Want a weekend spot along the Pearl River to park your camper or pitch your tent? Then the Columbia Water Park may be the place for you.
As part of continuing upgrades to the facility, six spots for campers, complete with hookups, have been completed using funds from the Pearl River Development District.
“We’re finishing up these camper spots,” District 2 Supervisor Terry Broome said last week. “We’ve put in water, power and sewer and there is full hookup on each one of them. We were able on the power to utilize the last of the money from the Pearl River Basin. We actually had enough money to do the power down here and the last portion of the upgrade at the pavilion.”
The total cost for the project was about $20,000, according to Broome.
“About $15,000 of it came in from the Pearl River Basin District and the other $5,000 came from fees from rentals of the Water Park and ballfields,” he said. “The idea is to give people a place to camp right on the Pearl River. We’ve got the boat ramp that gives access to everybody. A lot of people will camp somewhere else and have to come over here to launch their boat. Now they can camp here and launch their boat.”
Broome said the spots could fit any sized camper.
“We have six spots that are 20’ by 50’ for the campers,” he said. “In the area around the picnic tables out here, we’re going to have primitive camping. These camper spots are $30 per night and primitive camping will be $15. They can call the Board of Supervisors Office and ask for Andrea (Pounds) she’s the one taking care of it. Campers will be able to rent a spot for as much as two weeks. We’re not going to go into long term on these six. What we hope is that these six spots provide the funding to finish another six next year and so on.”
The spots are toward the back of the Columbia Water Park in an area that Broome said had been under utilized.
“We also have swing sets and playground stuff for the kids,” he said. “We also have a new gate, which is electronic. During operating hours, the gates stay open. After 8 p.m., the gate will be closed. There is a keypad that the campers will have access to the number on the keypad. They are the only ones that will have that. So after 8 p.m., it’s actually going to be a gated area. They can get in and out.”
The spots offer anything a visitor would need, according to Broome.
“The power is 50-amp breakers, 30-amp breakers and 110,” he said. “The big campers and whatever can come in. The two spots up front are easier access to a large camper. It’s close to the restroom facility and in the future, the old bathroom area will be a shower house. We’re going to turn it into a full bath and shower house. We’re working to make it a camping area.”
People can call and make reservations and can specify if what they want from spots one through six.
“No. 1 is at the front and No. 6 is right down on the river. There will also be a fish cleaning shed built with a sink and water. They’ll have picnic tables and a fire pit at each campsite,” Broome said. “It’s just a continuation of improvements being made to the Water Park. We’re going to continue with it. We left our sewer, water and power where we could tie onto it and expand it.”
To inquire about the spots, call (601) 736-7382.
Pictured Above: District 2 Supervisor Terry Broome rakes dirt alongside one of the new camper sites in the Columbia Water Park late last week. The spots are now open for rentals. | Photo by Mark Rogers
