“I'll lose everything”: Hundreds of campers say goodbye to their campsite

Residents of Camping Donald in Mirabel spent their last moments on Sunday on the grounds of the more than 80-year-old local institution, due to eviction from the city that wants to build two schools there.

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More than 400 campers have until November 15 to vacate, but traditionally, September 15 marks the end of the camping season, as water and electricity supplies are cut off at the site.

The city issued an eviction notice earlier this summer with the aim of building a primary school and a secondary school.

For some, this departure marks an important step, with many staying there every summer for years.

“I'll lose everything,” one camper, Robert Edstrom, said in an interview TVA News. “I have nothing left. That is the only property I have. My car also belongs to my wife. That's all I have left. I'm a renter in Montreal North and my wife, she loves coming here.”

A campers' advocacy group still hopes to save the facility, but the city is determined to move forward with its project.

“The city says it wants to build schools here, but in reality, what we found is that the city says this is the only land suitable for a school service center,” said Pierre-Pascal Duquette, president of Savonnes. le Camping Donald Association.

“The School Service Center says this is the only land provided by the city that meets the regulations,” he said. “But when we push the research, it doesn't respect the rules. No studies have been done. It's an improvement.”

Contacted by TVA Nouvelles in July, the municipality indicated that it must meet the needs of future generations.

“While the city is aware of the inconveniences of closing Camping Donald, these purchases are part of a larger project that aligns with the city's strategic plan,” it announced.

Watch the full explanation in the video above.