Heather Wright/The Independent

Since the 1970s, tucked behind some trees off Bear Creek in the Village of Warwick, campers have been nestling their trailers in the woods at Bear Lake Campground.

Janet Watson’s family has run the private campground for years. She and her husband, Robert Roy of Windsor, recently took over the property and have begun cleaning it up with the hope of continuing to operate the facility which can’t be seen and has no signage at the roadway.

But the couple has run into a roadblock. The property is zoned agricultural and environmental protection because of a wetland on the site.

So, Roy and Watson went to Warwick Council to try to change the zoning to allow the 12 trailer campsite to open.
But planning officials and councillors say they don’t yet have enough information about the property. Administrators say a detailed report will have to be done to demonstrate that there will be no negative impacts on the natural features or their ecological functions if the campground is approved.

Council put the application for rezoning on hold until that could be complete.

Meantime, some neighbours voiced concerns about the campground saying they’re not sure if the trailers that are there are taking care of their waste and waste water properly.
Brian Nethercott questioned whether they would be able to expand the site further and suggested having another private campground in the area could lower property values.

Others are asking what rules campers will follow and whether a fence will be erected to protect their property.