The following information was written and provided by Rockcliffepark.ca
McKay Lake (formerly called Hemlock Lake) is a natural spring-fed lake. The Corridor of Public Passage (COPP) foot-paths around the eastern shore of McKay Lake and the Pond wind through the Caldwell-Carver Conservation Area. It was named in honour of two long-time residents Ewan Caldwell and Humphrey Carver who were active in environmental work and who planned the initial program of restoration after damage caused in the late 1960s and early 1970s to the eastern shoreline of the lake and to the bird and fish habitat. A Management Plan, commissioned by the former Village Council, guides the city and residents’ activities there and current restoration projects. Secondary school students may earn volunteer hours by assisting in this restoration work (watch the newsletter or the RPRA Bulletin Board outside the Community Hall for details). The area of McKay Lake and the Pond is now Urban Natural Area No. 176 in the city’s inventory of ecologically valuable places. On the west side of McKay Lake, joining the north and south parts of Lansdowne Road, is a walking path locally called the Dog Walk. The shoreline on this side of the Lake is not public. The Pond, just south of McKay Lake, was originally a sand and gravel pit, excavated over the period 1890 to 1949. The Sandpits, as it was called then, filled with water over time. Even during the time of sand extraction, it was a popular swimming hole.
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