history of sherbrooke lake
"The First 25 years"
**NOTE- There have been modifications due to the size of the document!
After the closing of Pinehurst Camping grounds between Bridgewater and New Germany in the late 1950's, United Church camping was nil. Six prebyteries, under the leadership of Maritime Conference, started searches and discussions to establish two camps to serve their members. Truro and Halifax Presbyteries dropped out, Halifax having purchased the site known now as Camp Kidston, at Moose River.
This left the four presbyteries of western Nova Scotia - Annapolis, Lunenburg-Queens, Yarmouth, and Windsor - to find a camp. (note: these four soon became the present Valley and South Shore Presbyteries.)
A tour of possible sites was made on August 10, 1962, including a site at Springfield (13 miles north of New Germany) and Nine Mile Lake (Sherbrooke Lake) by boat! Two other sites were considered at one time or another, at Molega Lake and at Pleasant Lake. The latter was an established RCAF camp at a price of $65,000!
A camp committee, consisting mostly of interested clergy and some laymen, selected the present site January 28, 1963. It was owned by the widow of the late Ira Rhodenizer and she wanted $20,000 firm for the thousand acres, which had been purchased years ago for $2/acre. (630218)
Unless the committee could find a partner who was interested in the timber rights, the whole property would go up for tender on March 7, 1963. (630211) By the middle of April J.A. Turner & Sons had expressed interest in the property and he would sell us 150 acres for $4000, which one layman said was "a gift". Also included was a road and D4S lumber at $60/M as well as rights of way and the possibility of a reduced price for a smaller amount of land.
Approval was received from all four presbyteries to proceed with incorporation and purchase of the property. Several concerns were expressed; a swampy area behind the beach (still exists), the location of the roadway (via Franey Lake, or Sherbrooke River, or present location to first brook crossing), and the reactivation of a control dam at the outlet (not a concern after investigation). (630524, 631214)
The preliminary camp plan included a 20' x70' main lodge with a 10' veranda and an attached 20' x 20' kitchen, at the back center. These were to be plywood construction with either cove siding or finished half-logs. Two 10' x 20' cabins were planned at a cost of $1500. The kitchen estimate was $1200 ad the lodge foundation was to cost $200. (640627) Don MacDougall has remarked that when he first saw the 100' beach it reminded him of Camp Magaguadavic, 40 miles southwest of Fredericton, that he attended as a youth. Perhaps this is why our lodge was fashioned after theirs.
On September 12, 1964 it was reported the road was too poor to get cabin materials to the camp, however the main lodge site had been staked out. Two days later under dry conditions, the road was declared passable as Turner had been into the site with a loader on a truck. Cabin specifications were drawn up by George C. Walker and Kentville would place two new cabins on the far side of the lodge from the two existing cabins which were then near a swampy area between the ball field and the lake. (641028) A need for more land was raised and "extra yardage was available." (641124)
The meeting of February 10, 1965 was told that "300' were freely available under agreement with Turner Brothers, the conclusion of the matter only awaiting new survey." However the March 11th meeting reported "no further progress, survey to be done as soon as conditions permit." An estimate of $600 was put forth for construction of the main lodge, with a discussion on siding, pine vs plywood. (650408) Contracts were sought for material from Turner for $3500 and labour from Milledge Bolivar for $2500, completion date to be by June 15th., (650513) and signed. Maritime Well Drillers were engaged to drill at $8/ft for a 6" pipe. (650610) E.R. McMaster of Kinston submitted a cabin material quote of $522, taxes included and delivered, for the 12' x 20' Walker cabin. (650609)
A RIGHT OF WAY, dated July 9, 1965, was obtained through Brown's property for Turner and WNSCC, correcting a previous oversight. The possession of the extra acreage was assured (650701) and a line run. (651014) An annual donation of $500 was requested from both Presbyteries (note: four had become two). (651014)
As early as 1967 electricity was discussed, primarily for refrigeration as this was one area the Department of Health was concerned with, the other being latrines. A February estimate of $11,000 and a May estimate of $9000 were both left for future consideration. (670209, 670515) June 12, 1967, the property committee submitted plans for staff accommodations, a motel-type building, 16' x 88', with veranda, containing six rooms plus a central staff meeting room. Work on this was to begin in the fall, also another set of twin gas lights was approved for the main lodge. (670629) The foundation was completed in 1967 and covered to the weather. It was estimated to cost $3200 to complete. A need for communications was realized and it was suggested a two-way FM set be secured. (680213)
