Huge B.C. island campground part of $7.2-million upgrade now open

A B.C. park popular with summer adventurers is now home to a huge upgraded campground, and visitors can book spots as early as this weekend.

The Ministry of Environment and Parks recently announced that the Tribune Bay campground redevelopment on Hornby Island is nearing completion, with partial openings happening until Sunday, May 31, and again from Thursday, June 4 to Sunday, June 7.

The formerly private B.C. campground near the shores of the namesake bay, redesigned as part of a multimillion-dollar project that began when BC Parks acquired two properties in 2021 to expand Tribune Bay Provincial Park, will fully open on Wednesday, June 10.

“Tribune Bay Park is truly a gem within the BC Parks system, and I’m grateful to see the first phase of this important redevelopment now complete,” said Josie Osbourne, MLA for Mid Island-Pacific Rim. “Integrating the former commercial campground into the provincial park is a significant milestone that will help protect this special place while improving the experience for visitors for generations to come.

“I want to thank local residents and BC Parks for working to prioritize accessibility, native plant restoration and minimizing environmental disturbance as much as possible during construction.”

The upgraded Tribune Bay campground includes a range of camping options, including 66 gravel pull-through and back-in sites, 24 electrified sites, and improved access from the campground to the beach.

There are nine accessible basic cabins that can accommodate as many as five people, new accessible pay showers and 10 new accessible pit toilets. An aging picnic shelter in the original Tribune Bay Park day-use area was also replaced for outdoor aficionados.

And younger visitors to the B.C. campground can enjoy the new playground with slides, an accessible flex swing, an accessible We-Go-Round and a solid rubber play surface.

The cost of the first phase of the Tribune Bay campground redevelopment is $7.2 million, according to the Ministry of Environment and Parks

It was announced that over 5,000 native shrubs, sedges and trees have been added in the area to support stormwater management and ecological health.

The shrubs and trees are expected to also help provide privacy between sites when they grow higher.

“BC Parks has assessed and retained as many healthy trees as possible, but several invasive plants and unstable trees were removed during construction,” added the Ministry. “Visitors should expect full sun until the vegetation grows higher.”

Tribune Bay on Hornby Island is nicknamed “Little Hawaii,” with fine white sand and crystal-clear shallow waters.

“Here, shallow waters meet near tropical temperatures during the summer, and the bay is considered to be one of the warmest saltwater swimming areas in B.C.,” said BC Parks online.

Construction on Phase 2 in a different area of Tribune Bay Provincial Park is expected to start in 2027 and will include approximately 45 campsites that were removed from the old campground to make room for the accessibility improvements.

Reservations for the Tribune Bay campground can be made online.

With files from Daily Hive staff