Prairie Oasis Park campground in Warman will open for business on June 1.
The Brian King Centre campground, however, will remained closed this season.
Warman City Council passed a resolution at a video-conference meeting on Monday, May 11 to open the Prairie Oasis Park Campground on a limited basis to long-term seasonal, overnight and limited-term campers. The move complies with the provincial government’s guidelines for re-opening the provincial economy while still protecting public health.
Online reservations for campground sites will be accepted by the city beginning May 15.
But the COVID-19 pandemic guidelines will oblige campers to make adjustments.
“Only every second campsite will be available,” explained Warman Recreation and Community Services Director Paul McGonigal during the May 11 council meeting. “Access to the campground’s washroom and shower facilities will not be allowed. Campers will have to use the bathroom facilities in their own trailers or RVs.”
Other restrictions include: online registrations must be made a minimum of 48 hours in advance; payments can be made online by credit card only; no group campsites; no tenting; and campers must be Saskatchewan residents.
Anyone exhibiting signs of illness will not be permitted.
McGonigal said city employees will do enhanced cleaning and disinfection practices at the campground’s central dump stations and water fill stations. All other common water sources are closed.
Enhanced cleaning and disinfection efforts will also be done on all public and shared spaces including picnic tables, garbage cans and other “high-touch” surfaces.
McGonigal said the tight restrictions on common water sources are responsible for the Brian King Centre remaining closed this season.
“It’s just not possible to accommodate the public health restrictions at the Brian King Centre campground,” said McGonigal. “But at the Prairie Oasis Campground, we’ve got the space and facilities to be able to handle it.”
The city contracts with an independent Campground Supervisor to run the Prairie Oasis Park camping facility on a seasonal basis. McGonigal told council the supervisor’s contract will start June 1 and be prorated and revised to reflect the COVID-19 regulations.
Under the terms of the contract, the campground supervisor will be responsible for performing the extra cleaning required under the COVID-19 regulations. McGonigal said no additional city staff will be required.
McGonigal estimated the revenue for the Prairie Oasis Park Campground to be similar to last season’s total of $34,000. Once the cost of the supervisor’s $12,080 contract is deducted, the net revenue for the city should be close to about $22,000 for the season.
McGonigal said the worst-case scenario would be a 65% reduction in the number of campers. But even then, the campground should still break even.