Although it’s been a no-go in the past, city council is considering allowing camping in Blackburn Park during the Roots and Blues Festival.
The proposal came from Coun. Alan Harrison, the city’s liaison with the festival, to allow camping on the southeast baseball diamond at the corner of 10th Avenue and Fifth Street SW from Aug. 13 to 15.
Staff presented a report on the proposal at the city’s Jan. 19 planning meeting.
Kevin Pearson, the city’s director of development services, said staff have received a number of requests for camping on Blackburn Park over the years, “and the answer is typically no.”
He said the main concern is potential damage to the fields and its remediation, as well as lack of parking.
“It is a good site though,” he noted, referring to its close proximity to the festival.
Pearson listed nine considerations in his report, which included: • if the agricultural land commission approves the application for temporary festival camping on four farmland properties across 10th Avenue, nearly 700 campsites would be available there; • the ball diamond is used for minor baseball but not during the festival week; • permits or approvals may be required from Interior Health because the fenced ball diamond is located 160 metres from the Blackburn Park washroom facilities; • the diamond could be damaged by the camping and would have to be returned to its pre-festival state with costs being covered by the festival; and camping on city and public land has been criticized by local private campground owners.
Several recommendations included allowing only tents and not permitting open burning of campfires.
Coun. Alan Harrison voiced his support for the proposal.
“As council is aware, we’ve been working with the Roots and Blues board. We know this is an important year for them. This is a no-cost way that the city can really help. If there were 50 tenting sites on that southeast ball diamond, that’s the equivalent of 50 festival passes, which is significant.”
Harrison said the festival is suggesting a one-year trial, and he concurs. Regarding potential damage, he said he’s coached and played many games on that field, “and I don’t think we should pretend it’s a good field…”
Council received a letter from the Salmon Arm Minor Baseball Association stating the dates of the festival would not interfere with minor baseball. It also expressed approval for allowing only tents, as well as requiring the grounds to be reinstated to their pre-festival condition.
Coun. Ken Jamieson voiced a couple of concerns, but said he’d be willing to try it for one year. He suggested having the length of time set out in the report for possible field repair reduced from two weeks.
He also pointed to the potential for controversy.
“When I was on council a long time ago, I don’t think any more issues were more hotly debated than camping being allowed on public land when businesses around town are offering that service. I’m willing to do a one-year trial but I’d like to see if it really did affect business.”
Coun. Kevin Flynn referred to similar concerns. He would like a shorter time requirement for repairing any damage, as well as learning what the response of area businesses that offer camping would be to the proposal.
“I do have some concerns and, I guess, is there any way we can confirm if all the camping spots across the road and all other campgrounds are full this weekend?” Flynn asked. “Maybe I have to do that myself. I don’t want to compete with private enterprise if they’re not full that weekend.”
Council agreed to reduce the time period for potential repairs of the diamond from two weeks after the festival to one.
Coun. Chad Eliason was absent and Coun. Louise Wallace-Richmond excused herself from the meeting because of a potential conflict of interest. The rest of council voted unanimously to move the proposal forward to the Jan. 26 council meeting.