The face of one of Golden’s most beloved summer spots, the municipal campground, is changing rapidly with new buildings, new partners, and new seasons.

Lisa Reinders, manager of leisure services, said, construction at the campsite is well under way, with building of the infrastructure that will support the new amenity hub building. The hub building itself, she said, will be financed from the Resort Municipality Revenue Sharing Program, will have numerous environmentally friendly features and be built by Tim Suddaby of Suddwick Homes in Golden.

Reinders says the building should be completed this summer and will house showers, laundry facilities, as well as a store and cafe, with the possibility of wireless internet in the future.

Also new will be the Whistle Stop Outpost and campground operator Joy Guyot.

Guyot, owner of Whistle Stop, entered into a Public/Private Partnership with the Town of Golden in March, 2008 and will be running the campground, with partner Michelle Nagydeak, as her own business, passing on a set percentage of the revenue back to the municipality.

The town still sets the camping fees, says Guyot, but she will offer a number of value add-ons and services including: visitor services from 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.; on-line website for registration and information (www.goldenmunicipalcampground.com); The Whistle Stop Outpost with groceries, camping supplies, and toiletries, as well as taking on more of the expenses and maintenance from the municipality.

As well as providing more services, she says they are more aggressively advertising, encouraging day users to take advantage of the picnic shelter, and will be providing year round sites with updated wiring and water service possibly as early as 2009.

She says it’s a great campground that gives you the feel of having your own space, is walking distance to the pool and stores but is a very natural setting and location.

Reinders says that with the amenity hub, winterized campsites and Guyot operating the facility that the campground will become very successful.

“I think it’s going great and they’re doing a great job, it’s always been a great place to go, it will be an asset to our community and it will just improve.”

“People will notice the change, but the reality is they’ll see positive change.”

Guyot was awarded a one year contract with the possibility to renew.

Phil Taylor, town CAO said, the municipality had been “subsidizing the campground for a few years,” and this was one of the motivating factors to have a it professionally run with the prospects of contributing revenue in the future.

The campground is currently open from May 15 to Oct. 15.