The City of Humboldt has taken over the management of the campgrounds after the regional chamber of commerce made the decision to step away last fall. (Submitted photo/Becky Zimmer)

By Becky Zimmer

Under new management

Humboldt campgrounds open for season with city at the helm

Jun 9, 2023 | 5:00 PM

It’s a learning curve for the city as Humboldt campgrounds open under new management

The City of Humboldt is calling it a transition year as they learn the ropes of taking over the Humboldt campgrounds.

The camping site and information centre on the east side of the city along Hwy 5 recently opened for the season following the Humboldt and District Chamber of Commerce move away from managing the site last fall.

The city doesn’t know enough about the day-to-day operations to make any changes, said Michael Ulriksen, Director of Community and Leisure Services with the city, so they will run the operation at “status quo” and learn from the experience.

“The chamber ran for so many years and did a good job of running it and we’re kind of jumping in now trying to figure out how to run it ourselves, so it’ll be an adjustment here. We understand that we recognize there’ll be hiccups and bumps along the road as we try to transition away from the chamber.”

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The city will do a full review of the service in the fall and winter and Ulriksen expects some changes for next year’s operation.

“I imagine moving forward we’ll have to make some changes to how things work just to make sure it still serves what the community wants, and can still stay afloat.”

The city’s booking system will take bookings for the campsites and the Humboldt Golf Club will be maintaining the space and staffing the campground office and mini golf.

Part of this transition will also include a look at the workings of the city’s visitor information centre. How tourists get their information has changed in the last five to 10 years, said Ulriksen but since 2018, the Uniplex has become a consistent information stop. That trend has stuck, he said so they will be reviewing how to make the Uniplex a permanent information centre.

“We are reviewing that whole piece as well, separate from the campgrounds, and trying to take on some of that here in the building (at the Uniplex) so that we didn’t have to put that on the golf club to know everything.”

After announcing their departure from the campground office in September, the Humboldt chamber officially made the move to the former Land Titles Office in the Courthouse building on Nov. 1, 2022.

“Running the campground and tourist information booth has been an integral part of our Chamber of Commerce for more than two decades, however, the move to a new office space, that will act as a base of operations for decades to come, is very exciting,” said Chamber of Commerce president, Tammy Ward, in a press release sent to northeastNOW.

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becky.zimmer@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @bex_zim