<section begin=Lead /> Cultus Lake is a lake, associated community and provincial park in the Fraser Valley region of British Columbia, Canada. It is the source of the Sweltzer River. The lake itself is warm, and the area has become a popular recreation destination with ample opportunities for fishing, water skiing, wind surfing, and hiking. Cultus Lake is located 11km south of the Chilliwack River, near the city of Chilliwack and approximately 80km east of Vancouver. In 1950, Cultus Lake became a Provincial Park of British Columbia. Cultus Lake covers an area of 656 hectares, evenly on either side of the lake. At one time the lake had a sawmill and booming ground until it became a provincial park in the 1950s.<section end=Lead />HistoryCultus Lake has always been an important place for spirit quests of the Sto:lo people. However, it was named with the Chinook Jargon word meaning primarily bad, worthless, or good for nothing, though the same word can also mean free, without purpose, or simply nothing. The Cultus Lake water park was made in the 1980s.
