Campers and glampers are going to have 30 new opportunities to camp at Rathtrevor Provincial Park beginning this May.
That will be thanks to a $22.9 million provincial government expansion project that is seeing new campsites built in parks across B.C.
Rathtrevor will be getting 30 new campsites by the second week of May. The sites are part of approximately 350 new campsites to be built across the province. The second phase of the project at Rathtrevor will see another 20 campsites built.
Parksville-Qualicum MLA Michelle Stilwell, as well as B.C. Parks and B.C. Recreation Sites and Trails staff were on hand at Rathtrevor on Thursday, March 23, to make the announcement and tour the area where work on the campsites has already begun.
All 50 new sites are being converted from existing parking lots that were heavily underused, Rathtrevor park operator Natasha Mcquay said. It’s a very welcome project, she said, as there are constant complaints that the campground is full-up. Rathtrevor is one of the most used campgrounds in the province, according to B.C. Parks staff.
Rathtrevor was a prime spot for new campsites because of its very high use rates, said Jennifer Goad, project lead on the expansion with Forest, Lands and Natural Resources Operations. Using the underused parking lots also allowed for a quick and relatively inexpensive project, she said.
All 50 sites will measure 12 metres by 18 metres, making them the largest campsites in the park, said Mcquay, allowing for R.V. users and tenters to make use of them.
“I think it’s great,” said Kim Burden, executive director of the Parksville and District Chamber of Commerce who attended the announcement.
“We get a lot of enquiries from people coming in who get disappointed because maybe they haven’t made a reservation, so it’s going to be great as far as boosting the local economy, boosting tourism,” he said.
Cost constraints mean the new sites will not start off with shrubbery between each campsite. They will instead be separated by split-rail fencing, though the plan is to have green separation at a future date.
The project has been a great one to work on, said Goad, who added the government was convinced to make the investment largely due to an increase in campsite use across the province.
“I think we are seeing around the province people wanting more access and availability to the campsites, and this is a great addition here in our local community,” said Stilwell. “This is the province’s way of trying to fulfill that demand.”
Other campground sites to be added this camping season include 22 sites at Maple Grove near Lake Cowichan; four sites at Goldstream Provincial Park near Victoria; 20 sites for Pye Mountain Rec Site near Sayward; and 34 sites at Desolation Sound Provincial Park near Powell River.