2020 Camping thread

[300havoc]

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Probably at any of the "Alberta environment and parks" offices. There are two in Calgary I believe.

Wonderful thank you. I can't figure out why my googling skills didn't pick that up.

[ExtraSlow]

So $10/night fee increases announced for Alberta Provincial park camping.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calga...ayed-1.5480848

Wonder if this will be enough to decrease demand for reservable sites? Seems like that would be the only way to objectively measure if the fee was "too high" or not. Has always seemed like the reservable sites anywhere I want to be are snapped up on day 1 of the 90 day window.

Delay to opening the reservation system too while this is worked out.

[dirtsniffer]

Id prefer if they just went no ancellations. People booking every weekend and then canceling half as the time approaches grinds my gears.

Or maybe it will help hinder the folks who pitch a tent on Wednesday, only to show up Friday.

[ExtraSlow]

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Id prefer if they just went no ancellations. People booking every weekend and then canceling half as the time approaches grinds my gears.

Or maybe it will help hinder the folks who pitch a tent on Wednesday, only to show up Friday.

Isn't there is a big fee for cancellations?

[dirtsniffer]

You just lose the booking fee. $12 I think

[ExtraSlow]

Huh, that's not as high as I thought, but I looked it up and as long as you are more than 72 hours away, that's it. I think in BC you lose one night plus the reservation fee.

Wonder how much the provincial rec area campgrounds went up. I think they were $22/night previously? Places like Cataract and Racehorse. They seem much less busy, which is nice for those of us who camp there. But paying $32/night at a place like that seems unreasonable.

EDIT: The budget documents don't specify fees for each park or type of park. Here's a screencap of the document:

[Kavy]

The problem is the reservation system itself. It costs minimal to “move” a reservation. What people do is if they can’t make theirs they just shift it to another weekend. Or shift it each day enabling them to get a weekend before anyone else.

They made this problem and are now making it even worse. Stupid is as stupid does I guess.

On a related note the memo I saw was a $3 increase but we might be talking about different sites.

https://www.google.ca/amp/s/globalne...020-march/amp/

This also marks the launch of a year-round booking system from the province. Starting this year, the online booking will be available 365 days. Previously, the system was shut down at the end of the camping season, then re-opened in the spring.

The province is also raising fees by $3 to the base rate. Rates for power, water, sewers and showers will increase by $1 where the services are offered.

[dirtsniffer]

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Huh, that's not as high as I thought, but I looked it up and as long as you are more than 72 hours away, that's it. I think in BC you lose one night plus the reservation fee.

Wonder how much the provincial rec area campgrounds went up. I think they were $22/night previously? Places like Cataract and Racehorse. They seem much less busy, which is nice for those of us who camp there. But paying $32/night at a place like that seems unreasonable.

EDIT: The budget documents don't specify fees for each park or type of park. Here's a screencap of the document:

That's the first thing my wife said. Paying that for cataract iuts crazy. An extra $15 a night for sandy mcnab will suck. Hopefully they use the extra revenue to build or expand some spaces

[Tik-Tok]

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That's the first thing my wife said. Paying that for cataract iuts crazy. An extra $15 a night for sandy mcnab will suck. Hopefully they use the extra revenue to build or expand some spaces

Pretty sure that extra money is just going to general revenue for the province.

[Brent.ff]

They’re selling it as only $10 but it’s really a 40% increase overnight. Considering that pretty well all temp staff at parks have been removed and not renewed, to the point that they’re talking about closing visitor centres due to lack of staff, and then increase the fees by 40%. More money for less service and less maintenance. Putting these funds to genera revenues is so typically stupid of the Conservatives

[ExtraSlow]

Parks in general can't be self sufficient through user fees, so if they are funded through general revenue, it kind of makes sense for thier revenue to go back to the same place. I think?

[dirtsniffer]

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They’re selling it as only $10 but it’s really a 40% increase overnight. Considering that pretty well all temp staff at parks have been removed and not renewed, to the point that they’re talking about closing visitor centres due to lack of staff, and then increase the fees by 40%. More money for less service and less maintenance. Putting these funds to genera revenues is so typically stupid of the Conservatives

Plot twist - all government revenue is general revenue

[Brent.ff]

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Parks in general can't be self sufficient through user fees, so if they are funded through general revenue, it kind of makes sense for thier revenue to go back to the same place. I think?

That’d be fine, if there was a concerted effort to put the funds back towards the campgrounds. There won’t be. I’m actually fine with an increase, but this amount seems arbitrary with no return on the revenue. So glad we’ll be looking to invest in unprofitable ventures..

‘Making life more affordable for Albertans’...right


Put your hand up to take over Cataract creek. Suspect that one will be on the under used list. Such a joke

https://www.google.ca/amp/s/beta.ctv...1_4833354.html

[dirtsniffer]

During Budget 2020, the government said revenue from Alberta Parks in 2018-19 was $33.4 million which was used to support operations that cost $86.1 million in the same period.

Really surprising to see alberta parks spending $80 million a year.

[Darell_n]

I'd like to see the under-utilized parks list. Just stop maintaining and collecting money for them, I guess.

[ExtraSlow]

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Really surprising to see alberta parks spending $80 million a year.

well, a couple hundred full-time staff would eat up at least half of that. I assume they have at least 200 staff, plus whatever seasonal staff and maintenance, capital or operating costs on top of that.

[Brent.ff]

This is also in the shadow of the UCP wanting to double tourism revenue by 2030. So less money, way more people... sounds like a good way to go straight to maintenance hell

[e31]

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Put your hand up to take over Cataract creek.

164 sites identified for a proposed removal from the official Parks system.
Hell, I'll pay double, triple whatever they were asking if it means OHV's become universally allowed... Only way to double tourism revenue is by drawing in people with money.

[pheoxs]

Can someone recommend a campsite as I haven't been in a couple years. It'd be car camping /w 2 tents at a site, don't need hookups. Either first come first server or reservable, won't be going on a long weekend. Would prefer something with some nice walking trails or hikes nearby or some water but really not too picky. Just wanna get out to the forest. 1-2ish hr drive away

[Brent.ff]

Sarrail walk-in tent sites would work well for you, or depending on the weekend Interlakes is probably the best campground for views/access to hikes in southern alberta. But it's full every weekend, so be there early