Can Harrison’s little lagoon become a surfer mecca? Probably not.

Harrison Hot Springs is probably not going to become a surfer’s paradise.

Despite the resort town’s conspicuous lack of surfers, surfboards, and palm trees (not to mention coastline) Harrison council briefly considered the possibility of such a project six months ago.

In June, then-Mayor Ed Wood spoke with a representative from Surf Lake, a company that specializes in turning lakes into surf spots, after a former Fraser Valley resident recommended the idea of surfing in Harrison Lagoon in a letter to council. But village staff don’t seem to think Harrison will be catching this particular wave.

Surf’s up?

Crafting waves in previously wave-free bodies of water, from pools to ponds, is a growing industry. Man-made surf projects are popping up throughout Europe, some in purpose-built pools and others in repurposed man-made or natural bodies of water (including one this reporter observed in a canal in Rotterdam.) The pitch for such projects is appealing: new surfers get the chance to learn on smooth, predictable waves, pros get to perfect maneuvers on whatever type of break they choose, and cities get the prospect of a wave of tourists spending money in local businesses. But such projects can be expensive: turning the Rotterdam canal into an urban surf centre cost $11 million.

Earlier this year, a former Fraser Valley resident wrote a pair of letters to council after finding an online company she thought could turn a lake into a surfing paradise. She wrote that Harrison’s lagoon, the small man-made pond that forms part of the town’s shoreline, would make a great spot for such a project. She suggested that it could improve international tourism, cater to locals, and help teach surfing and international surf etiquette.

The company she suggested, Surf Lake, specializes in turning lakes into surf spots by adding large electric wave-making apparatuses in the middle of bodies of water. The resident’s enthusiasm was enough to convince then-Harrison Mayor Ed Wood to contact the company to get more information. The idea was revisited in a committee meeting later that month at which council asked village staff to explore the possibility.

Village staff found several issues with Harrison Lagoon’s suitability for surfability.

The lagoon, first of all, was not large enough to accommodate Surf Lake’s technology. The company’s wave-maker requires 80 megalitres to operate, village staff learned. The lagoon only contains 28 megalitres of water.

Perhaps the biggest issue is that the village does not have the freedom to make such major changes to the lagoon. While the municipality currently has an agreement in place with the province for public recreation purposes, that agreement does not allow the village to install a giant-wave-producing machine in the middle of the lagoon. In order to turn the lagoon into a new haven for hanging ten, the agreement with the province would have to be altered in an unprecedented way, village staff wrote in a report to council.

But the valley’s kooks and rippers will not be left without a place to sharpen their skills even if council confirms the idea of transforming the Harrison Lagoon is a wipeout.

Bridal Falls Waterpark between Hope and Chilliwack is building a new surf pool, called the “Reef Club,” and nordic spa. The new attraction will run year-round, making it unique in Canada. While park management has said there is a lot more work to be done on the project, the surf pool could open as soon as May 2025, The Current was told. The project is more feasible than the pitch for the lagoon, Harrison staff wrote, because it’s in a pool and not a lake.

Harrison Hot Springs council will make a final decision on whether or not to pursue the idea of turning the Harrison Lagoon into a surfing hotspot at its upcoming council meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 18.