Camps holding out hope for overnight stays while expecting active summer

For some camp operators, this will not be just any other summer.

The way Dave Fletcher from Camp Shagabec sees it, camping in 2021 will be a chance for children and youth to reconnect and heal from the tumult caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We can’t underestimate the impact that this is having on young people, especially with the mindset of a young person and how they are being impacted in these most critical formative years,” says Fletcher, whose Camp Shagabec is based in Cypress Hills.

Fletcher says camp allows kids to get in touch with nature and themselves. Last summer, COVID-19 robbed them of that opportunity, with Camp Shagabec closing entirely.

He says Camp Shagabec will offer daytime programming this year, trying to recreate as much of the experience from a traditional year, with crafts, group activities, games, and time spent with nature. However, he says something is missed when overnight camping isn’t possible.

“So much of the camp experience is that time to leave your parents and just go and sleep over and be in a cabin and be goofy and have fun with people your own age,” Fletcher says.

Kylie Orr, season manager at Lumsden Beach Camp, agrees the experience isn’t the same without stargazing or sitting around a campfire.

However, registration has been strong, a sign that people are eager to just get outdoors, Orr says.

“I think it’ll be great that campers can come out and enjoy the fresh air (and) so much land that we have and really get to socialize in a (COVID-safe) environment,” she says.

With the age requirement for vaccines dropping to 12, Orr says staff will have had a chance to get their first doses. While the minimum age has dropped to 12, Fletcher says the majority of campers will not be eligible for a first shot so following safety precautions will be crucial.

Both camps are protecting people from COVID-19 through measures like regular sanitization, masking and asking health-related questions to screen out those feeling ill. As well, campers will not be allowed to mingle with those outside their small groups.

Meanwhile, Camp Easter Seal, an accessible camp for children, youth and adults, is going virtual for another year. Typically, it would be held at Manitou Beach near Watrous.

“Given the proximity of where our camp is (and) how it’s set up, the needs of our campers and just how our camp runs, we’ve opted to do it virtually,” says Emily Hurd, regional director for SaskAbilities in Saskatoon.

Staff will be based at the campsite and activities like boating, horseback riding, cooking and sports will get beamed onto screens for campers at home.

“It’s a pretty fancy experience so I think campers are going to be really impressed even though it is virtual,” Hurd says.

Overnight camping is still not permitted but the province has signalled it could be a possibility down the road. Last week, Saskatchewan’s chief medical health officer, Dr. Saqib Shahab, said with vaccines proving effective, “we really want to allow more and more activities as part of Step 3” of the Saskatchewan government’s reopening plan.

Shahab said the province is “actively looking” at allowing overnight summer camps but vaccine uptake will need to be strong.

“The earlier we get vaccinated, first dose and second dose, including all children … the more confidently we can have all those activities,” he said.

Orr says it’s too late to have overnight camping this season, that plans don’t change quickly, even if a few short sleepovers for older campers might be doable.

Fletcher is holding on to faint hope.

“But we’re not going to count those chickens until they hatch and we’re just going to go with what we have,” he said.