Camp FAQ

Western Town and Discovery Camp are our two main program offerings. Discovery Camp is for the younger campers (age 6-10) and Western Town is for the older campers (age 10-14).

In Western Town, campers choose their three favourite activities at the beginning of the week and then rotate through them during our daily activity times. Each day they will get to pick a fun elective of their choice that is different from their main activities. After dinner, campers will all participate in a large-scale camp game followed by a period of supervised free time. The evening is finished off with our meaningful campfire which includes fun and engaging songs and skits along with a brief age appropriate message.

Discovery campers rotate through activities including riding, ropes, swimming, crafts, wacky science and more to make sure that they get a sampling of everything while they are here. They will also get to enjoy a fun and engaging clubhouse time with short lessons that are appropriate for their age.

As long as the weather co-operates, all campers have the opportunity to swim, ride horses and, climb our high ropes course at least once while they are here. Our specialty camps have independent schedules and activities.

The campers sleep in cabin style bunkhouses in our Western Town. All have mattresses and electricity. Campers attending in August are encouraged to bring extra blankets due to cooler weather.

Circle Square Ranch has an experienced team of cooks who prepare delicious and nutritious meals during camp. Campers with particular dietary requirements are encouraged to consult with camp prior to their arrival.

Yes. To help reduce lost and found items we ask that all possessions brought to camp be labelled. We attempt to help care for the camper’s clothing, but often considerable amounts get left behind. Clothes will be accessible at sign-out at the end of each camp session.

We will retain lost and found for one month following camp. If not claimed by then, we will donate appropriate items to a local charity. Medication will be disposed of within two weeks following the camper’s week of attendance. Calls to the camp regarding lost and found will be handled as time permits. We can only look for labelled items. Any found items will be sent C.O.D. (at your expense).

Campers are encouraged not to bring valuable clothing or possessions. Circle Square Ranch is not responsible for lost, damaged or stolen items.

Circle Square Ranch is a nondenominational, Christian camp that promotes the teachings of Jesus Christ. We welcome children and youth of any faith and race, encouraging young lives to grow spiritually, mentally, socially and physically.

Your child will have a devotional time during the day (approximately ½ hour) plus an evening campfire (approximately 1 hour) that will focus on predetermined topics as laid out in the Circle Square Ranch general program. These are times of introduction to Christian values and beliefs presented through small and large group discussions, skits, songs and Bible study.

Circle Square is owned and operated by InterVarsity who has been operating summer camps and year-round outdoor educational programs since 1929. We operate nine summer camps across Canada under the names of Pioneer Camp and Circle Square Ranch.

The Rodeo is an event that happens at the end of the week (on Saturday morning) for the kids who participated in our barn activities. It is an opportunity for parents and other campers to come and watch, and for your kids to show off a little bit of what they learned on horseback during the week. This is a great option if you are keen to see your child on horseback. If that doesn’t matter very much to you, then we might suggest one of our other Western Town sessions. The programming during the week is exactly the same during rodeo weeks and non-rodeo weeks.

The following items are not permitted at Circle Square Ranch and, if brought, will be held in the office for the duration of the camper’s session:

• electronic games, players, entertainment and communication devices (cell phones)
• jack knives, hunting knives, matches or lighters
• nuts and/or peanut products
• chewing gum
• inappropriate reading materials
• alcoholic beverages, narcotics or tobacco products (see note)

Do not bring anything valuable to camp, as occasionally things do get lost or broken.

We reserve the right to send home any camper who fails to cooperate. Circle Square Ranch is a NON-SMOKING facility. Please discuss this with your child prior to camp should you consider this to be a concern.

Please note:

• The use of tobacco, alcoholic beverages, or narcotics is prohibited and will be treated as a serious offense. Appropriate disciplinary action will be taken.
• Circle Square Ranch is not responsible for lost, damaged or stolen items.

Circle Square operates a tuck store with a variety of snacks, drink, apparel and essential items (such as toothbrushes and shampoo). Campers and parents can access the full tuck store on pick-up and drop-off days only. We take cash or credit (no debit).

Campers will order their tuck treats each day from the tuck store. Parents who want their campers to be able to buy tuck must pay for their tuck ahead of time online or at registration. Since, there is no need for money throughout the week, we discourage campers from bringing cash or wallets.

Camper sign-out happens at 9 am on Saturday.

On weeks that include a rodeo, sign-out will start at 9:30 am. Parents are welcome to come and watch their children participate. This can be a great opportunity to see a little bit of what your child has learned at the barn while they were at camp. (Please note that only campers who signed up for riding as an activity are eligible to participate in the rodeo.) All Discovery campers will participate in the rodeo. If your child signed up for riding, but you need to pick them up before the rodeo, please give us a call and we would be happy to arrange that for you.

Camp photos and medication are to be picked up when signing out your camper.

All campers must be signed out before leaving. Please notify the office if someone else will be picking up your child at departure as they will be required to sign them out.

Weekend accommodation can be arranged for two-week campers. Please select the “stay-over” option on the registration form. An additional fee of $50 applies. During the weekend campers staying over will have a chance to enjoy a slower pace than the rest of the week. A typical weekend includes meals, naptime, a long swim, a movie, board games and relaxed sports. Stay overs must be booked at least a month in advance.

Camper sign-out happens at 9 am on Saturday.

On weeks that include a rodeo, sign-out will start at 9:30 am. Parents are welcome to come and watch their children participate. This can be a great opportunity to see a little bit of what your child has learned at the barn while they were at camp. (Please note that only campers who signed up for riding as an activity are eligible to participate in the rodeo.) All Discovery campers will participate in the rodeo. If your child signed up for riding, but you need to pick them up before the rodeo, please give us a call and we would be happy to arrange that for you.

