Clearview Christian Camp

The Camp has been around since the 1960's with many of our buildings being built in those early years at Kenosee Lake.  We had done work at the camp during the years that followed to keep things up to date, but many of these wooden buildings were still being used up until 2001 when an inspection told us they needed to be replaced. 

So we began an ambitious project to revitalize the camp.  The goal... to make the camp viable and active for many future generations.  

The work ahead was very daunting so we broke the plan down into 2 phases.  Phase 1, replace the buildings that were the most in need and fix up some of the others so that we can ensure the viability of the camp for the near future.  Phase 2, to finish replaceing the old buildings and ensure the camp is viable for many generations.  

So in 2001, we started with Phase 1 which lasted until 2008.  Once we got the camp into a stable situation, we took a break from the constant construction and started making plans for the next phase to begin. 

To see a description of the 2 phases and what is/will be included in each, expand the Phases below. 

In 2000, the camp faced a major problem.  The camper cabins we had been using for over 30 years were show significant signs of decay.  The wood was rotting, they were cold, some had started to grow mold, and our yearly inspector was saying if we didn't replace them soon, we may have to suspend operations until we do.  In addition, the rest of the camp was just looking, tired.  The main hall roof was leaking through the cedar shingles, the kitchen was unorganized and awkward, we didn't have a lot of indoor spaces, and we had a cement pad that was left over from an old outhouse building that we were now using as a very narrow basketball pad.  The camp was in need of a major overhaul if we were going to remain open.

Begin The Revitalization

When we viewed the job ahead, we wondered if the support would be there. There was so much that needed to be done and we were committed to remaining fiscally responsible. We would not take out any loans to do the work. We would only build when we had the money to build. And to keep the cost of the project down, we would use as much volunteer hours as we can. Would the money come in?  Would the people show up?  We didn't have to wait long before we got our answer. 

We knew that realistically, we couldn't do everything we wanted to do.  So we divided up the revitalization into 2 phases.  Our mose immediate needs we put into Phase 1. 

Phase 1

The primary goal of Phase 1 was to get the camp into a state where we could easily operate year to year until we can get to items that may be a bit larger but could wait.  Each item we put into Phase 1 had to pass the same critieria. 

1. The new facility needs to be as maintenance free as possible. 
   • We don't want to create a maintenance headache down the line. 
2. Each facility needs to be built with an eye to the future. 
   • What if we wanted to move to a 3 season camp.  The buildings should be insulated, wired to be able to accept more load to run heaters, and their location needs to be intentionally thought out.  
3. Does this new facility add to our capabilities as a camp.
   • We want our campers to have the most fun they can have.  Does this new facility offer that? 
   • Whatever we build needs to be multi use in order to maximize the space we have.

With these key things in mind, we compiled the following projects into Phase 1 that would take us 7 years to complete. 

This isn't a complete list of what we did, but the main highlights from Phase 1. 

1. We replaced all the kids cabins with 6 new, insulated, comfortable cabins with maintenance free exteriors.

2. Every cabin got metal bunk beds with new mattresses.

3. We covered the Main Hall's roof with Tin to stop the leaks.

4. We put in a large athletic pad for recreation.

5. We built a large multiuse building to act as a classroom and craft building.

6. We remodelled the kitchen to make it more comfortable to work and have better flow. 

7. We repurposed the best of our kids cabins to use as a canteen building and 3 staff cabins.

8. We painted everything, fixed swings, removed the outhouse concrete slab, refreshed the firepit area..... and on and on. 

We were humbled by the outpouring of support both in terms of money and volunteer hours.  Thanks to everyone who gave so freely, we were able to accomplish our goal of getting the camp onto secure footing.  It was a long and hard 7 years of work so once we were stable, we ended our Phase 1 and took some years off to just enjoy the camp again.  

The camp has flourished these past 12 years and the time has come for us to begin Phase 2 of our Revitalization Project.  Phase 1 bought us 10+ years.  How we need Phase 2 to buy us another 50+ so this camp will be around for generations to enjoy. 

Here are some images from Phase 1.  Thanks again to all the people that made it a success. There are far too many to count. 

Phase 2 will mark the end our our revitalization project.  We have provided a lot more detail along with some proposed images of the new main hall in our Revitalization Project - Phase 2 page. You can get to that page by clicking the link Revitalization Project - Phase 2 .  So please check it out for more details. 

Below, we will quickly outline some of the items that are included in Phase 2. 

Phase 2 Details

Phase 1 fixed our issue with camper cabins, added some much needed recreational space, and created a large multi-purpose building that is primary used for crafts and classrooms.  In Phase 2, we look at replacing what is left of our old buildings as well as do some electircal upgrading and camp reorganization to better use our space. 

Buildings To Replace

One of our biggest issues at the moment is that Moose Mountain Provincial Park brought the water level of Kenosee Lake up substantially about 5 years ago. This is great for using the lake for recreation but it washed out a large recreational field that we had at the bottom of our hill.  Now, our only large field area is located just East of our Main Hall.  When looking at the space we have, the location of our Main Hall breaks up what could be a large field area.  In addition to many other factors, replacing the Main Hall and moving it's location has become the central piece of Phase 2. 

The full rationale for replacing and moving the main hall can be found in our Revitalization Project - Phase 2 project page.

Other buildings in Phase 2 that are in need of replacing include;

- 6 - 8 Staff/Family Cabins

Each cabin will be able to house 6 - 8 family members and will be fully able to operate for 3 seasons. 

- Canteen/Sports Shack

This new building will also feature an open air covered eating area off the canteen side.  

Upgrades To Be Done

When the new kids cabins were built, they were built with the future in mind.  If we wanted to ever move to 3 season use, these cabins should be able to support heaters.  However, the electrical running to the cabins cannot handle that level of load.  So one of our projects is to trench new wiring to all the cabins.

In addition, if we wanted to put in a new building in the future, our only option is to trench a line back to the main hall.  We would like to make future development easier in the future.

In addition, the new lines to the cabins would allow us to run more load through to the cabins to support heaters or whatever else we want to run in the cabins. It would also bring our electrical facilities up to modern code. 

New Facilities To Add

We are always looking for ways to improve the camp.  A couple of areas we have identified include. 

1. Adding 2 dedicated RV parking spots. 

We can currently support some RV parking at the camp but their placement is not intentional and can make our field look messy.  In addition, they are under serviced electrically, and they take up space on our fields.  The intention here is to create 2 dedicated spots that have the proper electrical in a space apart from our main field of recreation.  It would also provide the owners of the trailers with a little bit of privacy being away from the main field. 

2. Add a Open Air Classroom In the Trees.

Who wants to always have class indoors.  Why not create more spaces where you can go to be in nature and talk about God.  One concept that we want to build is a stone circular classroom within one of our treed areas.  A gravel path will take you through the trees to this classroom.  

We admit this type of area is not required, but we think it will add a great outdoor space that our directors will love to use. 

We are excited about the future and we feel confident at the completion of this Phase, the camp will be in a great place to be able to still offer a camping experience for another 60 years.  We hope you will join in in support of this project.  Again, click Revitalization Project - Phase 2 to see more detailed plans, and please consider donating to our future development.