A new campground will be coming to the RM of Portage la Prairie. Ron Boisvert presented a conditional use application to Council yesterday, with the intention of setting up a campground along the shore of Lake Manitoba, in the northwest corner of the municipality. Council approved the application, and Boisvert says now he can begin the real work.

"We'll probably start by making lots for the public to come and camp, like Miller's, or other campgrounds in the area. What's good about this campground is that it's a lakefront campground. It will probably take a couple of years, two or three, maybe up to four years. We're not sure yet, but we have to put in the water and the hydro."

The application wasn't without its opposition. One nearby resident stated their opposition to the campground through a letter to Council, expressing concerns over the possible increase of traffic flow. Boisvert says it's a valid concern, but feels with three roads to access the site, it's unlikely to be an issue.

Deputy Reeve Roy Tufford's excited by the project, saying Boisvert did an excellent job preparing the area, and putting the road in place. While the prospect of a new campground is one possible exciting aspect, Tufford says this project will likely act as a catalyst for future development along that shore of Lake Manitoba.

"They wanted to do a cottage development, but until there's regulation on the level of Lake Manitoba the province isn't going to approve any more of those. There's nothing to stop a campground from being developed. We're interested in this type of development for the RM. It's going to help our assessment and everything else."

Tufford notes by moving forward with the creation of the campground, the developers will be able to have sewer, water, and Hydro infrastructure in place, for the time when they're able to develop cottages.