Camp photos and medication are to be picked up when signing out your camper.

All campers must be signed out before leaving. Please notify the office if someone else will be picking up your child at departure as they will be required to sign them out.

Weekend accommodation can be arranged for two-week campers. Please select the “stay-over” option on the registration form. An additional fee of $50 applies. During the weekend campers staying over will have a chance to enjoy a slower pace than the rest of the week. A typical weekend includes meals, naptime, a long swim, a movie, board games and relaxed sports. Stay overs must be booked at least a month in advance.

No! While horseback riding is one of our specialties, many campers who are not passionate about any barn-related activities come to our camp. Since campers select their activities, campers in Western Town can choose to participate in other exciting activities such as mountain biking, archery, swimming, boating, climbing or wilderness instead of horseback riding.

During online registration or on registration day, you can pay for the camp video for $15. A link to the video will be sent to your email shortly after the session ends. Please contact us if you need assistance accessing it.

As part of InterVarsity, we believe that summer camp offers a tremendous opportunity for children and teens to grow and mature emotionally, socially and spiritually. At Circle Square Ranch, campers are respected as individuals, challenged and encouraged in all aspects of life, and given the opportunity to experience and develop authentic relationships with peers and leaders. Skill development, social development, personal and spiritual growth are all intentionally fostered by staff and have been hallmarks of the InterVarsity Camp experience since 1929. Finally, and equally importantly, we want every child’s experience to be tremendously fun.

In Western Town and specialty camps there is a maximum of a 5:1 camper to staff ratio in cabins. In Discovery Camp there is a maximum of 4:1 campers to staff. Activity group sizes vary but average 5:1 camper to trained activity leader ratio, with a maximum of 10:1. Staff are also always in easy communication with leadership staff, so if assistance is ever required it is readily available.

The Camp Directors, who previously worked at Pioneer Camp Ontario, have Directed at Circle Square Ranch since 2014. They have held leadership roles in ministry for more than 20 years, varied professional backgrounds and have 3 teen children of their own. The 6 year-round staff have a combined experience of more than 35 summers at camps. Each leadership position in the summer is filled by a person with camp experience and training in their areas of responsibility.

Health and Safety are emphasized at all times at Circle Square Ranch. We strive to provide safe and enjoyable activities. We have a qualified medical person on staff and emergency services available within minutes of the ranch property. Quality, nutritional meals are provided. Drinking water is lab analyzed regularly for quality.

Yes. Because a high level of care for campers is so important to us, the operation of all activities and facilities where campers could potentially experience injury is governed by our risk management manual. This manual clearly details required supervision levels, equipment checks, and operating guidelines to ensure the safe participation of all campers. As well, campers and staff alike are trained to recognize and respond to signals in case of an emergency. This emergency procedure is practised in a drill early in every session.

Medical care is a vital part of our role for your child at the Ranch. Please advise us at registration if there are any changes to your child’s medical information. The Ranch reserves the right to refuse admission to any camper with a suspected contagious condition (i.e. chickenpox, lice). To ensure your child has an enjoyable week and to protect other campers, please have any condition treated completely before coming to camp. If this is not possible, please call and reschedule to another week, depending on availability.

Due to the structure of our program, Circle Square Ranch requests that medications required throughout the year be sent with your child to camp. All medication brought to camp MUST be kept by Ranch staff, including vitamins, puffers and Tylenol. They must be labelled properly with medication name and directions for use. Prescription medication MUST be in the original container with user’s name printed on label. If you want your child to carry his/her puffer or epipen with them please bring a fanny pack for that purpose. We also request that a second puffer or epipen be checked in with the camp nurse.

Please do not use the week of camp as a break from medication.

All medications left behind after camp will be disposed of after two weeks.

All campers must provide a valid health number and completed medical information on application. Out-of-province campers must have medical insurance.

Details regarding medical/behavioral concerns are to be communicated in writing. Please call to discuss any concerns/special needs by phone.

We can accommodate campers with most food allergies or dietary constraints (ie. vegetarian, gluten free, common allergies). Please indicate dietary needs in the medical section of the registration form. In extreme cases, it may be helpful for parents to bring extra snacks for their campers. We will make every effort to accommodate allergies. We are a nut free facility and do not knowingly serve foods containing nuts. We sell only nut free products in our store.

We are a nut free facility. We do not purchase, cook, sell or serve food with nuts. We attempt to monitor the snacks that campers bring to ensure they are nut free. However, we cannot completely guarantee that nuts never enter the building.

In the interest of protecting your children, please note that all campers will undergo a lice check on the day of registration. Parents are required to stay until this has been done. If any evidence of infestation is found, the child will either be sent home for treatment, or be charged for professional on-site treatment, nit removal & laundering of bedding/pillow. Please inspect your children the day before to ensure they are lice/nit-free.

We provide approved riding helmets, which all campers are required to wear when horseback riding. Campers may bring their own approved riding helmet. No bike helmets please.

Circle Square Ranch is a smoke-free facility. Smoking by campers is prohibited.

Fee includes all meals for camps, housing, use of all recreational equipment and facilities, instruction in activities, and awards.

Fee does not include transportation to and from the ranch or tuck shop purchases. We provide weekend accommodations for two-week campers for an additional fee of $50.

Financial assistance is available but is limited and for those who qualify. Assistance is at the discretion of the Director. Contact the office at 613.335.5403 for information and a scholarship application. Scholarship applicants who complete their applications before March are much more likely to qualify for funding.

No. You have two options when registering online: Visa or MasterCard or you can mail in a cheque.

Yes! Camper families can set-up a payment plan online during registration. Monthly payment plans spread the cost of camp from the time of registration until camp at no additional charge.