It’s one of Squamish’s worst-kept secrets, John Harvey says.
For more than 40 years, climbers have pitched their tents on the 10-acre piece of Crown land off Centennial Way. Now, the founder of the Mamquam River Access Society wants to legitimize the illegal camping with the creation of a not-for-profit campground.
“Fifteen years down the road, we would have a revenue stream,” Harvey said, noting that money can in turn be poured into outdoor recreational resources.
The long-term vision for the former Hasting’s Landscape Supply property is to secure a 25-year provincial lease on the lot. The area also needs to be rezoned by the District of Squamish from its industrial use to green corridor to pave way for the campground. Once the paperwork is in place, Harvey estimates it will cost $50,000 to remove wood waste currently on the property and an additional $50,000 to install 45 individual, private campsites.
“The support I have seen for this project is huge,” Harvey said.
The Squamish Access Society, Squamish Paddling Club, Squamish Off-Road Cycling Association and Squamish Windsports Society all back the idea. The facility will address the community’s need for more camping, access society vice-president Charlie Harrison said. Stawamus Chief Provincial Park campground is regularly fully booked and the district-run campsite beside the Brennan Park Recreation Centre is uninviting, Harrison said. As a result, adventurers end up illegally camping in the Squamish Estuary and along the Stawamus and Mamquam rivers.
“We are definitely in support of any new camping,” he said.
Down the road, the community needs to look at filling the gap for cheap camping. Harvey estimates the Mamquam River lots will run at $8 per night, which quickly eats into one’s wallet when staying at a site for the climbing season, Harrison said, noting climbing hot spot Bishop, Calif., offers $2 campsites in an effort to discourage illegal setups.
On Saturday, April 26, the Mamquam River Access Society is hosting a fundraiser at the Howe Sound Inn and Brewing Co. Money raised at the event will go toward municipal rezoning and the provincial lease applications. The event kicks off at 7 p.m. in the Garibaldi Room with a silent auction. That will be followed by four short films featuring Squamish’s famous outdoor recreation.
“I think it is going to be a fun night,” Harvey said.
To support the project, you can mail a cheque to the Mamquam River Access Society at Box 3530, Garibaldi Highlands, B.C. VON 1T0.
