Ontario overnight summer camp pivots focus to offer unique getaway
For the second year in a row, summer camps in Ontario are adjusting to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sparrow Lake Camp in Severn Bridge, Ont. sat empty in 2020, but this year with so much uncertainty leading into the summer, the decision was made to pivot from its traditional program to renting cabins to families in need of a unique getaway.
"We've sold out five of our sessions now, and the sixth is one cabin away," said the camp's executive director Brendan Turner.
Several of the families staying in the cabins said they were there to escape the GTA. The cabin rentals also attracted families looking for an alternative to expensive summer vacations.
"Campgrounds are not available. Cottages are very expensive. How do you get out of a house when you've been in a house for a year?" said Jennifer Barrow, who is staying in a cabin with her three young children and husband.
"This just fell in our lap, and it's perfect," she added.
The camp offers everything from canoeing, paddle boarding and rock climbing and for many children staying there, it's their first time at a traditional overnight summer camp.
Special COVID-19 measures are in place to ensure safety, including fewer campers.
"All of our activities are outdoors, arts and crafts are in a screened-in pavilion, so we're able to do it much more safely and comfortably than we would if we had 500 kids in and out over the summer," said Turner.
Sparrow Lake Camp said the decision to open the cabins to families has been so positive it may consider making it a permanent fixture when traditional overnight camp for children isn't in session.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
Trump lawyers say Stormy Daniels refused subpoena outside a Brooklyn bar, papers left 'at her feet'
Donald Trump's legal team says it tried serving Stormy Daniels a subpoena as she arrived for an event at a bar in Brooklyn last month, but the porn actor, who is expected to be a witness at the former president's criminal trial, refused to take it and walked away.
Customers disappointed after email listing $60K Tim Hortons prize sent in error
Several Tim Horton’s customers are feeling great disappointment after being told by the company that an email stating they won a boat worth nearly $60,000 was sent in error.
Woman who pressured boyfriend to kill his ex in 2000s granted absences from prison
A woman who pressured her boyfriend into killing his teenage ex more than a decade ago will be allowed to leave prison for weeks at a time.
Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter banned from NBA
Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter has been handed a lifetime ban from The National Basketball Association (NBA) following an investigation which found he disclosed confidential information to sports bettors, the league says.
House admonishes ArriveCan contractor in rare parliamentary show of power
MPs enacted an extraordinary, rarely used parliamentary power on Wednesday, summonsing an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons where he was admonished publicly and forced to provide answers to the questions MPs said he'd previously evaded.
Attempt to have murder charge quashed against alleged serial killer dismissed by judge
A motion filed by the man accused of killing four Indigenous women in Winnipeg to have one of those murder charges quashed has been dismissed by the judge – weeks before the start of his trial.
Government proposes new policy for federally regulated employees to disconnect from work
In their 2024 budget, the federal government wants to amend the Canada Labour Code, so employers in federally regulated sectors will eliminate work-related communication with employees outside of scheduled hours. If implemented, this would affect roughly 500,000 employees across the country.