BGC Ottawa to offer new March Break and Summer Day Camps for kids!

Registration opens on Monday, Feb. 12, at 12 p.m.

OTTAWA, ONTARIO – BGC Ottawa is pleased to announce a new March Break and Summer Day Camp Program for children aged 6 to 12 designed to inspire self-expression and celebrate the unique talents of each Camper. Our tradition and commitment is to ensure every child has the most positive and enriching camp experience. Registration opens on Monday, Feb. 12, 12 p.m.

“We believe that children and youth should have access to life-changing experiences that allow them to discover and achieve their dreams and grow up to be their best selves,” said BGC Ottawa Chief Programs Officer Medin Admasu. “Our newly designed day camp offerings bring fun and excitement to a whole new level at our Clubhouses. The programs, themes and experiences our highly skilled and dedicated Programs Team has put together will ensure that every Camper has the March Break and Summer Day Camp experience all children and youth deserve, at an affordable price for parents and families.”

BGC Ottawa March Break and Summer Day Camps

March Break Day Camps will run out of our Tomlinson Family Foundation Clubhouse (1463 Prince of Wales Drive) from Monday, March 11, to Friday, March 15, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at a cost of $275 per child. Campers aged 6 to 8, known as Everyday Explorers, will spring into a week of non-stop excitement and creativity, with a trip to the Canadian Science and Technology Museum, a Leprechaun dance party, Tomlinson Olympics and more. While the Camp Champs, aged 9 to 12, will participate in a diverse range of activities designed to spark curiosity, foster creativity and encourage exploration. During the week, Camp Champs will also take a trip to the Science and Technology Museum, in addition to competing in a Marble Run, the World Cup of Soccer and snowshoeing (weather permitting).

Summer Day Camps will be offered at BGC Ottawa’s Don McGahan Clubhouse (430 McArthur Ave.), Taggart Parkes Family Clubhouse (1770 Heatherington Rd.) and Tomlinson Family Foundation Clubhouse for eight weeks commencing Tuesday, July 2, at a cost of $275 per child per week. A reduced rate of $220 per child per week will be offered for weeks that include a statutory holiday. Like March Break Day Camps, Campers will be divided into two groups – Everyday Explorers (aged 6-8) and Camp Champs (aged 9 to 12). Day camps will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday, with pre- and post-care available to all Campers at an additional cost.

BGC Ottawa looks to inspire self-expression and celebrate the unique talents of each Camper. Each of our Summer Day Camps were thoughtfully designed to watch imaginations take flight in an environment that encourages all Campers to dream big and think outside the box. Weekly themes ranging from Mission Impossible and Escape Room Challenges to Sci-Fi Fantasy and Space Explorers to Sports Frenzy and Beach Bonanza will help make every session of camp exciting and new.

Camp Smitty

Parents looking to give their children and youth the ultimate overnight summer camp experience are encouraged to explore what Camp Smitty has to offer. Operated by BGC Ottawa, Camp Smitty has provided life-changing summer camp experiences, in a safe, welcoming and fun environment for young people aged 8 to 16 for nearly 100 years.

Located on a beautiful lake in Eganville, Ont., Camp Smitty will offer four 10-day sessions commencing Monday, July 1. We make concerted efforts to ensure that all children and families, regardless of their financial situation, feel welcome and included at Camp Smitty. The Club has curated a registration process that is barrier-free (subsidy to full-cost options) and strives to provide information that is supportive to the cultural and socio-economic diversity we serve. Camp Smitty registration opens on Monday, Feb. 19, at 12 p.m.

“The magic of Camp Smitty is hard to describe,” said Matt Singer, BGC Ottawa’s Manager, Camp Smitty and Outdoor Recreation. “It has been a place of refuge, wonder and growth for thousands of children and youth, including myself. From all things that nature has to offer, to the incredible programs, camp activities and friendships, in my opinion there is no other place quite like it, let alone a summer camp that opens its doors to all kids and teens.”

BGC Ottawa’s March Break and Summer Day Camps and phenomenal overnight camp, Camp Smitty, provide a supportive and inclusive environment where kids can connect, share and create bonds that will last a lifetime. All monies raised from camps are invested back into the Club, allowing BGC Ottawa to continue to offer life-changing programs and services to thousands of children and youth, many living in vulnerable neighbourhoods, in our community each year.

For more information on each of these camp options, please follow the links below.

Important links:

• BGC Ottawa Day Camp Registration – Monday, Feb. 12, at 12 p.m.
• March Break Day Camps
• Summer Day Camps
• Program schedules and important information
• Camp Smitty Registration – Monday, Feb. 19, at 12 p.m.
• Camp Smitty

For more information, please contact:

Amanda Nigh

Senior Manager, Communications and Events, BGC Ottawa

anigh@bgcottawa.org

1-888-824-0183 ext. 1225

About BGC Ottawa:

For more than 100 years, BGC Ottawa has provided children and youth with a safe place between the realities of home life and the pressures of school — a place of positivity and belonging where they can play, create and learn what it takes to become their best selves.

As one of Ottawa’s largest child and youth-serving charitable organizations, BGC Ottawa provides free life-changing programs and services to thousands of young people each year. The Club serves 31 neighbourhoods through its Neighbourhood Ambassador Program, operates four Clubhouses located throughout the city, a satellite location in Kanata and Camp Smitty, our overnight camp in Eganville.

We provide safe, supportive places where all kids and teens, of all backgrounds, can experience new opportunities, overcome barriers, and develop confidence and skills for life. From anti-racism to Reconciliation to 2SLGBTQ+, food security to scholarships to job readiness, our Clubs battle systemic issues with systemic solutions – equity, acceptance, support, opportunity.