— Owner plans townhouse development on site —
(OSOYOOS TIMES — August 16, 2006) -]
By Julie TurnerrnOsoyoos Times
Insurance expenses and a dwindling patronage have helped Osoyoos RV Campground and Waterslides owner Tony Slovak decide this year will be the last for the campground.
He plans to develop his 3.3-acre site on Lakeshore Drive as a townhouse complex at the end of this season.
The costs are getting too high and the work is too much for just me and my wife, he says.
He says his costs for insurance are now at $15,000 for the two months he operates the waterslides and his property taxes are $18,000. The campground currently has 45 full-size hook-up sites and 10 campsites.
The Slovaks have owned the property since 2003, but have lost revenue over the years as more properties have been re-developed around them.
Although still in the planning stage, Slovak says his plans are to develop 40 units of luxury living townhouses.rnHe says the land allows for 90 units, but he wants to make sure the site has some space for comfortable housing, a pool, clubhouse, hot tubs and a fire pit. The townhouses will range in size between 1,600 to over 2,000 square feet.
Slovak estimates the cost of the project will be $12 million.
This year has been a lot slower. There were lots of cancellations because of the smoke and probably the cost of travel. On long weekends we're full, but overall business has not been too steady. And when you figure it costs about $600 a day in insurance and taxes, it's a lot of overhead.
He says he has offered the slides for sale to the Osoyoos Indian Band but has not heard anything back yet.
Last week he was awaiting drawings from his architect and says he hopes to forward plans to the Town, go through the public processes and start on the work a.s.a.p.
