With the City of Trail RV Park shuttered for a second year, the Trail Times has received numerous inquiries about the closure: Is it temporary, or is the park closed for good?
The short answer is: it’s still up in the air.
The 31-site campground was closed last summer due to construction planned at the nearby sewer treatment facility.
Since then, work has progressed on the $76-million overhaul of the Columbia Pollution Control Centre, which serves Trail, Rossland, Warfield, and part of Area B in the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary.
When construction wraps up, will the RV park reopen?
“The RV Park will remain closed for the duration of construction, which could be several years due to the size of the project,” city spokesperson Claire Samulak told the Trail Times.
“Additionally, because the land is owned by the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary, the City of Trail can’t comment on reopening at this time.”
Located at the top of the same side road as the campground, the Columbia Pollution Control Centre discharges disinfected effluent into the Columbia River.
Under updated federal and provincial regulations, the facility is required to provide at least secondary treatment, a process that removes about 95 per cent of organic waste from wastewater.
Upgrades now underway include new headworks, secondary treatment systems, ultraviolet disinfection, improved biosolids handling, and effluent heat-recovery and water reclamation systems.
Camping alternatives
While the RV park remains closed, short-term campers looking to stay near Trail have a few nearby options.
In Fruitvale, Creekside RV Park, located behind the Fruitvale Memorial Centre, is available on a first come, first served basis. Reservations are not accepted.
In Rossland, the Rossland Lions Community Campground offers 26 sites and operates from the May long weekend through Oct. 1. Just off Highway 3B, it sits next to Centennial Ball Park and the town’s bike park. The campground is a three-minute drive or 15-minute walk southwest of downtown Rossland.
More information is available at rosslandlionscampground.com.
