Mountain View County council has authorized the CAO to enter into a new 10-year agreement with the Westward Ho Campers Association for the operation of the Westward Ho campground.
The move came during the recent regularly scheduled council meeting.
Association president Pat Strey, who attended the April 26 council meeting, says he is very pleased councillors have authorized the new agreement. "We've been working towards this since Day 1 so we are extremely happy," said Strey. "Now we can make a few more long-term plans and start building on things that we've already started on.
"Lots of ideas for long-term plans are being tossed around. We've talked about increasing the size of the hall. Over the years we put a few new playgrounds in. Now we can take on some bigger projects. We are also looking at possibly doing some erosion control on the riverbanks. Nothing is formalized yet."
The association - called the operator in the agreement - has operated the county-owned campground, located east of Sundre along the Little Red Deer River, under a joint agreement since 2012. The existing agreement expires on Dec. 31.
The association is a not-for-profit organization governed by bylaw, with the finances handled through a third party professional financial management company.
There are 300 annual and seasonal sites, as well as various buildings, washrooms, picnic shelters, ball diamonds and dugouts at the campground.
Under the new agreement, the county grants the operator an exclusive licence to use the premises for the purposes of running the public campground.
"During the term of this agreement, the operator and its members, employees and its invitees subject to the terms and conditions of this agreement, shall be entitled to use the premises for the purpose of operating a campground and recreational park and for uses incidental thereto and for no other purpose unless consented to otherwise by the county," the agreement states.
Also under the agreement, the operator will pay the county, on a monthly basis, an amount equal to seven per cent of the operator's gross revenues derived from the premises.
The operator also agrees to "repair the premises including without limitation damage to or breaking of glass, signs, doors, hardware, lighting, wiring, structures, accessories, roads and trails, and maintain the forgoing in good condition.
"The operator shall further keep all heating, ventilation and plumbing facilities which serve the premises in good repair and working order.
"The operator will manage and supervise access to and from the premises and manage the movement and activities of users of the premises while such users are on the premises."
"We've been working towards this since Day 1 so we are extremely happy."Pat Streypresident Westward Ho Campers Association
