BC Parks fees going up again

[gbaglo]

From The Vancouver Sun:
Camping fees at B.C. provincial parks to rise


VICTORIA — It will cost more to camp in a provincial park this spring, after fee hikes unveiled by the government Thursday.
The nightly rate at many of B.C.’s provincial park campgrounds will increase between $2 and $5, starting March 15 when the online reservation system opens, said Environment Minister Mary Polak.
“We’re providing a quality service,” she said. “The investment is going into the parks.”
Of B.C.’s 204 provincial campgrounds, the price rises $2 at 141, and between $3 and $5 at 50, according to Polak’s ministry.
“Our rates still compare very well with private sector campgrounds, in most areas they are cheaper,” she said.
Prices had already increased in 2003, 2008 and 2010.
The cost of a night at Golden Ears Park in Maple Ridge, one of the closest campgrounds to Vancouver, has risen almost 89 per cent in the past 14 years, from a rate of $18.50 in 2001 to $35 a night starting in March.
There are also reservation fees and costs for additional vehicles in campgrounds. However, the government said it intends to keep free parking at the campsites — a promise of Premier Christy Clark after she took power in 2011.

[ykcamom]

$35 a night? WOW. Does it have water and power at the sites?

[amirie]

No, no utilities...

[gbaglo]

Kettle River Provincial Park. No power or water on sites. Sani-dump at the entrance ( $5 ). It will be fully booked as soon as reservations open.

[ykcamom]

Very pretty. Is that the park that had to be evacuated last summer due to fires?

[gbaglo]

That's is the one.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

From The Vancouver Sun:
Camping fees at B.C. provincial parks to rise
...
The cost of a night at Golden Ears Park in Maple Ridge, one of the closest campgrounds to Vancouver, has risen almost 89 per cent in the past 14 years, from a rate of $18.50 in 2001 to $35 a night starting in March.

Originally Posted by ykcamom

$35 a night? WOW. Does it have water and power at the sites?

Originally Posted by amirie

No, no utilities...

Sure, no utilities and $35... but this is essentially in the city and you're paying for that. No utilities is typical for B.C. provincial parks, but this location is not typical of provincial park rates.

A quick scan of the full list of park fees shows that Golden Ears appears to be tied (with several other campgrounds) for the most expensive per-night camping fees in the provincial system. Some campgrounds are half that rate.

These rates are three times what they were when I first camped in BC provincial park... but that was thirty years ago! The brand new car I drove into that $5 campsite cost about $7,000.

[kootenaigirl]

Thats sad, for a lot of families camping at our provincial parks is becoming too expensive. The campground we like to camp at (of course no hook ups or showers) went from $21 to $25 last year and now to $29 this year. When you add in the reservation fee of $6 per night for the first three nights it is a little pricey. And of course if you don't reserve you will not be getting a good site.