The BC Lodging and Campgrounds Association’s President speaks out on the loss of private sector RV Parks and Campgrounds.
Patrick Gramiak, General Manager of Wood Lake RV Park & Marina, Lake Country was recently elected President of the BC Lodging and Campgrounds Association (BCLCA) replacing outgoing President Jim Humphrey.
Gramiak told members gathered at the annual meeting: “Over the past couple of months BCLCA has learned that 8 RV parks are planning not to be operating as overnight campgrounds in 2017, and that they total some 792 campsites. In our BCLCA membership we represent a little over 20,000 overnight campsites, so this represents a significant decline. The problem we are facing is that customer demand for RV sites is increasing at a time that supply is decreasing.”
To address the decline of overnight campsites BCLCA members passed the following policy statements at the 73rd Annual General Meeting held on October 19, 2016 at Holiday Park Resort, Kelowna.
- Work with the provincial government to seek solutions to stimulate new private sector RV Park and Campground development.
- Look for solutions to keep existing private campgrounds and RV Parks as sustainable going concerns and not redevelopment opportunities.
Gramiak has already begun working on the concern by writing to, and alerting provincial Ministers about the disappearance of overnight campsites and seeking their assistance in reversing the trend.
The BC Lodging and Campgrounds Association is a trade association representing over 360 motels, motor inns, resorts, lodges, campgrounds and RV park properties in British Columbia. It assists members through marketing, advocacy, best practices and group cost saving benefits, all designed to help its members succeed and prosper.
Contacts:
Patrick Gramiak, President 250-864-4858
Joss Penny, Executive Director 778-383-1036
