The rent has increased at a campground near Alfred, and many of the seasonal tenants are not pleased.
In 2022, Evergreen Camping and Resort on Highway 17 between Alfred and Plantagenet changed ownership and became Harmony Resorts Ottawa East. Harmony Resorts is a corporate chain of 10 campground resorts across Ontario. The campground near Alfred offers seasonal sites, nightly sites, and a rental cottage.
According to campground tenant Lise Furlotte, many of the campers are facing a huge rent increase of 30 to 50 percent for the 2024 season and are left with a very short time to either pay the increased rate increase or leave by October 15.
“They gave us about three weeks about how much time we had to respond,” Furlotte said.
The long-term tenants at the campground have a mix of seasonal camper trailers, park models, and modular homes. Many people make the campground their home from spring to fall and spend the winter months in warmer places.
Furlotte said the tenants unsuccessfully attempted to have Harmony introduce the rate increase incrementally, rather than all at once.
“Harmony is just not cooperating at all,” she said.
Furlotte said that as of October 5, 31 lots were empty because the tenants had decided to leave. Others had already decided to go ahead and pay the higher rates.
According to Furlotte, campers are also disappointed with the rate increases because the park was already in good condition when Harmony took over from Evergreen. She said many campers had contributed volunteer time to making improvements and adding amenities to the campground.
The Review contacted Harmony Resorts about the rate increases at the Alfred-area campground, but the company did not respond by the time of publication.
