Health Officials Close Summer Camp for Kids

A girls’ camp affiliated with a faith organization in southwestern Ontario is still closed after health authorities ordered campers to return home, leading to a shutdown on Monday due to disagreements over its legal status.

The abrupt closure on Monday night by Elgin County health officials caught many families off guard on Tuesday as they rushed to retrieve their children from the Port Burwell summer camp.

Fix the paperwork. Don’t take it out on the kids.- John Zanin, parent

John Zanin, whose daughters Kate and Anna have attended Anchor Camp at the John Paul II Cultural Centre in Port Burwell for several years, expressed his disappointment in public health officials for sending his kids home because of an issue with the pool liner color and how the camp was classified under provincial law.

“Fix the paperwork. Don’t take it out on the kids,” Zanin said. “As parents, that’s something we budget for every summer so we can send our daughters to that camp, and now it’s over just 36 hours in.” 

Anchor Camp charges up to $350 per camper. Roelands didn’t clarify if families would receive full refunds due to the cancellation.

Parent John Zanin says he’s ‘disappointed’ after health officials shutdown a summer camp over a pool liner and an administrative error

Parent John Zanin says he’s ‘disappointed’ after health officials shutdown a summer camp over a pool liner and an administrative error

Zanin mentioned that he received a call from the camp nurse on Monday night informing him that Elgin St. Thomas Public Health Unit had decided to close down the camp.

“We had to pick up our daughters by 10 a. m.,” he stated. “Luckily no one was hurt, but we were left wondering ‘why would they close down the camp?'”

Zanin said he made several inquiries with the health unit about why they ordered the closure but didn’t get much information from public health representatives.

‘They wouldn’t elaborate’

People take shelter from the rain as they wait with their belongings under an awning at John Paul II Cultural Centre a day after health officials ordered campers home following its summer camp’s shutdown on Monday. (Colin Butler/ )

“They simply said they were closing it down for a safety violation and we had to go pick up our daughters, and that was that,” he shared.

The sudden shutdown of the camp on Monday night left parents and relatives scrambling to pick up campers on Tuesday morning. (Colin Butler/ )

On Tuesday, many campers waited under shelter from rain while holding onto their belongings as they awaited pickups from parents or relatives. Some traveled hours from places like London, Toronto, Sarnia in Ontario, and even Michigan in one instance.

Wrong pool liner

“Those stories are very compelling, and I understand how upsetting it is when these things are interrupted,” Cathie Walker, director of health promotion for Elgin St Thomas Public Health Unit told on Tuesday. “This has caused great inconvenience for people and we’re sorry about that.”

“Our concern is we have procedures for inspections along with different classifications for these kinds of facilities,” Walker explained, noting that the shutdown occurred because it was categorized incorrectly according to provincial regulations.

Monday night’s routine inspection also revealed that the pool’s liner was too dark; hence officials required draining it and replacing it.One of the violations cited by health authorities was that the pool liner was too dark. The John Paul II Cultural Centre arranged for immediate replacement work starting early Tuesday morning. (Colin Butler/ )

“Our main priority is ensuring everyone at camp remains healthy and safe,” she added. “We’re ready to collaborate with anyone who wants assistance so activities can resume there.”

“It’s really about how this campground has been classified,” Martin Roelands, founder of John Paul II Cultural Centre which operates this summer camp explained. “We’re consulting some advisers while trying to sort through everything.”

“I want families to remain hopeful,” he noted. “It’s unfortunate public health had to pull kids away from their camping experience this year but hopefully they’ll join us again next year.”

‘It’s really about how this campground has been classified,’ said Martin Roelands, founder of John Paul II Cultural Centre which operates this summer camp.(Colin Butler/ )

Roelands pointed out that once he found out his camp used an incorrect color liner, he quickly began searching for contractors who could replace it.

“We’re making every effort possible to follow all regulations,” he added.

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