Moving on up: city prepares fiscal ground for newly upgraded campground
By Timothy Schafer
The city will be sporting several new full-service campground sites at its Nelson Tourist Park in 2017, part of an overall overhaul of the recreation site the city undertook in 2016.
During the 2016 upgrades, the full-service area was reconfigured to allow for six functional sites, seven full service sites, 10 new tenting platforms and upgrades to the showers and washrooms.
However, fees for the full-service sites in the city-owned campground could be going up by nearly 20 per cent after city council approved third reading of the initial rate hike on Monday to help pay for the new upgrades.
The increase is needed to support “appropriate cost recovery” from the users of the Nelson Tourist Park “while providing an economic benefit to the City of Nelson,” read a city staff report to council on the increase.
“The tourist park provides an additional revenue source for the Youth Centre and provides employment experience for youth who face barriers to employment,” read the report.
Prior to 2016 seven campground sites were identified as full service with water, sewer and electrical hookups — located along the street side of the campground. But only four full service sites were viable because of size and configuration before the upgrades began.
The rates for the full service sites could jump from $36.75 to $45, while the seven new site (electric and water) would go from $36.75 to $40.
The nine electric-only sites would rise from $31.50 to $35.
Rates were last increased in 2014, and revenue generated through tourist park fees in 2016 totaled $108,000.
It was noted that there were upgrades to the tourist park in 2016 that included electrical and water service upgrades, tree management, site repair and cleanup, signage design and installation.
As well, there was construction of 10 new tenting platforms, and upgrades were made to the campground showers and washrooms.
The platforms are 10 feet x 10 feet and were added in the forested periphery of the campground by building elevated wooden decks. It was recommended that the rate would be $26 per night for the tent platforms and unserviced sites (down from $26.25).
Savoy passes the test
There were no complaints received about the outdoor patio at the Savoy Hotel in the
2016 season, so the licence of occupation for the hotel will be extended for one year to include the 2017 season.
At the regular council meeting on April 4, 2016, city council granted the Savoy Hotel (198 Baker Street) a one-year licence of occupation for a sidewalk café that varied the requirements of council’s outdoor cafés and use of sidewalk and parking spaces policy.
The city approved a variance allowing the sidewalk patio at the hotel to occupy four parking stalls instead of three for one year.
The one-year term was granted on the understanding that the Downtown Urban Design Strategy was in process with an expectation that policy or bylaw development from the strategy would be complete in time for the 2017 patio season.
However, the policy or bylaw development will be completed for the 2018 season.
