Ecotourism and Parks | Case study
Miller Creek Campground
The Challenge?
Upgrade infrastructure like boat ramps and day use facilities at a busy campground on Vancouver Island. Then, add 21 new campsites to double its capacity.
The Crux?
Funding of the project has to come from the sale of trees removed onsite during the work completed. And, the work to be completed is going to take place in fragile fish spawning habitat that must be protected.
When Rec Sites and Trails BC approached us with this unique project, they had struggled for years to get it off the ground. They had planned to expand the busy campground for many years but cost and environmental concerns held the development back. To mitigate environmental risk, construction would have to take place during winter. This would be challenging for crews. More importantly though, work had to take place outside of the window for fish stream crossings. We would have to develop systems and processes to protect fish and fish habitat while still completing the build in a timely fashion.
The second challenge would be budget constraints. This had kept the project shelved for a long time.
Our solution was threefold. First, we changed the layout of the campground to better suit the demand for facilities. This change also allowed us to build more efficiently on already cleared land, driving down the overall cost. Second, we skilfully removed any trees required to be felled onsite for construction. That way, they could then be sold via BC Timber Sales for revenue to fund the project. Third, we tweaked the design and installation of two open-bottom arch culverts on the access road. This protected fish spawning habitat while also reducing construction costs versus traditional road bridges. The result? An awesome campground better suited to its demand with minimal impact on the fish spawning grounds at a manageable price tag.
Location:
Campbell Lake, Vancouver Island
Date:
2018
Client:
Rec Sites and Trails BC - Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development
Scope:
• Consulting
• Design
• Construction Management
• Project Management
“Recreation Sites and Trails BC initiated a campsite expansion project with 43k Wilderness Solutions at Miller Creek Recreation Site near Campbell River in 2018-19. Their client service, professionalism, and adaptive approaches to site development allowed our program to provide greatly improved client service and recreation experience at Miller Creek. The successful development of our design led to contracting 43k for Project Management services to oversee the installation of our new design at Miller Creek. Without exception, the response from our clients has been one of great appreciation and thanks. Amazing work, amazing staff, great company!”
