It's one of Nanaimo's most loved and visited parks, and I'd never been… until today! The sun was out so I decided to take my first stroll around Westwood Lake Park.
My first experience with Westwood Lake Park was during our home search. We absolutely loved this neighbourhood and found ourselves comparing so many others to it! The homes near the lake are beautiful and what a cool spot to come home to. Westwood Lake Park is located in the South Jinglepot neighbourhood, near Mount Benson. Considering so many Nanaimo residents come here for outdoor activities, I figured it was about time for me to check it out for myself!
The main reason I have yet to explore this area is that it's about a 15-minute drive from my house… my purpose for today was to explore with my dogs which usually for me means a walk to Pioneer Park or to Invermere Beach. Westwood Lake offers an almost 6km loop trail around it, with many others to explore! These trails are on-leash only until you reach the off-leash area if you're with your dog. Today was an absolutely beautiful day and I'm so disappointed I was short on time because I didn't even make it to the off-leash area! it's located on the opposite side of the parking lots, halfway around the trail and I just didn't have time. Regardless, we did enjoy our time walking around.
Many people use the trails here for running which I quickly learned when trying to wrangle my leashed dogs out of the way of passing runners!
Speaking of Runners!
The park has hosted the Westwood Lake Triathlon for coming up on 6 years, with the next one taking place on May 14, 2023. The triathlon begins with a swim on the lake, followed by a cycle around the rural neighbourhoods of Jinglepot, Brennan Lake and Dumont Road. The run to the finish line is through the trails surrounding Westwood Lake!
Family Recreation
I mentioned in my Blog “Things to do in Nanaimo” that Westwood Lake is a popular swim destination in the summer, and I can see why! It's the city's only lifeguard-patrolled Freshwater Beach and is a great spot to hang out for the day, as there are washrooms and change rooms available on location. Their Campground is also open year-round for RV and tent camping, making it the perfect Vancouver Island staycation with the family. Rates are about ~$40 a night to tent, ~$50 a night for an RV and their cabins and cottage range from ~$90 to $170 a night.
Community Events
Westwood Lake hosts so many community activities! One of the more fun ones occurs at Halloween which is the Westwood Lake Witch Paddle! This is hosted by the VIU Student Union and is a free event which began in 2021, where people show up dressed as witches and paddle board around the lake. There are also extra activities like bouncy castles, a food truck and a bonfire to roast marshmallows! They've also set up fun treasure hunts on the trails. They do collect donations for this event but it always is for a good cause!
Fishing on the Lake!
Westwood Lake is a very popular spot for fishermen in Nanaimo. Freshwater Fisheries Society of B.C. releases catchable-sized rainbow trout in the lake each year. You can also find cutthroat trout and smallmouth bass. One interesting article I found was from 2019, where Anglers actually caught piranhas in the lake!! The belief is that some locals thought it was a good place to release their aquarium fish… which obviously was a not-so-great idea!
On Father's Day every year, the lake hosts a “Family Fishing Day” which coincides with B.C.'s Family Fishing Weekend. This is where the B.C. government waives the requirement for a fishing license for a three-day period.
I have to admit my time spent here today was very minimal. But, the good news is I live here now! And you know what? I think you should too! so if you want to know more about relocating to Nanaimo on Vancouver Island, contact me here!
