Maintenance & Restoration

Chester Taje · 09-12-2007, 11:32 AM

This summer as my wife and I were traveling around we noticed that a large number of campgrounds are being changed into resorts with individuals owning/leasing a spot just for themselves. It seems to me that sooner or latter we will have no place to go too.

Another thing I noticed as it happened to me this summer, was that I was not allowed entry into a campground as I did not have a built in gray water holding tank.

Bigfoot Mike · 09-12-2007, 11:39 AM

This is interesting.

Do you think it is because they have a short camping season and are trying to increase their market share.

It seems to me that when they say “Resort”, the price goes way up.

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RESORT: A resort is a place used for relaxation or recreation. As a result, people tend to seek out a resort for holidays or vacations. Generally, a resort is distinguished by a large selection of activities, such as food, drink, lodging, sports, entertainment, and shopping.

Anne H · 09-12-2007, 11:58 AM

I was recently at a small 'RV Resort' in central Oregon - about 1/4 of the sites were semi-permanent - fences, landscaping, covering over the tires, etc.

I guess I don't mind since these types of CG's are usually my 'last resort'

Brian B-P · 09-12-2007, 12:57 PM

A campground near us has gone to long-term leased spots (they can't actually sell a individual sites, since it would not meet the municipal standards for a subdivision, and is not set up as a condominum)... and they haven't changed anything about the facilities. It was called a "resort" even before the change.

It works for us, since we live very near by and the long-term site "owners" are less rowdy and noisy than the by-the-day camping crowd. It does reduce the number of options for people like us who actually travel with their trailers.

Brian B-P · 09-12-2007, 01:00 PM

Quote:

...Another thing I noticed as it happened to me this summer, was that I was not allowed entry into a campground as I did not have a built in gray water holding tank.

I'm not surprised, although I didn't have any problems in the few days we camped with a tent trailer which had no greywater tank. The operators would need to either check to ensure that you hooked up a temporary tank, or risk that you just dump on the ground.

Rick B · 09-12-2007, 01:40 PM

Quote:

This summer as my wife and I were traveling around we noticed that a large number of campgrounds are being changed into resorts with individuals owning/leasing a spot just for themselves. It seems to me that sooner or latter we will have no place to go too.

Conversions of this nature are happening. Ma and Pa had the place for 20 years, and now need to deal with safe drinking water regulations, increased taxation, subject to weather, forest fires and other factors that may reduce their bottom line. Renting a site by the year as opposed to overnight seems an option, or selling the resort to develop condos or other highly valued land use.

This is a concern of politicians as it can reduce tourism.

Bobbie Mayer · 09-12-2007, 02:04 PM

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Quote:

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<div class='quotemain'>Conversions of this nature are happening. Ma and Pa had the place for 20 years, and now need to deal with safe drinking water regulations, increased taxation, subject to weather, forest fires and other factors that may reduce their bottom line. Renting a site by the year as opposed to overnight seems an option, or selling the resort to develop condos or other highly valued land use.
This is a concern of politicians as it can reduce tourism.[/quote]
I think we are also seeing Boomers wanting a second home. Buying an RV space fills that desire for some people.

Bobbie

Pete Dumbleton · 09-12-2007, 02:17 PM

Generally speaking, it doesn't bother me as I prefer to camp in rural, unserviced CGs, usually federal forests, natl parks, provincial/state parks, etc.

The first campground that I saw go "condo" was in the Florida Keys (Key Largo Kampground, a former KOA) in the middle 1970's, so the practice is not really new.

Ron Wrighton · 09-12-2007, 02:22 PM

Hay Bobbie

Watch what you say about Boomers. Most of the kids I went to school with are now Boomers, and I still know some of them.

Ron

Bobbie Mayer · 09-12-2007, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Hay Bobbie
Watch what you say about Boomers. Most of the kids I went to school with are now Boomers, and I still know some of them.
Ron

I'm one, too, I already bought my second home.

