongoing drainage of rains and snowmelt into the valley, as well as the fresh-water underground streams. This ‘natural but precarious process’ has fed the lake with nutrient free clean water, as well as provided the vital watershed that is required to support the many species of wildlife and birds, along with a multitude precious plants, trees, and flowers. The Friends of Chain Lakes Society was formed a few years ago to protect the delicate centuries old Chain Lake Watershed into the pristine historical valley, and to be the ‘Lake Stewards’ for the ongoing environment so that future generations can enjoy and protect the beauty and amenities of one of nature’s ‘diamonds in the rough’, our legacy, right here in our own back yard.