HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2014-01-29, Page 15Wednesday, January 29, 2014 • Huron Expositor 15
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IThey shoot, they score!
Students at Huron Centennial Public School braved some chilly temperatures to enjoy a little ball hockey Jan. 17.
Efforts to revitalize Camp Klahanie continue
Whitney South Huron Expositor
,Co-ed washrooms,
more sleeping
quarters top priorities
Dave Flaherty
QM Agency
Efforts by the Goderich Lions Club to
revitalize Camp Klahanie will continue
to gain momentum in 2014.
Last fall, the club formally purchased
the camp from Girl Guides of Ontario
for $110,000 after four years of legal
battles.
The camp came into existence in the
early 1970s when local residents John
and Marian Hindmarsh donated over
seven acres of land on Black's Point
Road to the local Girl Guides to be used
as a campground.
For years, the guides ran Camp Kla-
hanie without any financial support
from the Girl Guides Council in
Toronto.
In 2009, the council decided the cam-
pground was no longer viable and
closed it, with plans the sell the prop-
erty to the highest bidder.
Goderich Lions, and the community
at large, were opposed to these actions.
"Morally, people believed the camp
belonged to the community and should
be returned," said Gord Grant, a Lions
Club member who has been heavily
involved with the efforts to procure the
camp.
Representatives of the local guides
took legal action against the provincial
organization on the basis that the origi-
nal intent behind the Hindmarsh dona-
tion was for the camp to serve the needs
of the local community.
John Hindmarsh has since passed
away, but Grant said Marian has been a
"very active" supporter of their efforts.
Grant said much credit should be
given to The Ross Firm, a legal team
based in Goderich, which provided
hundreds of hours of service free of
charge.
"It's a huge donation on their part,"
Grant said. "They were the key partner
in getting our offer to buy the camp
accepter
Grant said the bid was successful
because of a countless number of peo-
ple, not just a few individuals.
He specifically named Melody Fal-
coner -Pounder, involved with the local
Girl Guides for a number of years.
Grant said Falconer -Pounder
"refused to give up" and her determina-
tion helped others keep hope during
the long, often challenging, process.
There was a large amount of outside
support as they received over $30,000 in
donations from local organizations,
businesses and individuals to help pur-
chase the camp.
The Town of Goderich recently
donated a storage shed from the former
Victoria Public School, which is now in
the process of being demolished, for use
at the camp.
Grant said the shed will prove handy as they have
received donations of equipment such as lawn-
mowers, whippersnippers, tools, chairs and tables,
all of which need to be stored.
Even with all this progress, Grant said there is still
much work to do.
Because the camp was designed with only female
users in mind, Grant said their number one priority
is to build a co-ed bathroom facility.
Another project is to construct four bunlcies to
provide additional sleeping quarters.
"Those are the two biggest priorities for the
spring," Grant said.
A number of local individuals have volunteered
to help with these projects; the Lions Club just
needs to provide the materials.
Donations continue to come in, and they have
applied for a grant through the Ontario Trillium
Fund.
Grant estimated they will have to spend $100,000
to $125,000 to get the camp to where they envision
it - with more projects planned down the road.
He sent a heartfelt thanks to anyone who has
aided in the project.
"We couldn't have done it without everyone's
help. We appreciate the enthusiasm of everyone."
There are plans to erect a plaque acknowledging
the efforts of those who have helped along the way.
Anyone who is interested in making a donation
or offering a hand in another way can contact Grant
at 519-955-1490 or Mike Alcock at 519-525-3368 or
any other Goderich Lions Club member.
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