A new message from our Executive Camp Director, Janet Cottreau. Follow the link to watch the video, or scroll down to read her message.
April 23, 2021
I hope that all of you are healthy and doing well. As we move into spring the sunshine and warmer days have been uplifting, but these are still hard times for many. If you are someone having a difficult time, please reach out to someone you know or to a community organization. You are not alone!
These past few weeks have brought even more uncertainty to our summer plans. The Ontario Camps Association continues to work with our provincial government, Public Health and medical experts to put together guidance for opening safely. And we are watching our local public health area as restrictions in and around camp, will ultimately come from our local public health department.
Please keep watching your emails, RPC Facebook and Instagram and website for updates about the summer. We are continuing to plan.
As hard as it might be to look past this current lock-down, we need you to keep us informed if your plans for Red Pine change.
As we have been saying since the fall, RPC will be different this summer in many ways, but our mission remains the same – to provide a safe, engaging environment where campers make memories and grow together in community with family and friends.
In this video I will address questions submitted by some of you then, in the upcoming days another video will be shared discussing our plans for food service, tournaments, the waterfront and Junior Program. Our plan is that prior to your arrival at camp we will have a full description of each area of camp posted on the website in a “camp manual” format.
Arriving at camp this summer:
Everyone will be required to complete a pre-screening the morning before you leave for camp. At this time, the protocol is as follows:
- Should anyone in your family/group show ANY Covid 19 symptoms we ask that you stay home. We have adjusted our cancellation policy so there is no financial penalty to cancel due to Covid.
- everyone from outside the country will need to have been in Canada a minimum of two weeks to complete the mandatory federal quarantine and our requirements for this will follow federal and provincial decisions.
- Campers may not exit their vehicles at camp unless a screening has been completed and all members are clear.
At this point we have made the decision not to test people upon their arrival or require that you present a negative Covid-19 test. You are coming to Red Pine like you would go to a hotel or campground. It will be expected that you and your family or group will keep yourselves and others safe by following the rules and guidelines we have been practicing for almost a year; by maintaining safe physical distancing in and around camp and wearing masks where required.
Regarding our operations:
Masks will be required inside all public buildings including washrooms and in outdoor situations where physical distancing is difficult.
We have new cleaning and safety protocols and there will be hand sanitizer throughout as well as reminders to mask up or stay socially distanced where appropriate.
Our staff will be trained to maintain physical distancing of 2m both inside buildings and outdoors and we expect campers to do the same with all of those not in your bubble.
We will not, however, be policing campers about social distancing. This as this up to you as individuals and families. Of course, for all camp organized activities we will have signs and reminders about distancing.
Programming will also be different this summer as group gathering sizes will likely be regulated. Not to worry, though, we have incredibly creative staff hired and they are ready to challenge you and keep you entertained with variations of our traditional programs and some that are entirely new.
All programming will be held outside so if you have not already invested in great rain gear or a good umbrella, this would be the time to do that.
What if someone gets sick at camp?
Should anyone develop new symptoms or become ill while in camp we will have clear procedures outlined in each cabin and the expectation is that you will leave camp for assessment and isolation. Red Pine has hired a full summer RN to care for our staff and support our campers, but we do not have the resources to isolate or test campers.
We have done a lot of planning, and there is still more to come, but we do not have all of the answers. Red Pine will be different this summer. Our campers will need to go “back to basics” doing more together with your family unit and in small groups.
We all need the benefits of Camp right now. We need the change of scenery and the ability to be outdoors participating in activities in the place we all love. We want to breathe in the fresh air, look up at the trees, hear children’s laughter, watch the sun set, listen to the waves and feel the sun on our faces.
I wish you all peace of mind and good health as we move through these worrying times and will be in touch again soon. Have a great day!