Bobbie

jojo · 09-12-2007, 03:28 PM

A very timely subject. We have seen at least 7 long time campgrounds in our area (beautiful lakeside places) sold to developers in the last year. The developers are turning them into condo resort places, each condo selling for close to one million dollars! We got into camping 20 yrs too late I'm afraid, soon we will have only gov't parks to go to and there isn't enough for the demand. I wrote a letter to our local paper and copied our gov't reps on this topic. I'm surprised that with all the big rv dealerships there isn't a lobby group to ask gov't to develop more parks. Tourism is a big industry and I don't think condo owners spend the money like the constant turnover of out of town campers do?
I've also suspected a kind of elite-ism in some rv parks - they say 'no porta potties'. I guess this means if you don't have a bigger, newer rig, they don't want us in their park?

Brian B-P · 09-12-2007, 06:55 PM

jojo, are you in the Okanagnan, by any chance? The land has just become too valuable for RV parks to provide enough income, so owners are doing the best thing for them, and developing higher-value facilities. It is a problem for campers, but I can't blame the owners.

Like Pete, these are not the places I expect to camp, anyway, but it would be nice if they stayed around as an option.

I don't know if "no porta-potties" is elitism, or just another variation on "you must have a greywater tank": how neatly does everybody dump their portable toilets?

I agree that owned (or long-term leased) RV sites are becoming more common as vacation properties. I know people who have recently taken that route.

CharlynnT · 09-12-2007, 08:16 PM

I read about another place (was it in RV Times magazine?) that was going private resort instead of public daily camping.

Also in RV Times, you can join the BCRV owners association. The form asks name, address, number of feet long your RV is, and how many slides. I wonder how "17 and 0" would be perceived.

Also, a local RV Park operator "joked" to my husband that she "wouldn't let your trailer in!" but she had a highway sign saying "Big Rig Friendly!" and besides, it was a parking lot off the highway, not really a campground. She recently sold the place, Good bye.

Chuck-H · 09-12-2007, 11:53 PM

Great Topic!
Many 'Resorts' restrict less than 21' trailers in prime time but 'welcome ' us in slow season. I've been kinda' keeping track of these places, and will not stay there in 'off' season and LET THEM KNOW IT! 2 that I have 'mentioned' this to have sent me letters welcoming us YEAR ROUND! If you don't let these 'resorts' know this, they will continue to restrict the smaller rigs.

Chuck H.

Suz · 09-13-2007, 07:05 AM

I inquired at one resort and was told that they didn't allow anything under 23 feet.

Since that also excluded several of the pricey Airstreams, I think they were aiming toward the big diesel pushers. Needles to say, I wouldn't have stayed there for the exact reason they didn't want me.

Rick B · 09-13-2007, 08:28 AM

Quote:

I inquired at one resort and was told that they didn't allow anything under 23 feet.

I have yet to run across a resort in BC where they had a minimum trailer length, however they may exist. I equip my trailers with two 6 volt golf cart batteries (220 ah each), and have a 85 watt solar system for battery recharge. I do bring along my Honda 700 if necessary. My favourite campsites are BC Parks or Forest Rec. sites, where trailer size limitations do not exist.

brendadave · 09-13-2007, 09:22 AM

When we were travelling the Oregon Coast in August this year, we pulled into a private campground went to the front desk to register, they had one spot left, they let us stay and kicked the people in the motorhome out because they prefered to have a smaller trailer like ours than the big rig...I guess it can go both ways???

jojo · 09-13-2007, 12:34 PM

Hi Brian, we are nearby the Okanagan. I can't blame the owners either, I'm sure a lot of the long time operators must really wrestle with it, but who can turn down that kind of $. It's sad for all the families who have literally spent generations going to the same campground every summer. Soon it'll be only the rich who can be lakeside. Which is why I think the provincial gov't should buy up some of these campgrounds and make more parks instead of the developers getting them all.
I think it's all you rich Albertans who are driving the real estate prices up over the top in our area!