FAQ: Summer Camp

Registration for camp can be completed online, or by visiting our front desk with your completed registration forms and a Membership Services Representative would be happy to assist you. Please note that all regionally subsidized families, and families applying for YMCA Financial Assistance must register in person.

At this time, the YMCA of Oakville is optimistic that we will be operating summer camp in 2020. As the effects of COVID-19 are rapidly evolving, please check here for updates regarding all YMCA programs.

First Day of Registration Notice: Please note that all camp registration is processed in sequential order from the date and time the completed form is dropped off. Registration will begin at on February 4th at 9:00 am promptly. Pre-registration signup will begin at 7:30 am promptly – anyone arriving between 7:30 – 9:00 am will be placed on a list in order of arrival. Once on the list, you must remain on-site at the Peter Gilgan Family YMCA until your registration has been processed.

The important forms are:

• 2020 Summer Camp registration form
• YMCA of Oakville Camp Financial Assistance Form

You must bring your CSF30 (Halton Region Subsidy Letter) and completed registration forms to our front desk. Front desk will be able to process your registration, and Margherita Jordan, Administrator – Camp & Child Care will be in contact for any parental contribution payments.

Please note: Failure to bring a CSF30 to registration will result in an inability of our MSR team to process your registration. In this case, your registration will be collected and Margherita Jordan – Administrator, Camp & Child Care, will be in contact within 5 business days.

Please note: The following programs are limited by the Halton Region to a maximum of two-week registration combined:

• BMX Riders (Bronte Creek)
• Creative Chefs (Palermo & River Oaks)
• Creative Chefs Sr (YMCA)
• Get Golf Ready (Bronte Creek)
• Horseback Riding (Valens) *As this is a two-week program, enrolment in this program limits any other limited options
• Intermediate Adventure Tours (Bronte Creek)
• Junior Adventure Tours (Bronte Creek)
• Rock Pro (Palermo & River Oaks)
• Sr Adventure Tours (Bronte Creek)
• Ultimate Sports (Bronte Creek)

Yes, the YMCA does offer up to 2-weeks of Financial Assistance for all eligible camp families. Please bring your most recent Notice of Assessment, proof of marital status, and completed registration forms to our front desk. Allegra Morgado – Coordinator, Camp & Outdoor Education, will be in contact in a timely manner.

Please note: Completed financial assistance forms will take up to 5 business days to process. Receiving uncompleted forms will result in a lengthy delay in processing your application.

If you are a family who requires 1:1 support for your child this summer please contact Rosie Lydon, Inclusion Specialist for information on 1:1 availability.

Please note: YMCA of Oakville will be accepting registration on a first-come, first-served basis. If the weeks of camp you are requesting are already full, we will work with you to attempt to find alternative arrangements until camps are fully booked for the summer. The YMCA will provided 1:1 support for each child for up to 3-weeks. Should you require additional weeks, or weeks outside of our availability, arrangements can be made to bring your own 1:1 support, from an accredited organization, to camp with your child. Please contact Rosie Lydon, Inclusion Specialist for details.

As long as your child is turning the published age by the end of the calendar year they will be allowed to register for the program. Please note, there are some program exceptions outlined below due to government and/or third party regulations. Due to the age limits set on the programs, you may not be able to complete this registration online. Please visit our front desk if you require any assistance.

EXCEPTIONS:

• Child must be 4 by the first day of Explorers
• Child must be 6 by the first day of Challengers (YMCA)
• Child must be 6 by the first day of Outdoor Pursuits
• Child must be 8 by the first day of Horseback

There is a “friend request” section on the hard copy registration forms and online registration. Please fill out the friend’s name and our Camp On-Site Supervisor will do their best to accommodate requests. Children must be similar ages to be grouped together.

In the event that a program you selected is full, you may be placed on a waitlist. Should a space become available, the first person on the waitlist will be contacted by our Camp Administration team through email. To accept the space, you must respond in writing within the given time frame. If the team does not receive your response within the time frame, you will be removed from the waitlist and the next on the list will be contacted.

Cancellation requests must be made in writing to summercamps@oakville.ymca.ca or by visiting the Peter Gilgan Family YMCA and completing a cancellation form. Requests received a minimum of two-weeks prior to the first day of the camp program will be refunded, less $25.00/session. Requests received within two weeks of the first day of the camp session are not subject to a refund. You will be refunded to the same method of payment you initially used to register within 14 days. Exceptions will be made for medical reasons, for which a doctor’s note is required. Program transfers are accepted pending availability. Refunds will not be issued if a participant is sent home for misconduct.

Please note: Registrations occurring within 2-weeks of the start of a program will not be subject to any refund.

If you are unable to attend the week your family originally registered for, you can swap your camp registration for another week of camp or another camp program that has availability.

Camper fees can be paid in full or by pre-authorized payments. An initial deposit of $50/ session for each child will apply. The balance may be spread out through pre-authorized payments with a VOID cheque or credit card. Refer to payment schedule for dates.

