Man bites dog story: Canadian town wants RVers to stay at Walmart

Mission, British Columbia – a quiet city of 36,000 – is supported principally by forestry and a teeny bit of agriculture. Still, it's big enough to have its own hockey team, the Mission City Outlaws.

Until a few days ago, RVers could take on the team name – Outlaws – if they dared to stay overnight on the parking lot at Walmart. But in an exceedingly rare move, Mission's local lawmakers decided to rescind a ban they placed on overnighting at Wally, one that's been in place since the big store opened its doors four years ago.

Since the trend for years has been for municipalities to put out the "RVers Not Welcome" signs at Wally World, one has to wonder, what led to such a 'revolutionary' bit of thinking? If you're thinking that somehow MONEY is involved, you're right. Survey: What's the most-often asked question at the Mission visitor center? Answer: Where can I park my RV overnight here in town? And the answer to that question? "We don't have any place."

Given that choice, RVers simply take their rigs, and their tourist dollars, down the road to Maple Ridge, 20 minutes away.

Interestingly, the only commercial property in town where RV overnight parking was directly banned by ordinance was at Walmart. RVers could park in other privately owned lots in town without fear of tickets or visits from police – but many local business owners apparently weren't open to the idea. Now, assuming that local Walmart store officials are in agreement, you can park your rig, shop, and snooze in peace in Mission.

Wouldn't it be something if other local governments got the drift?

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