Anyone who failed to book a campground in advance of the long weekend was probably disappointed.
In fact, people who failed to book a campsite well in advance (tents or recreational vehicles) during most weeks this summer probably ended up staying home.
The Wellington Advertiser did a survey of campgrounds across the county last week and found that Canadians, after two summers of cold and rainy weather, have headed back to nature in droves.
One of the largest camp systems in Wellington County is the one owned by the Grand River Conservation Authority. Media representative Dave Shultz said the GRCA is using a new system to record reservations and because of that, data is still being collected for the season.
But, he said, “The information is we’ve been having a decent summer.”
He said rain has been spotty, and the warm weather had many people visiting area conservation authority parks.
“Warm days are good for daily use,” he said. “People are coming to swim. It has been a good summer in Wellington County.”
Derek Strub, the superintendent of the GRCA’s Belwood Lake and Elora Quarry, said both are having “a record year.” Neither place even offers camping, just day use. But people are flocking to those parks for swimming and boating at the lake, and swimming and sun bathing at the Quarrie.
At Conestogo Lake Park, also run by the GRCA, Dean McFadden said, “We’re having a good year, I think.”
A week prior to the civic holiday, there were no camp sites left at his park, and he said that weekend and Labour Day are particularly busy.
“The beaches are full,” McFadden said. “There’s been no postings [warnings for contaminated water] and we’re having quite a good year. We’re probably ahead of last year.”
At the popular Elora Gorge Park, GRCA superintendent Dan Morden said basically the same thing.
“The hot sunny weather – we’ve certainly had an improvement [over last year]. We’re having a banner year. The hot, sunny weather we didn’t have last year has certainly brought out the more and more day trippers.”
It has also demonstrated the GRCA’s policy of a full-time alcohol ban at the Elora Gorge Park is no deterrent to attracting people. That ban has now been in effect for two years.
There are also alcohol bans at all other GRCA parks until the end of June, plus for May 24 and Labour day.
“It’s made for a better atmosphere,” Morden said of the ban, adding the goal was to attract families and that seems to have succeeded.
Shultz said Guelph Lakes and Rockwood have also been busy this season. He said Rockwood tends to attract people from the Greater Toronto Area, even though it is one of the smaller GRCA parks.
Private campgrounds
Those who own private campgrounds are also finding 2010 busy.
Janet Vallery, of Highland Pines in old West Garafraxa, said of this year, “We’re full every weekend. Normally, we’re full on holidays and weekends.”
Vallery said suddenly people want “to camp. If they’re not camping, they still want to get out.” For her, that means the three new cottages added to Highland Pines are booked solid.
The camp has 600 sites, with 500 rented seasonally, and another 100 rented by weekends or during the week. She added this year the camp is seeing sites booked regularly during the week, too.
Business is so good Vallery and her husband, Don, recently obtained approval to build another 400 sites on an old gravel pit adjacent to the current camp.
Janet Vallery summed it up, “There’s a huge demand for camping, and only so many sites. It’s a banner year.”
Phil Barrett, of Conestogo Family Campgrounds, located 10km west of Arthur off County Road 109, is in full agreement.
“It’s been wonderful,” he said of the season. “Business has been pretty good this summer.”
He said he, too, has noticed more people are arriving at off times.
His campground has 250 sties, and most of them are booked for the season, but he has 30 sites for overnight and weekend use. Some are unserviced, and some are for people with tents.
“My weekends have always been busy, but now we’re seeing more traffic through the week,” Barrett said.
“The good weather – that’s what’s doing it, I think.”
Several other campgrounds contacted had only answering machines, and thry were not taking bookings for the weekend.
