The Cree name for the lake is a-ka-ka-kwa-tikh, which means "the lake that does not freeze" (Holmgren and Holmgren 1976). Apparently, springs that flow into the lake bottom prevent parts of the lake from icing over in winter (Bowick 1988). In 1884, the lake and its outlet were renamed by J.B. Tyrrell for Tom Hastings, a member of Tyrrell's geological survey party (Holmgren and Holmgren 1976).

The first settlers at Hastings Lake were Jonas Ward and August Gladue, who arrived sometime during the late 1800s (Touchings 1976). A Grand Trunk Railway station was built at the hamlet of Deville, 2.5 km north of the lake, in 1909, and a post office was established there soon after. In 1912, the school district of Deville was created, and a school was built in the hamlet.

By the late 1890s, most of the virgin timber had been removed from the area surrounding Hastings Lake, either by fire or by timber cutting. In 1893, a sawmill operated just south of the lake (Redecop and Gilchrist 1981). In 1899, Alberta's first forest reserve, the Cooking Lake Forest Reserve, was opened. It included all of Hastings Lake's drainage basin as well as land north and south of the drainage basin (Touchings 1976).

Most of the people who use Hastings Lake are local residents, and recreational facilities for visitors are limited. The only campground is Kawtikh Recreational Retreat on the north shore, a commercially operated facility that opened in 1988. There are 40 rustic campsites, a playground, a picnic area and a boat launch (Fig. 2). A parcel of county land is located on the lakeshore between Range roads 204 and 205, but it has not been developed for recreation. A quarter section of Crown land, east of the county land and immediately west of Range Road 204, was reserved for a natural area in 1974, but as of 1988 it had not been officially designated as such (Alta. For. Ld. Wild. 1987). The area is used for picnicking, bird watching and wildlife viewing. Grazing is permitted and the land is fenced, but access to the lakeshore is available and small boats can be launched at the end of the range road. The remainder of the shoreland, with the exception of some reserve land within the hamlet of Hastings Lake, is privately owned. West of the hamlet, there is a private camp owned by the Legion of Frontiersmen and a private sailing club, the Cutty Sark Club. Within the hamlet, there is a summer camp operated by the Hastings Lake and Lutheran Bible Camp Association. The most popular recreational activities at Hastings Lake are bird watching, sailing, canoeing, rowing and power boating.

Hastings lake is very fertile. During July and August, blue-green algae often reach bloom proportions. In some years, these blooms have been responsible for poisoning domestic animals and wildlife. The lake is marginal for overwinter fish survival, but yellow perch were stocked from 1982 to 1985, and by 1989, the perch catch rate was reported to be good. As of 1989, there were no plans to continue stocking. There are no sport fishing regulations specific to Hastings Lake, but general provincial limits and regulations apply (Alta. For. Ld. Wild. 1989).

Reference: Atlas of Alberta Lakes (www.sunsite.ab.ca)