All camp programs operate from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm. Peter Gilgan Family YMCA, St Luke Elementary School, Palermo Public School and River Oaks Public School are all pick-up & drop-off locations. Campers not attending before & after camp care must be dropped off at 9:00 am, and picked up at 4:00 pm. Bronte Creek Provincial Park & Valens Conservation Area have free busing available to and from the site. For bus times, please visit our Bus Transportation and Camp Care page.

Before and After Camp Care are available from 7:00 – 9:00 am & 4:00 – 6:00 pm at the following locations:

• Oakville Trafalgar High School (Available for OT Junior Camp participants only)
• Palermo Public School (Available for Palermo, Bronte Valens Camp participants)
• River Oaks Public School (Available for River Oaks, Bronte and Valens Camp participants)
• St Bernadette Elementary School (Available for St Bernadette Junior Camp participants only)
• St Dominic Elementary School (Available for Bronte and Valens Camp participants)
• St Luke Elementary School (Available for St Luke, Bronte and Valens Camp participants)
• WH Morden Public School (Available for Peter Gilgan Family YMCA Camp participants only)

• Creative Chefs, Explorers, Horseback, Int Adventure Tours, Jr Adventure Tours, Specialty Sports & Trailblazers  – 1:8
• Champion Athletes, Creative Chefs Sr, Outdoor Survival Skills & Sr Adventure Tours – 1:12
• Leader in Training & Counsellors in Training – 1:15
• All other camp programs – 1:10

Swimming is part of many of our summer camp programs. To ensure your child’s safety, he/she/they will be supervised by qualified lifeguards. In accordance with YMCA lifeguarding standards, swim tests will take place before any child is permitted to swim in deep water. If you would like your child to wear a life jacket, please let your child’s camp counsellor know.

For an outlined understanding of the unique water play experiences for each camp, please see below:

St Luke Elementary School – Splash pad located on-site for all campers to enjoy. YMCA counsellors will also be providing additional portable water elements to the splash pad throughout the summer.

Palermo Public School – Splash pad located across the street for all campers to enjoy. Art camp & Specialty camp participants will also be bussed to Bronte Pool (2184 Hixon St) twice per week for a swimming opportunity.

River Oaks Public School – Splash pad located on-site for all campers to enjoy. Art camp & Specialty camp participants will also be bussed to Falgarwood Pool (1349 Gainsborough Dr) twice per week for a swimming opportunity.

Peter Gilgan Family YMCA* – Explorers campers will enjoy exciting water play activities, such as water balloons, on-site portable splash pad activities & our inflatable water slide. Challengers, Sports & Specialty participants will have access to the on-site leisure pool for swimming opportunities. Star Athletes, Champion Athletes, Fitness Fun & Specialty programs will also walk to Lions Pool (159 Felan Ave) for an outdoor swimming opportunity 1-2 times/week.

Bronte Creek Provincial Park* – Outdoor Pursuits campers under the age of 6 will enjoy exciting water play activities, such as water balloons, sprinklers, and our portable splash pad activities. All campers over the age of 6 will have access to the unique lake-style swimming pool at Bronte Creek Provincial Park.

Valens Conservation Area** – All campers will have access to swimming in the unique man-made lake.

* The YMCA is committed to the safety of all campers. Due to swimming regulations and legislation, any campers below the age of 6 will participate in unique and exciting water play opportunities in lieu of recreational swimming.

**  The natural man-made lake at Valens is monitored and tested on a regular basis. As your child’s safety is paramount to us, there may be days when we are unable to swim due to poor water quality. In this case, we will substitute lake swimming with land-based water activities and games.

We have many different forms of communication tools to ensure parents can be part of the camp experience!

• Email – the week before camp, all parents will receive a an email outlining important information about the upcoming session of camp
• Phone Calls – the week before camp, all families will receive a phone call from their camp counsellor to introduce themselves, and answer any questions you may have
• Family Newsletter – families will receive weekly newsletters home from camp on Mondays outlining specific activities for the week. Please note that in the event of inclement weather, activities may be changed
• Social Media – Keep up-to-date with what’s going on at camp by liking us on Facebook, and following us on Instagram and Twitter!

If you are a family who requires 1:1 support for your child this summer please contact Rosie Lydon, Inclusion Specialist for information on 1:1 availability.

Please note: YMCA of Oakville will be accepting registration on a first-come, first-served basis. If the weeks of camp you are requesting are already full, we will work with you to attempt to find alternative arrangements until camps are fully booked for the summer. The YMCA will provided 1:1 support for each child for up to 3-weeks. Should you require additional weeks, or weeks outside of our availability, arrangements can be made to bring your own 1:1 support, from an accredited organization, to camp with your child. Please contact Rosie Lydon, Inclusion Specialist for details.

Our camp days are busy! To ensure your child is prepared, please make sure the following items are packed:

• Closed-toed shoes (preferably running shoes)
• NUT FREE, litterless lunch and snacks (an insulated lunch bag is best)
• Water (in a reusable container)
• Sunscreen
• Hat
• Swimsuit and towel
• Backpack to carry everything in
• Weather appropriate shoes and clothing

To ensure your child is prepared for our overnight programs, please ensure the following items are packed:

• Sleeping bag and pillow
• Clothing for next day(s)
• Warm clothes (sweater, warm pants, toque)
• Insect repellant
• Flashlight
• Personal toiletries (toothbrush, toothpaste, etc.)

