In parallel with the rebuilding of the community hall, the Roe Lake & District Recreation Commission members were working on another ambitious project. Stock exhibitions played a crucial role in rural life, and there was a growing need for a permanent exhibition space, with a rodeo serving as a potential revenue source. In 1989, Steve Brown, Gordon Brown, and Walt Levick secured the funds through a mortgage to purchase 4 acres of land across the slough from the hall for the rodeo grounds. The land, however, was far from ideal—uneven with a hill, a large swale, and a slope down to the Roe Lake slough. Many skeptics doubted it could be transformed.
Undeterred, Steve Brown successfully obtained two crucial grants: a Canada Works E.I. grant through Dave Worthy, MP, to cover salaries (but not materials), and a provincial grant to fund materials for the capital project (but not salaries). This combination of grants provided the foundation for the project. The first task was to level the land, a monumental job. Local volunteers—Levicks, Charltons, and Higgins—came together with their D8s, D6s, loaders, and excavators to move earth. Despite their best efforts, time was running out with too much earth left to move. That’s when Katchmar from 100 Mile House arrived with his equipment, and the work continued full throttle, with only diesel fuel as payment to keep the machines running.
The design of the arena, stock holding pens, and gate systems was modeled after the Calgary Stampede. Steve Brown and Walt Levick sourced used steel casings from an equipment yard in Savona, while the fencing and gate panels were pre-fabricated in Walt Levick’s shop, open to anyone willing to lend a hand. Local volunteers from the surrounding area came together to weld the pipe into the panels. Outhouses and ticket booths were built at the Interlakes Building Supply lumber yard, and Martin Scherrer generously used his tractor and auger to spend a week drilling holes for the steel posts. Once the fencing and gates were up, volunteers from nearby communities, including Sheridan Lake, Fawn Lake, Deka Lake, and Bridge Lake, gathered with paintbrushes to give the entire facility a fresh coat. After four months of hard work, the first rodeo was held on Sunday, July 1, 1990, with Canadian flags, provided by MP Dave Worthy, proudly flying from every post.
The following year, used hydro and telephone poles were acquired from BC Hydro to build the 18-stall pole barn, and wash racks were added behind the barn. A year later, Gary Cleveland successfully secured BC Rodeo Association sanctioning for the now two-day rodeo, which was moved to the August long weekend. Over the next five years, the wooden stands were systematically replaced with metal ones, with the final upgrade completed in 2012. Future improvements include a new concession building, though the grounds have largely remained unchanged since their creation in 1990.
Today, the rodeo grounds continue to serve the community. They host the annual two-day rodeo, provide a space for local barrel racers and team ropers, offer ranchers a venue for cattle moving, and serve as a dry campsite and RV site for visitors attending events at the community hall. The legacy of this project is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and community spirit that brought it to life.
