The story behind the Ellison name

Price Ellison, 1852–1932

Price Ellison was born on 6 October 1852 in Dunham Massey, England, and died in Vernon on 10 December 1932 (Dictionary of Canadian Biography). In 1878 he pre-empted 320 acres in Priest’s Valley, the settlement that became Vernon. He kept buying land until he held about 11,000 acres, and by 1894 he was reputedly the Okanagan’s largest wheat grower.

He went into politics as the MLA for the area from 1898 to 1916, and served in the provincial cabinet as Chief Commissioner of Lands and Works, then as Minister of Finance and Agriculture. He also sponsored the bill that created Strathcona, BC’s first provincial park, in 1911.

His name is on a community (now part of Kelowna), a lake and the provincial park beside Ellison Landing.

Ellison Provincial Park

The park covers about 220 hectares on the northeast shore of Okanagan Lake, around 16 km from downtown Vernon (BC Parks). Wikipedia gives its establishment as 12 May 1988 (Wikipedia); we could not confirm that date from an official BC Parks source, so treat it as approximate. The park protects rocky headlands, coves and beaches, and contains four archaeological sites.

From Syilx territory to resort: a timeline

Most dates below come from the resort’s own history of the area (Predator Ridge blog) and its account of the courses (golf course evolution).

1. Thousands of yearsSyilx (Okanagan) territory

   Interior Salish peoples have lived in the North Okanagan for thousands of years.

2. 1811First documented contact

   Fur traders on the west side of Okanagan Lake.

3. 1878Price Ellison arrives

   Pre-empts 320 acres in Priest’s Valley.

4. 1889–1890The Commonage

   Alfred C. Carew is the first known Commonage property owner; Commonage Road becomes the stagecoach route from Priest’s Valley to the Mission in Kelowna.

5. 1892Vernon incorporated

   The Okanagan’s first city.

6. 1898–1912Commonage School

   The Commonage School is built; it closes in 1912.

7. 1925–1989Ranch years

   The Neigel family acquires 1,980 acres (ranched to 1956); Frank Stewart buys 1,180 acres in 1954; a Kamloops consortium led by Rudy Marelli buys in 1979; Barrie Wheeler and the Paterson family acquire the ranch in 1989.

8. October 1989Ground broken

   Construction starts on a Les Furber-designed course.

9. July 1991Predator Ridge Golf Resort opens
10. 1993 & 2000Big-name golf

    The resort hosts the 1993 BC Open, and in 2000 the Skins Game with Phil Mickelson, Mike Weir, Sergio Garcia and Fred Couples. The Skins returned in 2008 (Wikipedia).

11. September 2007Wesbild buys Predator Ridge
12. July 2010Ridge Course opens

    Doug Carrick design, par 72, 7,123 yards, voted best new course in Canada in 2010 by SCOREGolf. Vale sits on its 7th fairway.

13. 2018$3.5 million course refresh

    By Carrick and Furber.

14. 2025Ellison Landing appears

    “Coming Soon” on the neighbourhood map; the Woodside showhome opens on 20 September.

15. 202635th season

    Golf opens 8 April; Ellison Landing homes and homesites are selling.

Why “Predator”?

The resort explains that the ridge, the height of land between Kalamalka and Okanagan lakes, is home to many raptors: eagles, osprey, kestrels, peregrine falcons, and red-tailed and Cooper’s hawks. Look up from almost any patio at Ellison Landing and you’ll likely see one. Several Predator Ridge neighbourhoods carry raptor names too: Falcon Point, Peregrine Cottages and the Osprey homes.

Where Ellison Landing fits in 35 years of neighbourhoods

The resort’s 2025 neighbourhood map dates each neighbourhood. Read in order, it tells the story of how Predator Ridge grew from a golf resort into a community:

The early names (Peregrine Cottages, Falcon Point Vacation Homes, the Lodge Buildings) point to a golf and vacation-home resort. Later releases added townhomes, larger detached homes and, with The District, long-term rentals. Ellison Landing is marketed as much on the trails, the Bike Hub and the provincial park as on golf, which says something about who the developer expects to buy here now. Next on the horizon is the Ritz-Carlton Residences Okanagan above Outlook, announced in May 2024 as the first standalone Ritz-Carlton branded residences in Canada (Castanet); it was still marked “Coming Soon” in September 2026.

Quick facts

Some details differ between sources, including the order the original nines were named and the acreage. Where they conflict, this page gives both or keeps it general.

More about Predator Ridge’s older neighbourhoods and how they’ve aged is on the Predator Ridge homes guide.