Plans for the Cumberland Lake Park concession and washroom renovation project have received yet another shake-up.
After voting to move ahead without the involvement of 19 Wing trades crews in August, Cumberland Village council approved a phased-in approach to the project at its Oct. 10 meeting.
READ MORE: Comox Lake concession and bathroom renovations face $120,000 shortfall
The new approach will see the demolition of the current concession facility in 2018 and the installation of a modular unit to house new showers and washrooms.
As a replacement for the concession stand, council voted to develop contracts with food trucks until another permanent concession can be set up sometime in the future.
“When it comes to bringing in food trucks, [the campground] tried that a couple years ago and weren’t successful attracting them,” said Village of Cumberland manager of recreation Leah Knutson. “But since then, Courtenay has passed its bylaw allowing food trucks and there are a lot more food trucks in the Valley.”
The Village of Cumberland has been trying to renovate the washroom and concession facilities at the Comox Lake-based campground for years, originally with the voluntary help of 19 Wing. The renovations have been repeatedly pushed back due to the Air Force base’s deployment schedules and other factors.
After council voted to move ahead without 19 Wing in August, the project faced a $120,000 budgetary shortfall due to increased labour costs.
According to Knutson, the phased-in approach will mean the project faces a smaller shortfall of roughly $18,000, which she says could be funded from the Village’s Community Works Fund.
The Village has already budgeted nearly $200,000 for the project thus far.
Knutson said the bathroom and shower facilities are the main priority for the project and have been “substandard” for a number of years. Currently, the showers are in the back of the concession building and the washrooms are in a separate structure elsewhere in the park.
“The washroom and showers both need to be upgraded… as there is a concern that the toilet building floor will be beyond repair in the spring and the current showers are plagued with shutdowns due to plumbing and electrical issues; and both buildings are in need of immediate accessibility upgrades,” wrote Knutson in her report to council.
Locally based company Muchalat Construction will build the modular unit for the washroom and showers, which will cost the Village $128,400. The modular will include two showers and six toilet stalls.
Village staff will bring a detailed budget to council at a future meeting.
The Cumberland Lake Park campground opens in May each year.