Camp Cameron Lease Renewal

Received DC Office March 8, 2019 C-3 March 28, 2019 C-3 March 28, 2019 C-3 March 28, 2019 C-3 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY of BRITISH COLUMBIA March 24th 2019 Hon. Scott Fraser Hon. Doug Donaldson Minister of Indigenous Relations Min. of Forests, Lands & Natural Res. RM 323, Parliament Buildings RM 248, Parliament Buildings Victoria, BC V8V 1X4 Victoria, BC V8V 1X4 Dear Minister, Our local school district has come to us with a problem that I am sure we, together, can help with. The Cameron Lake Outdoor Education Centre has been identified as a possible TLE to be transferred to the West Moberly First Nations. School District 60 has used this crown land, under lease from the BC Government, for almost 30 years and over that time has put close to $1 million into this facility to develop a successful Outdoor Education Centre. By considering the transfer of this land to West Moberly First Nations, places a tremendous amount of stress and unnecessary burden on a school district that is always wrestling to find money to improve our students’ education. Since 1990, School District 60 was granted a lease for a small camp on Cameron Lake. Over the last 29 years the district has invested close to $1 million and The centre is located in the natural boreal forest on the shores of Cameron Lake, 25 km from Hudson’s Hope on Highway 29. The centre is not only used by students but also district staff and the general public where such uses are compatible with the goals of outdoor education and environmental awareness. When the district first took lease of the site, the camp was very rustic. There was a converted schoolhouse outfitted as a cookhouse, which ran on a diesel-powered generator and had no running water. For overnight campers, two old portables (that were no longer fit for classrooms) were set up as boys and girls dormitories. The lake had a basic dock and small canoe storage shed. Camp Cameron, as it is fondly named, has 27 km of nature trails leading to learning stations such as a beaver dam observatory, swamp and muskeg exploration, tree and animal identification stations and the hike to Hidden Lake. Over the past 29 years, the district has turned this rustic little site into the beautiful and valued Camp Cameron. The old out buildings are gone, replaced by modern log cabin dorms that can sleep up to 48 persons and a well-appointed mail lodge, now of course with power and running water. This lodge has a fully equipped industrial kitchen and is able to accommodate 100 people making it suitable for a variety of event such as district in- services, full classroom instruction, non-profit groups and private functions. The lodge house also has a fully equipped science lab for biology, pond, and environmental studies. The camp is also used for in school programs such as sports teams and the school band program. Each year the grade seven band heads to Camp Cameron for the night to spend BC Liberal Official Opposition Parliament Buildings Victoria, BC V8V 1X4 T: 250-356-6171 March 28, 2019 C-3 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY of BRITISH COLUMBIA two days playing music, exploring, making memories and forming bonds that will last a lifetime. The investment did not stop at just the camp. Outdoor activities have grown to include mountain biking (15 bikes on site), a 12-foot climbing wall, 5 tandem canoes, a voyager canoe, and a dragon boat. The dock has been upgraded to a floating dock and the shore has been upgraded as well. The field area supports games such as archery, soccer and capture the flag. In the winter, which is very long in our area, the facility has 100 sets of cross country skis and boots. Also in the winter, the field area is home to the construction of quinzies, outdoor igloo like sleeping quarters that are built by the students and then tested out as overnight survival structures. Over the last almost 30 years thousands of School District 60 students, from primary to secondary, have spent time learning at Camp Cameron. In recent years the district’s Aboriginal education program has made use of the camp bringing indigenous and non- indigenous learners together for a closer connection with nature and tradition indigenous learning. These indigenous uses are a very important part of Camp Cameron. Camp Cameron has been, and we hope can continue to be, a tremendous asset for not only the school district staff and students, but to the entire region’s residents. The financial investment into this facility is substantial but the emotional investment and the impact that this camp has on the students that have had the ultimate pleasure of visiting, is beyond measure. We need a long term or permanent solution for the lease on this camp. I encourage you to approve the lease that was submitted in January 2018 and I look forward to working with you to ensure that School District 60 will be able to retain Camp Cameron for generations to come. Sincerely, Dan Davies, MLA Peace River North Cc (By email): Bob Zimmer, MP Dan Ashton, MLA, MIRR Critic John Rustad, MLA, FLNORD Critic School District 60 Peace River Regional District Northeast Stakeholders Group (A. Ackerman/J. Little) BC Liberal Official Opposition Parliament Buildings Victoria, BC V8V 1X4 T: 250-356-6171 March 28, 2019.

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