Campfire Tradition Means Tourism Jobs in Oliver

Campfires help employ lots of Oliverites. In our case, since the 1940’s, families and holiday seekers flock year after year to The Lakeside Resort to enjoy warm weather, casual and family friendly hospitality and a beautiful lakefront setting. Like the ocean tides, up to 400 people (literally!) flood in weekly for their traditional summer holiday, while 14-16 Lakeside employees strive to deliver them the memorable experience they always look forward too.

We have employed our problem free, and firmly managed Campfire (as opposed to “burning”) Protocol, for well over 20 years:

Five well constructed Campfire Pits are arrayed along our beach, away from campsites and buildings.

Water and hoses are adjacent to the beach.

Staff gauge conditions nightly, in realtime.

Only when safe, fires are permitted.

Staff provide permission for (and therefore hold control over) the FREE firewood (which we procure locally).

Staff extinguish the fires with water PROMPTLY at 11pm (if not already extinguished by the campers).

We maintain a warm and open relationship with Oliver’s Firefighters, who usually spend a night or two every summer, on their Thursday practice night, thrilling the kids with their shiny trucks and sirens and horns! It’s always a highlight!

In truth, staff often prevent campfires. Our customers respect our direction and understand when we advise that it’s “not a good time” for campfires. We’ve never experienced a rebuke from the fire department about our protocol, as they recognize that we take the business of campfires very seriously. The Protocol works great!

If we are barred by a bylaw preventing campfires, a HUGE reason for families to patiently await their next holiday in Oliver will vanish: which is “Sitting Around The Campfire” (we all enjoy them,…don’t we?).

Tourism is a remarkably challenging business, affected by the whims of a clientele who spend their money where their needs are met. On behalf of our many families of clients, and the staff who serve them, I hope we can continue saying: Here’s to “Next Year!”

Paul and Sally Bouchard and the employees of
The Lakeside Resort,
www.TheLakesideResort.com
Oliver, BC