Orleans Weekly Journal
Published: Friday, April 18, 2008 

Many summer camp options abound

With the snow in full retreat, the temperature in double digits and the end of basement clutter just beyond my May garage sale, it’s time to do what most dual-income families do: register the kids for summer camp. Even though summer is another 70 days away, its first decisions must be made now.

Thankfully, with a flick of the notebook PC power switch and a browser load of www.eastottawa.ca, a quick double click on the right hand side (PDF features) for Summer Camps gives you more choices than there are cereal boxes at the Superstore.

And as Orléans residents, our kids can choose from a litany of summer activities in both official languages.

To start, my old friends at the City of Ottawa offer a multitude of options at local schools and community centres including floor hockey, doodle n’ draw, multi-sports, and theme weeks such as pirate adventures, the world of animals right through to the more serious subject of leadership development. And if you are looking for a little water break, it seems that just about every activity can be combined with a swimming option as well.

If the youngsters are really into sports there is a buffet of options on tap at both domes (Superdome and Louis Riel) in Blackburn Hamlet. Soccer, golf, ultimate Frisbee, basketball, touch-football, volleyball and archery are just some of the many activities offered. Of course the munchkins can always focus on one sport with the eternally popular choices of hockey, ringette or gymnastics offered by local sports clubs.

Or if your child has an artistic flair, several area organizations stage summer camps focused on theatre, comedy, improv or magic. And if you don’t mind travelling a bit or if the core area of our city is part of your daily commute, both Carleton and Ottawa U along with various museums offer up interesting weeks that are sure to engage and excite your offspring.

While the choices are aplenty, the summer camp experience still has its drawbacks for working parents; most notably – or is that lamentably – before and after camp day care hours that don’t reflect the reality of even a shortened summer commute and less than ideal dietary selections are a concern.

If the camp runs 9 to 4, sorry, but daycare hours that run 8 to 5 are a touch tight for salaried folks with traffic being what it is sometimes. And for those families or single parents that are reliant on OC (occasional) Transpo, fuhgetaboutit!

One camp purports to offer a healthy menu for the kids … of hot dogs and pizza, seriously. Methinks that the hot dogs are not made of tofu and the pizza is not a whole grain crust with low-fat cheese. Yes I doth protest too much, but if you’re going to hold out your menu as “healthy”, sorry, hot dogs don’t cut the mustard.

So we’ll pack a healthy turkey wrap, the SPF 30 and choose wisely; hope you will too.