A group of seasonal campers at China Creek Marina and Campground aren’t happy about recent rate increases and security issues at the campground.
During a meeting at the campground on Wednesday, July 19, close to 40 seasonal campers voiced their concerns to Cecilia Addy, manager of marina services and David McCormick, director of public relations and business development with the Port Alberni Port Authority.
“We’re unhappy about the rates…the new set of rates makes the seasonals, especially the ones at the beach sites unhappy, it also makes the over nighters unhappy. So what happened with the giant rate increase?” said seasonal camper Sid Alamo at the meeting.
The campsite has 10 types of sites—basic, creekside, beach side- unserviced, beach side- partial service, beach view-unserviced, beach view-partial service, partial serviced sites, partial serviced sites (oversized), full service sites and full service sites (oversized). In January, a nine per cent increase throughout the 10 sites was implemented, averaging about $300 more a year for seasonal campers.
For the first year, seasonal campers will only pay a two per cent increase.
“January 1 rates were published and shared with everybody with the understanding that there was a one-year grace where there would only be a two per cent increase for current seasonals,” Addy said. “Basically some [sites] have actually reduced in cost from last year and some of them have gone up so there’s a wide range.”
In addition to rate increases, a storage fee was implemented in January of $55 a month for campers to store their trailers and other camping gear on their site during the off season (typically October to April), which adds up to an extra $385 a year. Some campers at the meeting believed these rate increases to be “out of line.”
One camper stated he had been camping at China Creek for 49 years and hasn’t seen a rate increase before like the one implemented this year.
“The cost of the world is getting more and more expensive year after year,” David McCormick said. “My time at the port, I started in September of 2010, I looked at the books historically and there weren’t the rate increases that probably should have happened time after time.”
McCormick said, in a follow-up interview, that the Port Authority is not making money from the China Creek facility and that there’s continuously money being put into projects there.
“There’s a significant cost of dredging the marina to keep the marina operational over a number of years…we have another dredge required this fall into early winter that is a significant cost,” he said.
He added that they have kept the seasonal rate increases below the annual rate of inflation.
Campers brought up issues with security and a lack thereof around the campground. According to Alamo, between March and July, 10 campers had items stolen from their sites, or damage done to their property, including stolen propane tanks, tools, a motorcycle, prawn nets and frozen prawns. One person even had their clothes stolen out of a laundry machine.
Addy said security cameras for the campsite were attempted last year but internet and power issues at China Creek, along with winter weather conditions, have caused issues in keeping the software running.
“Over the winter…it did deplete our system and we are trying to troubleshoot exactly what the challenge is, whether or not it’s lines or cameras,” Addy said. “In the mean time I do have a temporary solution where I am in the works of putting a camera at the top of the hill (entrance/exit) so we can have access to know who’s coming and going from the park. And we’re trying to work with our company to see if we can upgrade the camera system down at the marina.”
McCormick suggested exploring the option of implementing a citizens on patrol type of security system where campers watch over the campsite and each other.
“The biggest thing is for all of us to communicate, to talk with each other,” he said. “It’s looking at better methods to communicate while still looking at hardware and tools to support that.”
Campers were also concerned with a lack of speed signs, stating that often time drivers will drive too fast throughout the site. To which, Addy said she would get right on putting signs up.
Although the gravel road heading out to China Creek wasn’t brought up continuously as a big issue to campers, it was mentioned.
McCormick said the Port Authority have been working hard on getting the road paved to the campground.
“We have the support of every community stakeholder right through to First Nations, regional districts, the city, Chamber of Commerce, you name the group we’ve got their support, the only one that we don’t yet have so far are Island Timberlands and the province,” McCormick said. “We’re working every conceivable rationale focusing on safety.”
Campers were pleased with the addition of Cruizers Cafe to the site and they hope the business will stick around next year.
