Campers looking to visit Port Edward will be able to enjoy a longer stay after the council passed a motion to change the campground bylaw on Jan. 10.
Kinnikinnick Campground and RV Park is the only campground in the community.
Under the updated bylaw, guests can now stay for up to 30 cumulative days during peak season, between May 1 and Oct. 31. Furthermore, in the off-season, between Nov. 1 and Apr. 30, visitors may stay for as long as they like, there is no time restriction.
Previously, guests could pitch a tent on the grounds for a maximum of 14 days, Polly Pereira, director of corporate administrative services at the District of Port Edward, told The Northern View.
The previous two-week maximum was not long enough time for many visitors, Knut Bjorndal, mayor of Port Edward, said.
“People come here to go fishing and things like that and so we thought it was appropriate to extend the time that people can actually stay there without having to move.”
The previous campground bylaw was from 1994, Pereira said.
In a letter to the council, Pereira wrote that the new bylaw was proposed to support current guidelines and the development of the community.
In addition to the length of stay, the new bylaw also redefines the idea of camping, Bjorndal explained.
“The other thing we did was allow them to have yurts, which are small, 10 by 10 wooden structures for those people who don’t want to get wet staying in a tent.”
To change the campground bylaw, the district had to make some changes to the zoning bylaw, which required a public hearing and approval from the Ministry of Transportation.
The public hearing was held Dec. 13, 2022, and the district received the necessary approval from the ministry prior to the council making the decision to adopt the new bylaw.
READ MORE: Developers plan 7 cabins for rezoned Port Edward properties
Kaitlyn Bailey | Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
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