A revamp of Golden Ears Provincial Park‘s (British Columbia) camping reservation system is scheduled to take place this year.
According to a report, the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy promises an easier and more accessible online experience when making an online reservation at bcparks.ca.
Stu Burgess, operations director for Golden Ears and Rolley Lake Provincial Parks, explained that the province is going back to a reservations system known as CAMIS, which was in use until 2020.
The CAMIS website says it has been offering reservations and park management solutions to government-operated parks, marinas, and harbors for more than 40 years.
“It was a good system. It worked well. It worked for our purposes,” Burgess said.
Burgess confirmed that the team is currently preparing for the upcoming camping season.
“We escaped all the floods with only minor damage. We’ve survived the snow and the ice when it got really cold, and now we’re starting to look forward to spring,” Burgess said.
At present, they are working on refinishing 750 picnic table planks. Then, they’ll be working on getting the water systems working again at the campground and cleaning up the bathrooms and other facilities.
Burgess expects another busy season at the park.
“I think that with COVID still going on and the travel restrictions and people not wanting to travel too far from home, I think we are going to be just as busy this year as the last two years,” said Burgess, adding that he will be looking for additional seasonal staff at the beginning of March.
Campsites at most campgrounds are available for booking two months in advance.
“We live in a province where people have a deep appreciation for parks and the environment,” said Kelly Greene, parliamentary secretary for Environment.
“We are all looking forward to another summer of camping and outdoor recreation, and demand for campsites in popular locations will continue to be high. The improved website and reservation system will make the B.C. camping experience even better,” Greene added.
B.C. Parks has more than 10,000 reservable day-use and overnight accommodations available. These include day-use passes, parking permits, campsites, backcountry permits, a world-class canoe circuit, picnic shelters, backcountry cabins, and a yurt.
The Ministry claims that the reservations demand has increased by 200% over the last decade.