Town council has given the go-ahead to Discovery Wildlife Park to develop a 66-unit campground on nearly nine acres of land at the northeast corner of the zoo's 90-acre property.
With council's approval, development work on the new campground will begin this year and be ready for campers in 2017.
The application, which was previously approved by the town's Municipal Planning Commission, was presented to town council at its Jan. 25 regular meeting. As the site is designated a Direct Control District, council is the development authority.
During the presentation by town development officer Andrew Cohrs, Coun. Doug Bos, who is co-owner of Discovery Wildlife Park, recused himself from the discussion and subsequent decision by council.
Cohrs told council the proposed access for visitors to the new campground will be from the same west side entrance used by the public to visit the zoo. Council was told campers will have to drive across the property to take an access road north along the east side of the property to enter the campground, which will not have an access point along Highway 2A, although there will be an exit gate on the north side for emergency use.
Council was told the campground will be enclosed on all sides with an eight-foot fence and have a gated entrance, which will be locked at night. There will be no water or sewer infrastructure at the campground, and the zoo will be responsible for providing trucked-in water and sanitation services. Power will be provided for each of the 66 campsites and propane fireplaces will be made available for rent.
Cohrs told council no existing trees from the campground area, which also includes two grassed islands, a grassed area in the northeast corner and a pond in the centre, will be removed. Council heard that the developer will be planting a new tree for each of the 66 campsites.
Council was also told the development does not conflict with Waskasoo Creek or with its accompanying shoreline vegetation.
The application noted that the lands north of the campground site are reserved for industrial development and that the new recreational site won't impact any future use.
