The Old Waterpark R.V. Campsite

[theseeker]

Does anyone know whats being built where the old waterslides and campsite used to be at the corner of Skaha Lake road and Yorkton across from Anthonys.

[mountain sky]

Does it look like something is happening or are you courious about possibilities?

[southy]

I believe it is an upscale retirement centre. Thought I saw a thread on Castanet about this some time ago. Couldn't find it though.

[Static]

It was supposed to be condos a few years back.

[mountain sky]

I believe the retirement centre is at the back of the site. The front is still zoned tourist commercial.

[Static]

They should build a waterslide:)

[Quixote]

Southy is right: http://www.pentictonwesternnews.com/news/161991615.html

[theseeker]

Southy is right: http://www.pentictonwesternnews.com/news/161991615.html

Thanks everybody, Quixote and Southy, I remember now it being discussed I wonder if it's going to be built the way it was passed.

[Symbonite]

Penticton is becoming a non tourist destination...

There is lots to do...but no where to stay if someone wants to rv or camp...unless you want 100 a night at the hotels...


Let get rid of these retirement homes and start getting Local manufacturing something to actually stimulate the economy instead of sucking the resources dry....

More old folk homes = more emergency style things IE bigger hospital, more ambulances... all paid by tax payers...

[Static]

Penticton is becoming a non tourist destination...

There is lots to do...but no where to stay if someone wants to rv or camp...unless you want 100 a night at the hotels...


Let get rid of these retirement homes and start getting Local manufacturing something to actually stimulate the economy instead of sucking the resources dry....

More old folk homes = more emergency style things IE bigger hospital, more ambulances... all paid by tax payers...

Agreed

[fluffy]

...but no where to stay if someone wants to rv or camp...

I guess that's the reality of it. A business that only thrives for two or three months of the years is just no longer able to support the cost of carrying the land for the rest of the year. I note a couple of former campsites at the south end of town that just sit empty now. No development happening, just old campsites that aren't worth the money to run any more. It leads one to suspect that it's not the lack of campsites, but the lack of campers. On the other hand somebody is seeing fit to pour some bucks into the former Happy Hour campsite so there's someone at least with an optimistic eye to the future.

[zookeeper]

A couple years ago there was camping on the corner by the channel, the sign said $20/night and the place was packed! As the place filled the price per night kept going up, and the area got emptier. Young families and people really need an inexpensive place where they can just drop a tent and stay a while. At going summer rates they could have stayed there for 5 nights as opposed to one in a room. The problem eventually boiled down to no running water there and the issue of being a fire hazard.
I agree with previous posts, while it is nice to draw people who have money, young people are leaving because of the lack of jobs and not coming to visit because of the lack of inexpensive accomodation. There was a time when Penticton was called Fort Lauderdale North.

[twobits]

I guess that's the reality of it. A business that only thrives for two or three months of the years is just no longer able to support the cost of carrying the land for the rest of the year.

That is the reality of it but taken a step further, it is the end of the urban campsites so to speak. The land has just become too valuable for alternate uses. Besides, I think todays campers are looking for the Banbury Green and Illahie (sp?) type of campgrounds. Am pretty sure the only reason we have the few near the airport is the water and the fact that it is native land and not easily serviced/developed for alternative higher value purposes.

ETA- Hotels are not cheap but ya don't go camping for 20 bucks a night anymore either. Serviced campsites at many campgrounds are north of 70 bucks a night now. Anyone know what the RV spots on the water at Wrights goes for per night?

[Static]

Another problem is that young people are not allowed to have fun in the town. I remember when. 3 nightclubs woul have linups all night and it took nearly 30 minutes to drive from lake to lake because of so many university aged cruising the town. Council is dumd to discourage the young from visiting. They are the ones who don't care maxing the credit card in the community if it fun.

[fluffy]

It would be interesting to crunch the numbers and see what sort of financial benefits the "family camper" demographic brings in during the summer months. It's obvious that the direct benefits to the campground owners are not there or the campgrounds wouldn't be disappearing, but if the overall benefit to the city were sufficient it might be feasible to think of city owned campsites. Peach Orchard campsite in Summerland is owned by the municipality and they contract out to people to operate it. It's packed all summer and also brings in a few big draws like the Blossom Run, plus you have all those campers doing spreading a few bucks up and down Main Street while they're in town.