Campers irate at fee hike
Campers at a popular Manawatu¯ campground have been left confused at a dramatic price increase.
Horizons Regional Council has increased the price for a powered site at To¯ tara Reserve campground in Pohangina Valley from $20 a night to $35. Non-powered sites also received a $3 increase to $15.
The council mentioned the prices had increased ‘‘slightly’’ in an October press release, but didn’t give any justification for the 75 per cent jump.
Councillor Gordon Mckellar said the reasoning should have been communicated to the public better.
Improving flood protection for the campground was one of the main reasons for the increase, Mckellar said. Pest control and upgrading facilities were the other priorities for the council’s To¯ tara Reserve budget.
The council also wanted to align the prices with those of campgrounds around the country.
To¯ tara Reserve caretaker Kelly Williams said she was not consulted before the price change. She said numbers were down over the New Year holiday period, but she was unsure whether it was due to the price changes or the weather.
‘‘We’ve only got showers, toilets and barbecues. You pay that sort of price when you’ve got kitchen facilities, laundries and things like that.’’
Campers were bemused with the new prices, mainly because they had not seen or heard about any improvements to the campground and its facilities.
Jane Ackerman and her family have stayed at Kahikatea, described as the ‘‘rustic’’ part of To¯ tara Reserve campground, around the Christmas period for 12 years. She describes the new prices as ‘‘unreasonable’’ and the family have shortened their stay this year.
‘‘We’ve all got our budget, so to have the prices increase 75 per cent, it throws the budget out massively.’’
The Anglands have also become regulars over the years. For Dean Angland, it is the severity of the price hike that bothers him.
‘‘No-one minds a slight increase,’’ he said.
Louise Angland said her family would return to To¯ tara Reserve next summer, but would stay for half the time they usually would, as $35 a night was a ‘‘hell of a lot more’’ to pay.
Mckellar suggested people unhappy with the price increase make submissions for the council to consider it in its Annual Plan.