Camp Manitou able to offer more to kids through new expansion

Camp Manitou has some new features this summer as an 11-acre expansion is almost finished.

The camp received $9 million to create a new 2.6-acre custom-made lake, boathouse, dock and bike trail that offer attendees a variety of new activities.

Campers can now partake in canoeing and kayaking and also test out bikes on a skills course which is part of the new trail.

"It's allowing us to offer activities that we haven't been able," said Audrey Hicks, director of Camp Manitou. "These bike tracks are going take them that little bit farther and give them those extra skills."

Once winter rolls around, the bike trails will turn into cross country skiing trails and the lake will be used for pond hockey.

The camp will also host the first ever Ducky Pond Hockey Classic in 2022-23, which is being held in honour of Dale Hawerchuk.

Hicks added another cool feature about the lake, and the dock specifically, is it is designed to help kids with mobility problems still get in and out of canoes and kayaks, so they too can enjoy the lake when attending.

"It just expands the different user groups that we have."

She said the lake has been used since June and over 500 kids have already used it.

Camp Manitou started operating in 2014 thanks to the True North Youth Foundation. The camp has been able to introduce a zip-line, climbing wall, playground, rope course, toboggan run and 12 cabins for overnight campers, as well as an NHL-sized outdoor covered rink.