KEEPING THINGS WILD IN PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND

Off the east coast of New Brunswick Canada, lies Prince Edward Island – the smallest province of the confederation. By turns green and red, the island offers a slice of the old world at a gentler pace.

But beyond the isle’s ruddy dirt, delicious potatoes and charming accent, the province is famous for its hospitality. In that classic, Islander spirit, Mike Robertson and Stephane Labrosse have opened their (all-glass) doors to their slice of the island with Meridian63° Luxury Camping.

The luxe of Meridian63° 

The luxury campground, featuring panoramic forest views and expansive all-season trails, covers 20 acres just off the Trans Canada Highway in Strathgartney Provincial Park. Combined with the connected Bonshaw Provincial Park, the area offers hundreds of acres of protected land.

Meridian63° is a luxury campsite, or glamping site, and it’s designed to create an unparalleled outdoor experience through hiking, mountain biking and cross-country skiing in the wilds of P.E.I. 

“Our long term plans are to have remote locations in the woods – completely self-sufficient and off-grid,” Mike said.

To really make their dream campground shine, Mike and Stephane needed striking accommodations that would stand up (and stand out) to this untamed landscape. 

“When we came across the cabins for DROP Structures, they instantly jumped out at us,” Mike said.

So, the entrepreneurs gave DROP Structures a call, and ordered four Holo Off-Grids for their luxury campground.

From passion to reality

Mike and Stephane have been working in the outdoor tourism industry for years pursuing their passion in cross-country sports. For Mike, that means jumping on a mountain bike and leading tours through the lush greenery and red PEI soil of his native province. For Stephane, his palette is more muted as he skis through the turbulent, waist-deep white winters.

But after years of leading tours the pair were looking to go bigger. 

“The next logical step was to open up a luxury camping site where we could share the activities and scenery that we love,” Mike said.

With plenty of biking and cross-country skiing in the plan, Mike and Stephane knew they would need a lot of room to roam, along with a network of trails. Fortunately for them, the perfect site was sitting vacant – a long abandoned provincial campground nestled in a provincial park.

“We have a beautiful parcel of land, right in the middle of the island,” Mike said. “It’s conveniently located for access, from the airport to the ferry, to the Confederation Bridge. And, it's right in the middle of a massive park too.” 

“There's currently over 30 kilometers of singletrack trail for mountain biking and hiking along with the Bonshaw River that snakes along the property. There are so many opportunities for outdoor adventure at the park.”

While the property was perfect, the infrastructure on site didn’t live up to the luxury feel Mike and Stephane were looking for, so they immediately began to plan their renovations.. 

Four-season fun

Initially, the pair wanted to create a classic feel, with canvas tents outfitted with upscale furniture and decor, but Stephane’s love of winter sports quickly put an end to that idea.

“In this park we've got 30 kilometers [18 miles] of trails for snowshoeing, hiking and fat biking, so we really wanted to offer a product suited for the winter outdoor adventure market,” Mike said. 

“But PEI winters are long and cold, so we needed accommodations suited for the conditions.”

They briefly considered geodesic domes, even purchasing one to place on the property, but when they came across DROP Structures on Instagram, they changed their plan completely.

“We're pumping the brakes on the geodesic domes for now,” Mike said. “Cabins just make more sense. They're easier to maintain, they're gonna last longer, and they just look better – they’re just a nicer product.”

Shipping off-grid cabins nearly 3000 miles

Before pulling a trigger on a DROP Structure, Mike and Stephane did their due diligence trying to get something constructed locally. 

“We went up to some prebuilt companies here in the province, because that was the first step,” Mike said. “But, even telling them we didn't want to put electricity in them, they just didn't want to do it. We’d kind of get this blank stare.”

So, they called DROP Structures. Conor walked them through their choices, and they ended up choosing a Holo Off-Grid. With its off-grid electrical and plumbing, the Holo OG allowed them endless opportunities for placement on the property. And, as the campground grows, the Holo allows Mike and Stephane to move and remove cabins as they see fit.

After making the purchase, the Holos were built and shipped 2,865 miles (4,612 kms) from Lethbridge, Alberta to Prince Edward Island.

“We were nervous as hell, thinking that you know there's $300,000 worth of cabins coming across on flatbed trucks.”

Even the crane operators were a little nervous when they saw the access. Though the road is paved, it has many dips and folds with the potential to create problems. But, the drivers had seen worse before, and managed to ease the trailers along and deliver all four Holos successfully.

Causing a traffic jam in the park

Currently, the Holos are sitting on the property, waiting for their helicoil foundation to be installed. Meanwhile, Mike and Stephane are prepping the common areas of the camp for their December opening. 

Or at least they’re trying to.

Traffic through the provincial park has garnered enough interest in their new cabins that they just can’t seem to get much done.

“We’ll get there at 10am, and go, take the paint brushes out and then we'll give cabin tours for the next five hours or so and not get anything done,” Mike said, laughing.

As far as things go, it’s a good problem to have.

For those interested in booking a stay, head over to meridian63.com to get on the waitlist, and be sure to follow them on Instagram.