Barrie day camps resume after challenging school year
After a challenging school year, with much of the time spent in isolation, children across Barrie can reunite with the kick-off of camping season.
Day camps run by the City of Barrie welcomed campers for the first time this season on Monday morning. The camps have been permitted to reopen since Step 1 of the province's reopening plan.
"We know that a lot of students, a lot of children have been doing a lot of online learning so this is their opportunity to really have some outdoor activity, have some fun outdoors and really connect with their friends again," says Jeddy Wong, City of Barrie recreation programmer.
This year Camp Barrie is running out of five different locations across the city to bring them close to as many people as possible.
The locations include:
- Barrie Community Sports Complex
- Dorian Parker Centre
- Tyndale Beach
- Lampman Lane Community Centre
- Parkview Community Centre
"We've already increased spaces compared to what we were planning on at the beginning of the summer," Wong says. "So it's nice to see that people are looking for camps, campers want to come to camp, and they do want to be out here, outdoors having fun with our great camp team."
Wong refers to Camp Barrie as a variety camp. Participants take part in several different activities ranging from arts and crafts to tag, all of them adapted to COVID-19 protocols.
"We modified them so that we can do it within 6 meters of each other," says Wong. "So we'll use pool noodles to make sure that we're staying away from each other, we'll make sure that we have craft supplies for each individual camper, and then there's an emphasis on cleaning, sanitizing and education for campers."
This year's camping season comes after a challenging school year, with students spending much of it learning remotely, isolated from their friends.
Many were happy to be back with each other.
"It's been quite cool," says camper Evelynne Johnston. "I am missing some of my friends because of the coronavirus, but good thing is it's summer, so even though we're wearing masks, we can go to summer camp and make new summer camp friends!"
The camps will be held primarily outdoors, with an option to move indoors at three of the camps in the event of inclement weather. If rain should strike campers at the Barrie Community Sports Complex and Tyndale Beach, where there is no indoor facility, campers will temporarily move to another location.
This is the second year that the camp is running with pandemic protocols in place. Officials say participation is up year-over-year, although fewer applicants are being accepted than prior to the pandemic.
While many of the camps are already full, there is space available at select locations. Complete information on the city's day camp programs is available here.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
Boeing's financial woes continue, while families of crash victims urge U.S. to prosecute the company
Boeing said Wednesday that it lost US$355 million on falling revenue in the first quarter, another sign of the crisis gripping the aircraft manufacturer as it faces increasing scrutiny over the safety of its planes and accusations of shoddy work from a growing number of whistleblowers.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.