BURSTA long-planned District of Houston project dating back to the last decade was realized Aug. 24, 2026 when the rebuilt campground at By-Mac Park opened.
Together with a new boat launch, the campground will serve not only as a recreational amenity for local residents but as a key part of the District’s effort to diversify the Houston and area economy away from a dependence on forestry by increasing tourism services.
That effort took on a new life now that the District has lost $1.2 million in annual industrial tax revenues due to the closure of Canfor’s sawmill.
From 12 unserviced camping sites, the campground now has 24 RV-sized sites with access to electrical services and water, a wash house, and an improved day use area and parking lot.
The sites are large, clean, include firewood and a picnic table. An on-site camp attendant is available to collect fees and help accommodate campers with local knowledge.
A common area for gathering features a beautifully constructed gazebo with seating underneath.
Not all of the additional services are immediately available with work continuing on 30-amp and 15-amp electrical service and on the wash house and showers.
The total project cost covering design, project administration, engineering and construction is approximately $2 million with the vast majority being covered by grants.
Design work was done last year costing $150,000 with $115,000 coming from the District’s provincial resource benefits alliance grant and $15,000 from its own accounts.
This year a further $698,320 from the resource benefits alliance grant, a provincial regional economic development grant of $1 million and $62,172 from the Northern Development Initiative Trust was used for construction.
Changes in design and construction along the way included changing the wash building from a pre-cast to stick-framed building, removing one pit toilet that would have been along a trail and downsizing a water line from 2” to 1” as it only services water stations and the wash house and not individual sites.
(With files from Angelique Houlihan)