Things were progressing. By 1966 Windsor had erected two cabins, Kentville four, and Middleton and Kingston one each. The motto and crest were placed above the fireplace by Kentville CGIT in 1967. (note: they were moved to the kitchen end of the lodge during 1988 renovations) The next year Windsor built the backstop, Kentville built the washstand, and Ste. Croix supplied a boat. By 1969 there were 11 cabins being painted. (690422) This was also the year the Chapel was started. Kentville U.C. Men had a 200# steam locomotive bell and stand made from rail totalling over 1000# brought in by oxen! The Cross was also erected at this time and our 3' x 6' sign placed at the main road, donated by LaHave UCW. (691016)
A new roadway from the woodcutter's cabin (brook crossing) to the campsite, between cabins 3 and 4, was cleared by Turner for the value of logs taken. (691016) The Department of Health required second doors on cabins. (690729) The manual pump became useless with age and was replaced with a gasoline pump. It was probably about this time that truckloads of sand were disappearing from the beach, necessitating the installation of a locked gate. Cabins 1 and 2 were moved as the new road veered toward the lake, only a minor branch passed between cabins 3 and 4. (700305) A steel well building costing $169.04 and 2 three-holers costing $350 were ordered. (700416) The new roadway was started May 7, 1970, costing $2269.51, which included on culvert and some work on the old section. (700521) None too soon, as the two existing bridges were found to be unsafe for travel for the coming camping season. (701015) Once again the Leadership Lodge financing was discussed. (700619) A meeting in the spring of 1971 finalized the question of the Lodge. It was to be a motel-type building with an infirmary, business manager's office, conference room (no. 4), and four other units. This format was taken because of leaders and families housed in unused campers' cabins. We were the only camp out of 15 in Maritime Conference to have a leadership camp. We also sent the leaders of this camp to a week-long leader, leadership training.
Our road wasn't our only problem, the gravel road between New Ross and the camp through The Forties had deteriorated and was being upgrade by the Department of Highways. It was so poor that groups travelling from the Valley were advised to detour via Aylesford and Lake George. (710514) I personally experienced this on my first visit to Camp in the summer of 1971; to say the road was poor was a gross understatement - even the detour was barely passable at a crawl! That fall a bridge was built to Chapel Island (the causeway came later) and the infamous two-door two-holer for the Leaders Lodge came into use. (711104)
Outside groups were beginning to eye our facilities as Acadia first requested a camp for 75 students in early May of 1972 for field training. (720210) Exits were installed in all cabins, as per the Department of Health request. Unfortunately the site depreciated considerably by the clear-cutting of all trees behind the camp (721102) Then and since sand from here has been used to maintain the road, leaving a water-filled eyesore. Some relief has been obtained by ditching but this was offset when the power corporation filled in the ditch when it extended the line in 1985. A gift of $500 from Kentville was received in 1975 for the purpose of obtaining electricity. A letter from J.A. Turner & Sons dated February 26, 1973 is attached to the deed. In relation to the additional property it states that "… we will honour our original agreement." The policy of separate camps for boys and girls was changed to the present coed camping policy in 1975.
On February 10, 1976, we were officially declared a CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION for tax purposes, our registration number being 0455980-56-03. The first discussions were held considering the possibility of winterization. (760210) It was recommended that any new buildings could be insulated but the cost of insulating the foundations of existing buildings is too great. Groups have used the camp year-round, the wood stove in the main lodge being enough to keep the chill off. Old timers tell stories of sleeping in warm comfort on boards in the rafters!
Camp directors were clergy and lay people who gave a week of their time in providing leadership to the youth of the church. There could be a s many as seven different directors each summer. Problems arose. The program varied from week to week and permanent staff was constantly adjusting to new directors. In the case of clergy, they were often called away in matters of visitation and bereavement. Council solved this problem in 1982 by hiring a full-time director for the summer. Camps ran more smoothly because of this policy and the person chosen, Phil VanZoost. Phil has been full-time director for five years and still directs half of our camps.
