COVID-19
London-Middlesex is in the Red/Control category of the Provincial Keeping Ontario Safe and Open framework. A number of City facilities have reopened to the public for in-person programs and services.
The official website for the City of London, Ontario
Day camps are a safe and fun way for kids to stay active and make friends. For the time being, our regular day camp program is suspended. However, we are offering special day camp programs that adhere to provincial guidelines and follow COVID-19 safety measures.
Holiday Camp will be offered for children ages 4 to 12 at Kinsmen Recreation Centre and North London Optimist Community Centre. Campers must register for a full session; single day registration is not permitted this year. The two available sessions are:
Additionally, we will continue to offer our Holiday Surprise program for youth ages 12 to 21 with special needs. This camp has very limited spaces and will operate at North London Optimist Community Centre during both sessions listed above. As in years past, the ratio will be 1:3 and if youth require more support with feeding, changing and toileting, they must bring their own support staff.
The 3-day camp fee is $93 per week (for the December 21 to 23 session).
The 2-day camp fee is $62 per week (for the December 29 and 30 session).
Registration will begin online and by phone on Tuesday, November 17 at 8:30 a.m. Please visit Play Your Way online or call 519-661-5575 to register on a first-come, first-served basis.
Each camper group will participate in activities completely independent of others, which will include active and quiet games, arts and crafts, nature-based activities and outdoor activities when space and weather permit. Each group will be assigned its own space for defined activity periods, with enhanced cleaning and disinfecting in between groups, and Counsellors will stay with the same group of children all week.
As per provincial guidelines, campers will not be participating in field trips, activities that require group transportation, cooking activities or hot lunches. For some groups, a walking trip to a nearby park may be possible. In these instances, parents or guardians will be notified ahead of time in order to grant permission for their camper to participate. Our Camp Coordinators are also excited to share fun on-site options like virtual field trips and virtual fitness activities.
Campers will be screened for symptoms upon arrival, which will be recorded on the sign-in sheet and kept on record for purposes of contact tracing. The sign-in process will take place outside and physical distancing will be enforced. Families will be assigned a drop-off time and pick-up time, and will be required to adhere to their assigned times in order to avoid mixing with other camper groups.
Staff will be keeping daily records of anyone (e.g., camp participants, staff and essential visitors) entering the program setting who stays for 15 minutes or longer to allow for contact tracing in the event of a confirmed COVID-19 case or outbreak.
Staff will be required to complete a daily health screening and will be wearing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), as required by guidelines. Physical distancing within camper groups will be enforced to the greatest extent possible, with the exception of staff interventions for behaviour management and issuing first aid.
Per guidance from the Middlesex London Health Unit and in alignment with local school boards and child care providers, all campers must wear masks when indoors. Younger campers (JK to grade 3), those with respiratory conditions, or campers with special needs who may experience difficulty wearing a mask for extended periods, may be exempt from this. Masks are strongly encouraged but not mandatory for this population.
There will be a maximum of 32 campers per location, with some smaller sites accepting fewer campers.
Many other strategies will be in effect to meet provincial guidelines and public health regulations. The safety measures listed above are just the general considerations for camp programming.
Protocols will be in place if a camp participant begins to show symptoms of COVID-19 while in camp, including immediate notification to the parent or guardian and the need for immediate pick-up. The camp participant will await in an isolation area, with a staff member, until pick-up. A parent or guardian or emergency contact will be required to pick up their ill camper within one hour of receiving notification.
Core program hours are Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. with assigned parent or guardian pick-up and drop-off times. Families will be assigned a 15-minute drop-off time between the hours of 8 to 9 a.m. and a 15-minute pick-up time of between the hours of 4 and 5 p.m., and will be notified of their designated time via email one week prior to camp begins. No extended care will be offered this year.
NOTE: All campers must be dropped off and picked up by a parent or guardian who can attest to the camper’s health. Campers will not be allowed to sign themselves in or out.
The week prior to your camper attending camp, you will receive an email from a Camp Coordinator with forms you will need to fill out, instructions on our drop-off and pick-up procedure, other camp procedures and guidelines that you and your camper need to be aware of and general information about the program. If you still have questions after reading through the information, the email will include an option to have a phone conversation with the Coordinator prior to camp. As our staff are busy with preparations and training, we ask that you wait to ask questions until you receive this email.
NOTE: Please ensure your Play Your Way Online registration account includes an email address you check frequently.
Our staffing model will be two Camp Counsellors for each group of eight children, with additional staff present for planning, oversight, coordination and cleaning. Siblings and members of the same household will be included in the same camper group as much as possible.
Campers aged 12 to 21 attending Holiday Surprise will be supported by a 1:3 ratio. As in years past, if youth require support with feeding, changing, toileting or require 1:1 support due to behaviour, they must bring their own support worker.
There will be limited 1:1 spots for ages 4 to 12 at North London Optimist Community Centre and Kinsmen Recreation Centre. For intake, please follow these steps:
Urgent questions can be forwarded to recreation@london.ca. We will reply as soon as possible.