A few lucky holiday van owners at Evans Head’s Silver Sands Caravan Park may get an eleventh hour reprieve after the park’s management suggested the potential for nine holiday van sites in the upgraded park.
On June 23, more than 100 holiday van tenants received eviction notices from the NSW Crown Holiday Parks Trust, requiring them to remove their vans by September 28.
Almost a month after being told to leave, Trust CEO Steve Edmonds said in a letter to tenants this week, that the park was exploring the possibility for a dedicated holiday van space, after overwhelming feedback from holiday van owners.
‘We’ve obviously had some feedback from holiday van owners, quite a few of them understandably upset about having the leave the park,’ Mr Edmonds said.
‘We’ve had another look at a section of the park where we think, particularly from a tourist point of view, there will be lower demand, so its the back end of the park up near the club itself.’
According to the Silver Sands Holiday Park 2014 draft plan of management, 106 holiday van sites are located in the Northern Precinct, bounded by the Evans Head Bowling Club, Park Street, sand dunes and river front.
The possibility of a dedicated holiday van area, Mr Edmonds said, hinges on the availability of services, including water and power, in the area.
‘We believe that it can be done but we have just got to make sure we’ve got the right sort of servicing up there, we don’t want to promise someone with a site and not be able to provide them with the correct amenities,’ he said.
Tenant Angela Johnston said the news was ‘too little too late’ for some van owners.
‘Very upset people – especially the ones who have already got the removalist in,’ she posted on the Evans Head Notice Board Facebook page on Tuesday.
‘My van went today.’
‘Got the email last night at 5.05 pm.’
Fellow tenant Mel J Smith echoed Ms Johnston’s thoughts.
‘Wow, too little too late for some,’ she posted on the facebook page.
‘Still not a guarantee though so our van is still booked to go late August.’
‘Very sad for those not given the chance.’
Mr Edmonds said the Trust will update tenants in a few weeks.
‘People who are interested in relocating their van if they haven’t done so already could be potential candidates,’ Mr Edmonds said.
‘Should we have more people express than available sites well then we will have to take a ballot situation.’
Long term tenant Greg McMahon questioned who should pay the relocation costs if a site is won in a ballot.
‘We have had our storage van on site for 33 years. Always paid in advance,’ he posted on Evans Head Notice Board.
‘Told we have to go.’
‘We have bought our children up on holidays at Evans Head and have thoroughly loved it.’
‘This has now gone. We like all the others now have had this taken away from us.’
‘As for the possibility of getting a site after the BALLOT. Who is going to pay for the removal and then installation new site.’
‘Another unhappy camper.’
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