Rattlesnake Island - An Arab Theme
Park?
Note: The terrain rating is due to the fact that
you need a boat to get to the island.
Story by Eric Hall
British Columbia has so many strange stories and unusual
happenings that it is quite a statement to say that one of the
strangest stories relates to our very own town (Peachland). It is a
story that includes an organized raid on the Canadian Embassy in
Bierut, in the Lebanon, with 34 hostages held under siege. If you
lived in Peachland 30 years ago, you would certainly remember the
name and story of Eddy Haymour.
Haymour was born in the Beqaa valley in the Lebanon in 1930, the
son of a Muslim father and a Christian mother. When he was a young
man, Haymour’s family moved to Bierut and Haymour became a
barber. He came to Canada in 1955, at the age of 25. He travelled
to a small town north of Edmonton, Alberta, where his sister was
living. Haymour didn’t speak English, so he had a sign made
up that said “Me Barber” and went to Edmonton looking
for work. It was very difficult, but eventually he found work.
Haymour set up his own barber shop and continued to work hard.
After two years, he was making enough money to buy a house. He
hired other barbers and got into the construction business. In
1960, he became a Canadian citizen and hosted a banquet in
celebration. There were 250 guests including the Lieutenant
Governor of Alberta and Mayor Roper of Edmonton.
Haymour was a happy man and very successful in business. He
married a Canadian girl, Loreen, and started a family. They had
four children. Haymour focused on his business but didn’t
spend a lot of time with his family. After they had problems in
their marriage, the Haymours decided to make a fresh start by
moving to the Okanagan Valley. They came to Kelowna and on a Sunday
afternoon drive, stopped in Peachland. Haymour saw Rattlesnake
Island (also called Ogopogo Island) and had a vision of building a
Moroccan Shadou. This would be a major tourist attraction with
gardens, miniature golf course, pony rides, swimming pool and
restaurants; a park with an Arab theme. Water taxis would take
people to the Island from various places including Peachland.
In June 1971, Haymour took an option to buy the island. In
September 1971, Haymour presented his plans to Peachland Council.
Peachland Mayor (Harold Thwaite) and council agreed to help with
docking facilities for the water taxis. The island was part of the
regional district of Okanagan-Similkameen and at that time had no
specific zoning; it was listed as non-conforming use. Haymour was
advised that he could build anything he wanted, as long as it
satisfied health regulations. Haymour started construction of his
theme park, but before construction was complete the provincial
government decided that it did not want a theme park on Rattlesnake
Island. They used their significant powers to try to shut down the
project. Despite that, Haymour opened the park, only partly
finished, in June 1972. Seven hundred people attended including
several members of the RCMP. Although it was subsequently found out
that the BC government went beyond what it was legally entitled to
do, their actions resulted in the Royal Bank withdrawing its bank
loan. Haymour couldn’t pay his bills or complete his project.
He looked for alternative financing but at this time his marriage
began to fall apart. The BC government offered to buy the Island
for $40,000 but Haymour had invested $170,000 in his development
project. The result was a financial disaster for Haymour. His wife
Loreen left him in July 1973 and took the children with her to
Alberta.
Haymour’s life was ruined but he was determined to keep
fighting for justice. He made a visit back to the Lebanon to seek
support there. Officials with the Lebanese government wrote to the
Canadian government requesting that Haymour be offered a fair
settlement. When Haymour returned to Canada he was very upset and
then he made a big mistake. He talked about revenge and told people
that he had letter bombs. The RCMP became aware of the threats and
he was arrested a short time later. Haymour was transferred from
Kelowna to Oakalla prison in Vancouver. There were no letter bombs
and the only charge that they could use to convict Haymour was the
possession of two children’s brass knuckles. Haymour was
advised that if he signed over Rattlesnake Island for the $40,000
offered, the government would have no more interest in him; so he
did that. However he was found not guilty by reason of insanity and
was transferred to Riverview Mental Hospital. After a year in
Riverview, he was released on the understanding that he would leave
the country.
He couldn’t get justice in Canada, so Haymour decided that
if he took some action in the Lebanon, he would get results. He
decided to seize the Canadian Embassy in Bierut and made detailed
plans with the help of six cousins. The Lebanon was in the middle
of a civil war and there were lots of conflicts in Bierut. Haymour
bought submachine guns and rented an apartment near the Embassy to
prepare for the assault. Haymour and his cousins waited for the
right moment and seized the Embassy and took 34 hostages including
the Canadian Ambassador. Then it was time to negotiate for release
of the hostages. Initially the Canadian government didn’t
take the threat seriously, but conditions deteriorated, and after a
nine hour wait an offer came from the Canadian government in order
to avoid any bloodshed. Haymour was assured that he would not be
prosecuted for the take-over of the Embassy and the Canadian
government would pay his way back to Canada and assist him in
pursuing his case for compensation through the courts. It was a
victory for Haymour and he laid down his weapons and
celebrated.
A week later he left for Ottawa but when he arrived there, he
was told that his problem was with the provincial government not
the federal government. So Haymour made his way back to Kelowna to
start his legal action in British Columbia. The legal process
proved to be complicated and expensive. Years later, in 1983, the
Fifth Estate TV series did a program about Haymour’s
situation. Finally in 1986, Haymour won his case for extra
compensation in the BC Supreme Court. Justice Gordon MacKinnon
agreed that the BC government had conspired to stop Haymour’s
theme park and called their actions “highly improper if not
cruel.” Haymour was awarded $250,000 in compensation, but he
didn’t get his island back.
Haymour used the money to purchase land in Peachland directly
across the lake from Rattlesnake Island. He built “Castle
Haymour” a small hotel with an Arab theme, which he operated
successfully for several years.
Although Haymour has moved away from Peachland, his castle remains.
It is now called the Peachland Castle, on Highway 97 near
Renfrew.
The Cache
As you approach the island you'll
find a nice cove to pull your boat in on the south side of the
island. From there follow the steps up the rock face to the upper
section of the island. You'll start to see the remains of an old
mini golf course laid out before you. Further up you'll see what
was the start of a pyramid building. Be careful where you stick
your fingers because one of us got stung. The cache is an easy find
so I don't want to say to much about it. Enjoy the view and take
some pictures!
By the way, we canoed across the
lake from Peachland. Took about 30 mins each way. Not bad at
all.
