Kawartha Lakes City Council has approved rezoning for a 172-site transient camping space on the fairgrounds of the Lindsay Exhibition (LEX).

This zoning amendment allows short-term camping, with 95 full-size RV sites, complete with water, electricity, and sewer hook-ups. There will also be 64 tent sites and 13 camping cabins.

LEX general manager Harry Stoddart says camping has always been allowed during events, such as when they had more than 100 campers during a large horse show in 2019. Now, the camping won’t be dependent on anything happening on the fairgrounds.

Shovels will hit the ground this spring to start the project, with a commitment to have 95 RV sites done in time for the International Plowing Match, Oct. 14-17 this year. This massive agricultural event will see about 80,000 visitors to the Lindsay area.

Stoddart says they’re going to create a family campground, with play activities for kids, and river access.

There’s also 30 acres of bush along the river and that’s where the 64 tent sites will be.

“I’d say it’s like a provincial park but with more infrastructure,” says Stoddart.

The general manager sees the largest demographic using the site as people in their 20s and 30s, “along with retired folks with motor homes.”

This is a business the LEX built into its strategic plan in order to find a “solid second stream of income that wasn’t tied to just five days in September,” Stoddart says, a reference to the week-long fair.

He believes the campground is a “long-term, sustainable asset for the community” and provides more ‘hotel rooms’ during the busy summer months.

“Right now we don’t have a good camping infrastructure in Kawartha Lakes. The provincial parks get very busy and booked way in advance.”