Manitoba day camps in limbo waiting for provincial reopening direction
Normally, at the end of June, Osaed Khan, co-founder of Code Cobras, a day camp that teaches kids the basics of computer programming, would be getting everything ready for the summer.
This year, planning is a bit difficult, not only because Khan is fielding a lot more questions from concerned parents than normal.
“They’re wondering if we are going to have camps,” said Khan, adding that parents are also wondering if Code Cobras will have a limit on the number of kids that can attend.
The confusion stems from the province’s reopening plan.
The provincial government has said that day camps will be part of the four-phase summer reopening.
Summer day camps are slated to be included in loosened restrictions tied to the July 1 vaccination target.
Few concrete details have been provided, making planning difficult for camp coordinators like Khan.
“It is a bit challenging with the ambiguous checkpoints,” said Khan.
“If they limit the number of campers at our camp, that’s going to hurt us a lot,” he said. “So, I’m hoping the province may be able to step up and help some smaller camps financially survive.”
Some day camps, like the Assiniboine Zoo Camp, are pre-registering students, assuming camps will be able to operate at 25 per cent capacity by July.
The Manitoba Theatre for Young People is currently planning to hold in-person programming, but also has some remote options in place as a fallback plan “We didn’t want to put out an invitation to sign up for something that we couldn’t deliver,” said Kent Suss, theatre school director with the Manitoba Theatre for Young People.
“We have a whole set of in-person summer programs that are planned but we just haven’t announced them and we’re holding off until we hear from the province that we can open day camps,” he said.
A similar approach is being taken by the Rainbow Resource Centre, which is exclusively holding virtual programming for this year’s edition of its “Camp Aurora” program.
“The pandemic has been quite unpredictable in terms of if we’ll be allowed to open or not,” said Alice Charles, camp coordinator for the Rainbow Resource Centre.
“Doing it virtually just allows us to confirm that we are going to be having a camp.”
The Manitoba Camping Association says it’s been informed by the provincial government that day camps should be able to open at 25 per cent capacity come July 1 if vaccination targets are met.
“It’s a little bit of fingers crossed, a little bit of trusting that people will help us get to that place to open,” said Kim Scherger, the Manitoba Camping Association’s executive director.
“Kids need it so badly, the camps need it, the staff needs it on so many different levels,” she said.
Scherger also expects overnight camps will be able to open at 50 per cent capacity if the province’s August 2nd vaccination target is met.
However, short notice from the province on whether day or overnight camps can operate may create staffing problems, among other logistical issues.
“We may not know until July 20th or later if the August date will happen,” said Scherger. “10 days before then, will a camp be able to open in time?”
“It really depends on the camp and when we would get that information.”
Planning is also a bit of a problem for parents in Manitoba who are also unsure at what capacity camps will be able to operate throughout the summer.
“This is impacting hundreds or thousands of parents across the province who depend on camps to provide childcare during the summer,” said Colin Fast, director of policy for the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
They were from different countries and barely spoke each other's languages. More than 20 years later, they're still happily in love
He decided to spend Christmas somewhere that wouldn't involve snowstorm disasters. She was spending the holidays with family, travelling for the first time outside of her native country of Venezuela. 23 years later, they're still in love.
Man who set himself on fire outside Trump trial dies of injuries, police say
A man who doused himself in an accelerant and set himself on fire outside the courthouse where former U.S. President Donald Trump is on trial has died, police said.
Verdun Airbnb listing taken down amid complaints, fines and frustration from neighbours
An Airbnb in Montreal's Verdun borough was the source of much frustration from neighbours who say there were constant parties at the location. It has been taken down from the app, but housing advocates remain upset about short-term rentals.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Fire in Labrador town under control, officials tells residents to stay away
RCMP say the fire that prompted a state of emergency in a Labrador town is now under control.
12 students and teacher killed in Columbine school shooting remembered at 25th anniversary vigil
Thirteen victims of the Columbine High School shooting were remembered during a vigil Friday on the eve of the 25th anniversary of the shooting that was the worst the nation had seen at the time.
Israeli airstrike in southern Gaza city of Rafah kills at least 9 Palestinians, including 6 children
An Israeli airstrike on a house in Gaza's southernmost city killed at least nine people, six of them children, hospital authorities said Saturday, as Israel pursued its nearly seven-month offensive in the besieged Palestinian territory.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
Iraq investigates a blast at a base of Iran-allied militias that killed 1. U.S. denies involvement
Iraqi authorities said Saturday that they were investigating an explosion that struck a base belonging to the Popular Mobilization Forces, a coalition of Iran-allied militias, killing one person and injuring eight.