Seasonal workers could get a rude awakening when they come to the Battlefords this spring.
During the Feb. 22 town council meeting, council unanimously voted to increase camping rates at Eiling Kramer Campground, effective March 1.
The fee for full service sites will increase from $27 to $40 per day and from $160 to $240 per week. For electrical sites, the fee will increase from $22 to $30 per day and from $129 to $180 per week. For non-electrical sites, the fee will jump from $17 to $19 per day and from $97 to $114 per week. The campground will no longer offer a monthly rate.
Also, seniors and residents of Battleford and the RM of Battle River will receive a 10 per cent discount.
Deputy Mayor Cameron Duncan asked if the $13 per day increase on full service sites was excessive.
Randy Redding, superintendent of parks and recreation, said the increases are necessary to recover costs of the electrical upgrades the campground received last year.
Councillor Donna Lavin agreed. "I think the whole idea is to recoup costs, so let them pay it," she said.
Redding also explained the rates are in line with those offered at other campgrounds, saying the rate for full service sites at Lloydminster's campground is $40 and Saskatoon's is $39.
According to the City of Saskatoon website, full service sites at the Gordon Howe Campground, which offers vending machines, free showers, free wireless Internet access and laundry facilities, are only $35 per day.
The City of Lloydminster has yet to post their 2011 camping rates.
The biggest difference in price will be the monthly rate, which will affect seasonal workers, many of whom lived at the campground for the entire summer of 2010, citing lack of available and affordable rental accommodations in the Battlefords.
Redding said he opted to scrap the monthly rate because, when he looked at "10 to 12" other campgrounds, only about half have monthly rates.
Both Saskatoon's and Lloydminster's campgrounds offer monthly rates.
Since Eiling Kramer will no longer be offering a monthly rate, campers will pay $455 more per month for full service sites, $320 more for electrical sites and $156 more for non-electrical sites.
Previously, the monthly rates were: $505 for full service, $400 for electrical and $300 for non-electrical. They will now be: $960, $720 and $456, based on a four-week month.
Comparatively, the monthly rate for a full service site in Saskatoon is $630, while at Eiling Kramer, it will now be $960.
When asked if the rate increase would affect seasonal workers, Redding responded that many of the seasonal workers are construction workers who get a per diem, "much more than $30 per day."