The YMCA of Oakville will not be responsible for any lost or stolen items. To avoid lost items, clearly label your child’s belongings and avoid sending any unnecessary items. Lost items will be kept on-site for child or parent pick-up throughout the week. On the Fridays of weeks 1, 3, 5, 7 & 9, lost and found items will be transported to the Peter Gilgan Family YMCA for pick up. Please note: At the end of each month (August 4th & September 4th), all unclaimed items will be given to a local charity.

Our camp counsellors will work closely with their camper group to ensure activities meet the interest of all campers. Choice activities are always available for campers with varying interests.

Lunches are not provided at our camp locations, with the exception of  Junior Camps at Oakville Trafalgar and St Bernadette Child Care Centres. Snacks are provided at Before & After Camp Care.

If your child requires medication while attending our programs, please let us know. Our “Medication Administration” form can be found online, and will be sent to you via email in your pre-camp email. This form needs to be filled out in its entirety.

• Prescription Medication – Upon arrival at camp, please give the prescription medication, along with the completed Medication Administration form to the bus marshall or counsellor. Counsellors will give all medication to the On-Site Supervisor, who will keep the medication in a locked box. Medication will only be removed from this box at times when it is to be administered and to return it to parents. All medication must feature your child’s name, dosage and duration in the original package. Please let us know if there are any special storage requirements, or common side effects.
• Epi-Pens & Inhalers – Any camper who brings an Epi-Pen or Inhaler to camp must bring it in a separate fanny pack/case. Epi-Pens and Inhalers will be kept with your child’s camp counsellor at all times. If you wish the Epi-Pen and/or Inhaler to remain with your child, please indicate this on your Medication Administration form.

It is VERY important that we are notified of any absences. If your child will be absent from the camp program, please email the camp location before 8:15 a.m. Be sure to include the date, your child’s name, the program they are registered in and the counsellor’s name.

The safety of campers is of the utmost importance to us. Only individuals whose names are listed on the registration form are able to pick up a child from camp. Camp counsellors will ask for photo identification to confirm the person picking up is on our registration list.

Written permission must be provided for any person not listed on the registration form to pick up your camper. All children under the age of 13 must be picked up by a parent/guardian or identified emergency contact who is over the age of 16. Photo identification is required at pick-up on the first day of camp and each time a new person picks up your child.

If you know in advance that you will be picking up your child early, please let the Director know so they are able to have the camper ready for your arrival. If it is a last minute pick-up, please call the On-Site Supervisor while you are on your way. Please note some of our camp areas do not have strong cell phone reception. If possible, please ensure to provide the Director with ample notice so your camper is ready for pick-up.

All camps have water & sunscreen breaks regularly scheduled throughout the day. On-Site Supervisors and Counsellors are trained to closely monitor the weather, and to increase the frequency of water & sunscreen breaks based on the weather and their campers. During very hot days, some of our regular programming may be substituted for additional water games and passive activities.

Our staff team is selected based on experience working with children and ability to role model YMCA values. Our staff prepare for camp by:

• Providing the YMCA with a current Police Check with Vulnerable Sector Screening
• Completing their Standard First Aid and CPR “C” certification
• Completing pre-camp training focused on working with children, creating positive group experiences for all campers, programming and relationship building

• Volunteers – will be placed in some groups at camp. Our volunteers are an extremely important part of our camp community and provide support to our counsellors
• Counsellors – Responsible for the physical and emotional safety of all campers in their group. Counsellors work closely with children each day and ensure a positive camp experience.
• Program Support – Responsible for program quality at the camp location
• On-Site Supervisors – Oversee the daily operations of the camp location
• Coordinator & Administrator – Provide registration and office support to the camp community
• Manager – Oversees all camp programs operating through the YMCA of Oakville

If your child comes to camp sick, or becomes sick while at camp, you will be contacted to pick up your child. If we cannot reach you, the emergency contacts indicated on your registration forms will be contacted. Children with any type of communicable disease, including vomiting, diarrhea or fever, must be kept home from camp until symptoms have not been present for 24 hours. A doctor’s note may be required prior to the camper returning in some instances.

In the event that you miss the bus, you can drive to the next stop on the bus route, or drive your child directly to the camp site. Morning drop-off time begins at 9:00 am at all camp locations. Our morning departure times are strictly adhered to, however, evening arrival times may vary due to traffic and other unanticipated delays. Email communication will be sent to all program participants in the event of a delay, and updates will be made available on Facebook, and our website.

It’s very important that we follow the published route times, so we ask that you plan ahead to ensure you are on time. In the event that you are going to be late, we ask that you call the site On-Site Supervisor; based on your estimated arrival time they will explain the procedure. In the event that you are more than 5 minutes late arriving, the bus will proceed to the next stop. At the end of the route, the bus will take your child back to the nearest extended care location for pick-up. A late fee of $15.00 will be charged for every 15 minutes, starting from the time the bus leaves the bus stop, and will be paid directly to the bus marshall or extended care staff at the time of pick-up.