The City of Prince George will examine reopening the public sani-dump facility at the Quinn Street transfer station, following a motion put forward at city council by Coun.Frank Everitt and Brian Skakun on Monday.
The facility was closed by the city in 2013 when operation of the transfer station was handed over to the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George.
"The fact we don't have a sanitary dump system in our city... that would bring into our city," Everitt said. "It allows people, when they are travelling with their recreation vehicles, to get some water and empty their sani-tanks. Hopefully when they are there, they will spend a few dollars as well."
Everitt and Skakun's motion called on city staff to look at the costs of reopening the service and report back to city council in time for the city's annual budget deliberations in January.
Skakun said the facility wouldn't just serve tourists travelling through Prince George, but also provide a central service for residents who have RVs. The need for the service was especially clear when the city was hosting many refugees from the Cariboo wildfires this summer, Skakun added.
"I think there has been a great many events in this city when visitors and residents have asked for this service," Coun. Susan Scott said.
Coun. Garth Frizzell said currently there is several local businesses offering sani-dump services, and part of the rationale for closing the public service was it was competing with private business.
"I'd like to find out the strength of that claim," Frizzell said.
Coun. Jillian Merrick was the sole voice of opposition to the motion.
"I'm not convinced this is a public service. It was a public service, but then we stopped and private businesses invested in providing the service," Merrick said. "(And) it needs to look at co-location with the visitor centre. They have a hard time attracting RV users to that facility."
