Campground fees will increase

City of Powell River Council approved a bylaw that will increase fees and charges at Willingdon Beach campground.

At council’s July 2 meeting, consideration was given to Willingdon Beach Campsite Bylaw 2413, 2015, which brings the cost of campsite stays more in line with camping in other coastal communities.

In a report from Ray Boogaards, the city’s director of parks, recreation and culture, he stated that a fees and charges market survey was completed as part of the research in the preparation of the report. In the survey it was found that some of the existing fees and charges at the Willingdon Beach campground were lower than the average (and sometimes the lowest) of other campgrounds on the Sunshine Coast and Vancouver Island.

Because of these large discrepancies staff proposed a two-year plan to bring the fees and charges to the average within the area.

During the city council meeting, Councillor Jim Palm commented on the low fees. “It is being recommended that campsites with full service will be increased 10 per cent per year for the next two years and other campsites will be increased by four per cent over the same period of time,” he said.

Council unanimously adopted the bylaw. The main text of the previous bylaw had not been updated since 2006.