Tourists from across the province and beyond converge on Pippy Park for a taste of nature in the middle of the city, but they will soon have another option.

The Walker family is developing the Waterford Valley Campground just off Topsail Road, with camp sites, trails and access to the Waterford River.

Dan Walker says his family has owned the property since 1969.

He says he was walking his dog in Pippy Park and realized that he had his own pristine park that he really wanted to preserve as is.

Walker says developers had looked at the land to build multi-story office buildings and parking lots, but he realized he couldn’t bear to see the area paved over.

The campground will feature 160 or so camp sites on 16 acres of land.