Springwater Campground is located in Four Falls, New Brunswick. The campground features 40 acres with 200 units ranging between full-service RV sites and campsites. Springwater Campground has two shower facilities, a laundry building, a pool with twin water slides, and a concert venue with a covered stage. The property hosts kids' movie nights and washer toss tournaments. Chris, the park owner, plans to add several more features to the park, such as a zipline, an on-site restaurant, a "small convenience store," ten cabins, and a gas station. He also bought an additional 20 acres of land next to his business, which he plans to use for walking trails, three ponds for trout fishing and paddleboard rentals, and a connection to 2,000 kilometers of snowmobiling trails. In correlation with those additions, Chris would like to add more activities like karaoke nights and talent shows. Chris also mentions that the Trans Canada Highway runs near the property and that there are several sightseeing spots nearby.
Springwater Campground is less than five miles from Canada and the U.S. border in Four Falls, New Brunswick. Chris, its current owner, remarks that it is placed near the Trans Canada Highway, a route that leads people through a significant portion of the country. The 40-acre campground is immediately off Route 130 and is surrounded by forest, though much of the property is open and grassy.
The campground has 200 sites consisting of a mix between RV spots and tent campsites. Of these units, there are 80 seasonal RV sites, 90 "transient" or short-term RV units, 30 serviced tent sites with water and power, and 20 non-serviced tent campsites. All units have picnic tables and fire pits, and all RV units have water, power, and sewage. Chris says the majority of the units are spacious and surrounded by trees.
Out-of-unit features include the main office, a recreation hall, and a "large screened-in building" that guests can rent for gatherings or activities. Another notable feature is the on-site swimming pool with twin water slides—this pool is open from noon to 8:00 PM each day. Springwater Campground also has a concert venue with a stage, and it can seat 700 to 800 people, although Chris estimates it could possibly fit up to 1,000 visitors. Two facilities with bathrooms and hot showers are located at opposite ends of the campground, and a laundry facility can be used by guests as well. Additionally, a few trails through the woods can be accessed.
Chris mentions that Four Falls and Grand Falls are nearby attractions for visitors to see. According to him, nine-tenths of Niagra Falls' water goes through this region. Guests can also visit the eastern provinces, which Chris says is the "home of fresh lobster" as well as a place to see a large variety of wildlife. He remarks that the "biggest moose in the world" are in that region. Regarding places to eat, he recommends Greco Pizza and the soon-to-come Slow Pokes Authentic Southern BBQ and Smoke Shack, which will be Springwater Campground's on-site restaurant by fall 2022. Chris can give additional recommendations to his visitors if they ask.
Chris, the owner of Springwater Campground, wants his guests to relax and feel at home while they stay at his property. He considers himself a people-person who enjoys interacting with visitors at their campsites or the pool "while [he's] on the run." He says he felt more at home with his guests after his first two weeks at Springwater Campground than he ever had any other time of his life. Chris tries to create an atmosphere where they can feel welcome by hosting various activities, explaining that he is "trying to gather every type of person that wants this or wants that." He also remarks, "you bring different types of entertainment, and you'll get a different type of crowd." Throughout his 30 years working in the hospitality industry, he has noticed what kinds of activities attract different types of people. Because of this, Chris would like to incorporate as diverse events as possible to bring in a unique clientele. One example is the yearly washer toss tournaments, which, according to Chris, brought about 200 people to Springwater Campground in 2021.
Regarding policies, Chris says he does not want to be strict or over-imposing. Because of this, there is no set quiet time or restrictions on pets or age groups. His most notable rule is that Springwater Campground does not allow motorized vehicles such as golf carts or ATVs on the property. Otherwise, Chris asks that his guests be considerate of others and their experiences while staying at his campground.
Springwater Campground is open from May to October. According to Chris, business is relatively constant throughout the operating season. He also says there is a broad demographic of guests, many of whom visit repeatedly. He believes they are visiting the area because of the Trans Canada Highway and the sightseeing nearby, such as Grand Falls.
Springwater Campground was constructed in 1964 by Joe and Mildred Michaud. The property began as a restaurant and gas station, and it provided services such as a truck stop, fuel station, and campground. After operating for a time, the restaurant and gas station were shut down due to changes in the nearby highways, and Joe and Mildred began installing RV units and campsites. They owned the park for 58 years until Joe passed away in 2021. In June 2022, the Michaud family sold Springwater Campground to Chris, the current owner.
Chris has about 30 years of experience in the hospitality industry. Prior to purchasing Springwater Campground, he owned a restoration shop. The "real estate boom" reached Ontario, where he was staying, and he used the opportunity to buy a house. He remarks that he liked the house and was glad he took advantage "while the market was hot," but he needed a source of income since he had sold his restoration shop. He acquired Springwater Campground on June 21, 2022, and is happy with his business.
Since his ownership of Springwater Campground, Chris has remodeled the concrete and fence in the pool area. The park has undertaken cleanup in several buildings, updated landscaping, rebuilt the stage of the concert venue, and performed infrastructural changes to its electricity.
Chris has many future plans for Springwater Campground. In addition to the already existing 40 acres, 20 more were bought next to the campground and will be conjoined with the campground in fall 2022. Chris plans to add 50 more sites to the additional acreage. He would also like to use this land to create three spring-fed ponds for trout fishing and paddleboard rentals. Nearly 2,000 kilometers of snowmobiling trails are near Springwater Campground, and Chris wants to incorporate these into the campground to attract snowmobilers during the winter. A two-acre parking lot at the front of the park will likely be repurposed as a gas station. Furthermore, a zipline will be installed, and it will run from the top of the waterslide tower across the property and in front of the concert venue.
More changes happening in the future include the completion of the on-site restaurant and the installation of ten cabins in fall 2022, an extension of the operating season to attract winter guests and snowmobilers, and the addition of more walking trails with corresponding golf carts or ATV rentals. In conjunction with the new restaurant, a store will be constructed, and Chris would like to operate it as a "small convenience store" that can sell firewood, milk, eggs, pop, hardware, and other items. He would also like to add a "tiki bar" to the pool and set apart an adults-only time on weekends for them to convene and socialize. Finally, Chris would like to include activities such as karaoke nights, talent shows, and a "battle of the bands."
2535 Route 130
Four Falls, New Brunswick
Canada
Campground
Chris
Joe and Mildred Michaud
