Tobiano Thompson-Nicola Regional District, British Columbia

Recreational Community - A populated place with seasonal or year-round services, accommodation and amenities associated primarily with recreational or leisure activities. S side of Kamloops Lake between Savona and Cherry Creek, Kamloops Division Yale Land District

Mapped Location

Tobiano: The mapped location is an approximation and should not be used for navigation or wayfinding.

 

Information

General information on Tobiano

  • Feature Type: Place

 

Official, historical, colloquial and alternative toponyms for Tobiano

A brief list of names that this geographic feature has been named

Name Description
Tobiano Official

 

Origin Notes and History of Tobiano

References to Tobiano that document the origin of its place name

Tobiano (recreational community) adopted 15 April 2009 on 92I/10, as a recognized name amongst residents of the Kamloops region and beyond, and as unanimously endorsed 12 February 2009 by the Board of Directors of the Thompson-Nicola Regional District.

B.C. Geographical Names in Province of British Columbia
BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office  |  Province of British Columbia

Originally styled as Kamloops On The Lake, the name Tobiano was chosen by developers c2004, to distinguish this recreational property from projects under development elsewhere in the region. "The name Tobiano (a breed of horse that has a spotted colour pattern) reflects the ranching and equestrian heritage of the area, and the future being created for this community." (January 2009 letter from project manager Urban Systems Ltd, Kamloops). Advertising and marketing of Tobiano real estate and amenities, identification of Tobiano Golf Course in Golf Digest Magazine, and frequent mention of Tobiano development activities by Kamloops-area media have entrenched the name.

B.C. Geographical Names in Province of British Columbia
BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office  |  Province of British Columbia

Tobiano (recreational community) occupies a portion of the original Six Mile Ranch property on the south side of Kamloops Lake. The historic Six Mile Ranch was acquired by investors in the late 1980s, by which time the ranch was no longer a thriving operation. After changing hands in the mid 1990s, development of the recreational community unfolded in several stages: designation & preservation of the 151 hectare Six Mile Hill Protected Area in 2001 (a representative ecosystem, mule deer wintering habitat and Secwepemc cultural heritage site) just west of Tobiano); irrigation improvements to maintain or enhance existing Six Mile Ranch lands east of Tobiano and on the south side of the Trans Canada Hwy; development of Tobiano Marina on Kamloops Lake; design & construction of Tobiano Golf Course; construction of the first housing phase, and reconfiguration of Trans-Canada Highway access to Tobiano. By March 2009, 75+ private homes were occupied or in various stages of construction. Subsequent phases of development will include: construction of an equestrian facility, hotel and commercial amenities, and development of additional private housing, eventually extending 4 miles along the lakeshore.

B.C. Geographical Names in Province of British Columbia
BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office  |  Province of British Columbia

"Tobiano" is the term for one of the spotting patterns that characterizes the Pinto or American Paint Horse. A horse with the tobiano pattern - the most common of the pinto colourings - has large rounded markings with white legs and white across the back between the withers and the dock of the tail; the head is usually dark. Other characteristic spotting patterns of Pinto horses are called Overo, Sabino, Tovero...

B.C. Geographical Names in Province of British Columbia
BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office  |  Province of British Columbia

 

Thompson-Nicola Regional District

Political Boundaries

Last updated: 2023-10-02