warmest freshwater lake in Canada" according to the town of Osoyoos and the BC Parks System, with reported average summer water temperatures of 24 °C (75 °F). The lake is surrounded by kilometres of beaches (public and private), parks and picnic grounds, such as Gyro Beach, Lions Centennial Park, Kinsmen Park, Legion Beach and Sẁiẁs Provincial Park. There are also major plans to revitalize the waterfront along the town core, spurred on by recent major developments such as the Watermark Beach Resort which include increased public space and an expanded marina. Spotted Lake is a saline endorheic alkali lake located northwest of Osoyoos. There are two centres dedicated to preserving the ecosystem of the Okanagan Desert. The Osoyoos Desert Centre is located north of Osoyoos off Highway 97, while the Nk'Mip Desert Cultural Centre is located adjacent to the Nk'mip Winery on the Osoyoos Indian Reserve. The area is served by four championship golf courses - Osoyoos Golf Club which boasts two distinct eighteen-hole courses, the Park Meadows Golf Course and the Desert Gold Golf Course, Fairview Mountain Golf Club (Oliver) and the Nk’Mip Canyon Desert Golf Course (Oliver) - and one nine-hole course, Sonora Dunes (Osoyoos). Demographics In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Osoyoos had a population of 5,556 living in 2,647 of its 3,279 total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of 5,050. With a land area of , it had a population density of in 2021. The town's popularity among retirees is reflected in the age of the average resident at 55.4 years (2016) compared to 40.8 years for the rest of the population of British Columbia. The average age of the Osoyoos senior population is second in Canada only to Qualicum Beach, BC (60.1 years). The town is served by a high school, Osoyoos Secondary School. Ethnicity Religion According to the 2021 census, religious groups in Osoyoos included: Christianity (2,600 persons or 49.3%) Irreligion (2,345 persons or 44.5%) Sikhism (225 persons or 4.3%) Hinduism (45 persons or 0.9%) Buddhism (10 persons or 0.2%) Islam (10 persons or 0.2%) Other (15 persons or 0.3%) Sports Notable people Chuck Kobasew - retired professional hockey player Jack B. Newton - amateur astronomer Alison Smith - television journalist and anchor References Notes External links Populated places in the South Okanagan Towns in British Columbia Populated places in the Boundary Country British Columbia populated