Windsor supplied and installed a new walking bridge over the brook in the spring of 1983. On May 20, 1983, we converted from propane to electricity. Eldon Wynn had been on the property committee for over a decade. Much maintenance and construction had been done and supervised by Eldon, but finally getting electricity to the camp was his crowning achievement. Only the lodges received power and the only visible differences were the bug lights on the ends of the main lodge. Even the lines, which were originally intended to pass in front of the Leaders Lodge, are discretely place. The kitchen became a safe working area with overhead lighting, electric hot water, split-plug outlets, and, most important of all, two reliable refrigerators and two on-site freezers. This, together with regular garbage collection, enabled The Department of Health to concentrate its comments solely on our latrines!
However, the electric stoves couldn't handle the constant use and were replaced with a $3200 double propane stove in July of 1988. That spring saw cabin 1 moved to the waterfront as a storage shed. Cabin 5 has been used as a craft cabin while cabin 6 is used as an equipment storage area. Cabin 7 replaced cabin 1 in location and number, leaving nine campers cabins. The cross was replaced, overhead ventilation was installed in both lodges, and the main lodge floor in front of the fireplace was replaced from the joists up due to wet rot from the leaking chimney. A dome-type woodshed is under construction.
As we had been getting nowhere with Turner, council decided, on the advice of the lawyer, to proceed through legal channels to protect the camp's interest to the north in acquiring additional land. A survey in July of 1988 showed parts of two cabins and all of two others and two sets of latrines, and the gate, to be on Turner's land. (881103) As per National Policy, local Presbytery consent to purchase land was required and obtained for these approximately twenty-three acres. (Valley, Nov. 15; South Shore, Nov. 24)
Some people and statistics have been mentioned and others are included in the documentation. At the risk of committing a sin of omission, the following, incomplete for certain, are presented, with the preceding restriction. Our total expenses in 1964 were $5868.94,which include the $4000 purchase price! Three camps for a total of 175 campers were registered in 1965. The chairman was Arthur Harvie. Numbers rose to five and 214 in 1966, with a family camp for 45 people from seven families. James MacDuff was chairman from centennial year through 1969, followed in 1970 by Ken Sullivan.
Four or five camps per year through the seventies averaged toatls of 174 to 213. Yearly expenditures increased to about $3600. In 1973 major brush clearing was carried out under a $8099.80 L.I.P. grant. Honouraria to staff rose from $300 (business manager), $450 (cook) in 1970 to $700 (business manager), $800 (cook) and $40 (director/week) in 1977 to 19988's $1400 (business manager), $1300 (cook) and $2200 (director/six youth camps and one family weekend). The past two years we have run six youth camps at capacities (sometimes over-capacity) and had to turn away over 200 applicants. Fortunately most United Church youth were accommodated. Seven youth camps are planned for 1989. Chairmen through the seventies were J.G. Crooks, Sandy MacPherson (married directress Heather Zinck), and Paul Cumming. During the eighties Roger Boutilier, Doug Lyghtle, and Phil VanZoost chaired Camp Council. Glenn Wallis, who had occasionally been staying overnight checking groups in and out during 1986 and 1987 spent two and a half months from April 17, 1988 at the camp, doing this and coordinating extensive renovations. The camp is presently being used year-round; full-time from mid-April through September and occasional weekends off season. There are nine campers cabins as of 1989. Kentville's are in locations 1, 3, 4, 8 and 10. Windsor's is number 2, Brooklyn/Beach Meadow's is number 9, Kingston's is 11 and Middleton's is 12. Two present (February 1989) member have served Western Nova Scotia Camp Council since the beginning. Harold Emenau has been our treasurer and Ernest Neily has been on the property committee for over twenty-five years. One-quarter centruy of United Church camping has been completed at Sherbrooke Lake.
~February 14, 1989
Note: As this has taken many hours to prepare and since it is being distributed on the occasion of our twenty-fifth anniversary as thanks to those who have so generously assisted us over the years, we request the you NOT photocopy it. Additional copies or information may be obtained from the above address.
(this was compiled by Glenn Wallis)