Once-popular camp in Midhurst, Ont. aims to reopen by summer

A once-popular camp in Midhurst, Ont. may be brought back to life, giving people the chance to learn about nature and the area’s heritage.

Communities Connecting for Children, a charity out of Springwater, acquired the site of Camp Tewateno for $300,000 in November.

The 92-acre property has many campsites and pays tribute to the Wendat people and early settlers.

"The camp itself has been closed for a couple of years due to COVID-19 so we have a lot of work to do over the next few months to bring it up to safety standards," said Denise Calvert, Communities Connecting for Children president.

"We hope to have it open for children, youth and families. It makes us really proud that we're able to continue the development that we started, you know 20 or 30 years ago."

The Camp Tewateno Optimist Club fought for years to keep the campsite open and tried to raise enough to purchase the property.

When it looked like its efforts would fall short, Communities Connecting for Children stepped in.

Communities Connecting for Children, which began in 2017, had been using the campsite for years.

"We’re beyond belief. Some of the original founders and developers of this property are actually part of our charity now and we never thought in a million years we would be able to walk this property again," Calvert said.

Calvert said Communities Connecting for Children focuses on education, cultural awareness, as well as health and wellness for children and families.

"It takes a village to raise a child, and we hope that members of the community will know that it is here and will be open at some point," Calvert said.

The camp has six overnight camping and day sites, all of which are themed around Canadian heritage.

Calvert said the hope is to have the camps up and running by the summer.

To find out more or to volunteer or donate, visit the Communities Connecting for Children website.