After a year of relentless work to bring Camp OAC back from the devastation of the McDougall Creek Wildfire, the Anglican Diocese of Kootenay has regretfully been forced to defer reopening until 2025. Camp OAC, which has been in operation since 1950, a ministry of the Anglican Diocese of Kootenay, burnt to the ground on the second-last night of the camping season in August 2023.
Over the past year, camp director Ian Dixon, Archbishop Lynne McNaughton, and a dedicated team of volunteers have been working to secure permits, overseeing the remediation of the site, and replacing key infrastructure. Two cabin buildings have already been ordered and will be delivered to the site later this summer.
“Camp OAC is a special place that has been enjoyed by campers for years and will be enjoyed for years to come. While our goals for this year couldn’t be accomplished, I have the utmost confidence that we will return to a greater camp and camp community in 2025. I cannot wait to see what we can accomplish when we can welcome campers back home,” said Camp OAC Director Ian Dixon.
Camp OAC is a children’s summer camp located just north of Kelowna on Okanagan Lake. As a part of the Diocese’s commitment to supporting the ability of young people from all backgrounds to come to camp, we are embarking on a campaign to build our bursary fund.
You can find out more about the campaign at https://www.kootenayanglican.ca/news/say-yes-to-kids-camp-oac
