Southern Alberta campgrounds preparing for summer camping season
The days are getting longer and warmer, meaning plenty of Albertans will be preparing to do some camping this summer.
"As the weather starts to warm up here, there's lots of inquiries. People have been calling, driving in. Trying to book their plans for the next season coming up," said Trevor Sampson, general manager of the Owl's Nest Campground in Coaldale.
Staff at Owl's Nest believe this summer will be their busiest camping season yet, which is why they're pushing to prepare for it.
"We're bringing a lot of sewer and water to some of the sites and upgrading the power there, just try to keep up with anticipated demand for this season," Sampson said.
Owl's Nest opened in the fall of 2021 and sits on the site of the former Coaldale municipal campground, which closed in 2015.
Sampson and his family opened Owl's Nest after seeing an explosion of popularity in camping following the COVID-19 pandemic.
The campground has be getting steadily busier ever since.
"We kind of opened for the fall of 2021 and then last year, it dramatically increased from the year before and even this year, with the amount of anticipated demand we're going to have here," Sampson said.
Excitement is also building at the Bridgeview Campground and RV resort.
The site was purchased by Kampgrounds of America last fall and is about to have its first summer camping season under the new management.
Staff are hopeful being a part of the KOA group will help bring more visitors.
"We're getting really excited for the new season as a KOA. We're brand new here in Lethbridge that way and so we're excited about the possibility of a lot more traffic coming through the park," said Kathy Regehr, operational manager of KOA Lethbridge.
"Especially our American friends who will be coming through, and we're already starting to see a lot of that traffic at this point."
Regehr recommends anyone interested in booking a reservation at the campground do it right away.
"We are starting to fill up. We still have a fair bit of space available but once those provincial parks and the national parks open up their reservations, we're going to see a lot of activity."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.