Owners Janet & Stephen Fine scrambled to figure out a way to continue running the Hollows Camp in Bradford West Gwillimbury after the realization they would not be able to open their regular day-time and overnight camps.
The camp, which usually starts right after schools’ end and runs for six weeks, had hopes of reopening in July and was given the green-light by the Simcoe-Muskoka District Health Unit to open IF they were able to adhere to social distancing protocols.
But the Fines felt there was too much risk to open the camp up for regular activities.
“Safety was the biggest factor,” said Janet. “There was too much equipment that would have to be cleaned, no trampolining, crafts would have to be individually packaged, staggered arrival times in the parking lot – it just wasn’t going to resemble the “Hollows” campers expected.”
The Fines polled their recurring family-campers to find out how they felt and although the majority of the regulars were okay with the camp opening back up, there were still many who were nervous and wanted to wait and see how the pandemic panned out.
So the Fines came up with an alternate way to still have campers enjoy the facilities while being safe and social distancing.
“We came up with a new program called Family and Friends Outdoor Experiences,” states Janet. “Families can come with their social bubble and rent time at the camp to enjoy the grounds and activities.”
For $60 a person, families and groups of friends of up to 10 people will be able to enjoy three-six hours worth of exclusive use of the camp’s facilities including boating, archery, trails, tennis, the beach, and picnic areas with optional picnic lunch add-ons.
“It’s a nice way to share the property and do something during our very crippled economy,” expresses Janet. “This is a quieter, safer option, as opposed to public beaches jammed with people.”
The camp will also offer visits with its horses.
“The horses are just standing around eating which is costing me money,” jokes Janet. “So, the kids can come feed and pet the horses too!”
The Fines note that virtual camps were not something they wanted to do, stipulating that it just wasn’t “camp”.
“Being outdoors is camp,” asserts Janet. “Having a camp counsellor, sitting with friends making friendship bracelets, singing, high-fiving – that’s camp!”
The camp’s new program promotes fully sanitized grounds between groups, ensuring all touch points and equipment are clean, giving families and their social bubbles peace of mind during their visit.
Registration is now open on a first-come, first-serve basis and bookings are available on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays with staggered time slot options falling on mornings, afternoons, or evenings.
Hollows staff will be social distancing and on-site to assist with any questions, lunch catering, sanitization, and activity setup and teardowns only.
“We’ve had so much support from our family campers” notes Janet. “We’re really excited to be able to offer the camp this way.”
The camp will be celebrating its 40th year in 2021 and hope to be able to return to normal by next season.
To book your family outdoor experience at the Hollows Camp, visit www.hollowscamp.ca
