Message to the Parishes

by Bob Baille

Dear friends of Camp Columbia,

My name is Bob Baillie and I am the rector of Holy Trinity North Saanich. I am on the Board of Camp Columbia and my association with Camp Columbia goes back some 25 years to when I was involved with two maintenance project work weekends - one to put the decrepit huts in some measure of repair with their rotting roofs, sagging floors and leaning steps - the other to replace the army cots with some built-in bunks which would accommodate more campers.

Since that time several of the huts have deteriorated to a point where they are beyond repair and several more need a lot of TLC (tender-loving-care). Heneage is in bad need of better washroom facilities and the washroom facilities for campers are far from adequate.

You will receive the Long Term Viability Report from Synod this week. It paints a rather bleak picture of camp and gives four options for us to consider, one of which is to sell the Camp.- the one place in the Diocese where much needed ministry to young people is occurring at the rate of about 500 kids per year. We hope to increase that number of kids by filling the camps and building more huts.

Not mentioned in this report is the fact that the current Board of Camp Columbia has a very viable five year business plan, which includes among other things, - restoring some of the huts through an adopt a hut program, building some new huts, improving the water and septic system (already done), providing better washroom facilities and even providing an opportunity for you to go camping at Camp Columbia and have access to your own private beach (Godiva Bay). This will involve some selective tree harvesting on the upper portion of the property (the right hand side as you approach Camp from the ferry) to provide some much needed revenue and something new - camp site space.

This camp belongs to you. We want every Anglican in the diocese to see and hear about what is already going on and to GET INVOLVED.

This is why we are encouraging parishes to do what St.Peter's, Quamichan has done and adopt a hut, or do something to advertise, support or promote the camp. I approached two business people in the last month and they both offered to send two kids to camp for free. If the camp is full - 72 campers a week right now - we will survive financially. However our long-range plan is to build two new huts a year over the next five years. These 10 new huts with the five or six restored huts will provide us with increased summer capacity - from 72 to 172 with the added benefit of the new huts having plumbing, heating, electricity and insulation which means they will be available 365 days of the year. This would make the new huts considerably more habitable than the present huts. Each of these new huts will cost about $8000 to build. Any parishes or individuals that would like to build and name a new cabin would be royally welcomed. There is a work weekend April 23-25 and an Open House coming up on Saturday, May first. Check our website www.campcolumbia.com Look forward to seeing you and hearing from you.

Bob Baillie
Camp Columbia Board Member
Chair Buildings and Grounds Committee