If you don’t find an answer to a question you have, feel free to contact us.
Summer Camp FAQs
What time is drop off and pick up?
Overnight camps: Drop off time is 4pm and pick up is 5pm.
Day Camp: Drop off time is 8:30am-9:00am and pick up is 4:00pm to 4:30pm. Earlier drop off and later pick up times are available at a charge of $30 per camper per week.
What do I do when I arrive at camp on drop off day?
Overnight camps: Registration will begin at 4pm on the drop off day. You can leave your camper’s luggage in your car (but bring your medication) and head to the Director’s Cabin for registration! Here, you and your camper will check in with the directors as well as hand in any medication and get a lice check. After this, you can help your camper move into his or her cabin as well as meet your camper’s counsellor! Once your camper is all moved in, you are free to head out!
Day camps: Registration will occur from 8:30am until 9am on the first morning of camp. There will be a table set up at teh Day Camp cabents (field left of the driveway) and here you can check in with the directors and we will sign your camper in. From here, there will be counsellors who will take your camper to the location where their bag will be stored each day. You can join them for this walk, or head out before, it’s up to you!
If we aren’t Christian, can we still attend Cave Springs Camp?
Absolutely! Cave Springs Camp is an inclusive camp open to people of all cultural and religious backgrounds! There are certain aspects during the day that involve the Christian faith. These include saying grace before meals, singing Christian songs and spending about 45 minutes a day learning about Christian values and beliefs. We also spend lots of time with typical camp activities like swimming, canoeing, archery, crafts and more!
My camper has dietary needs, can you accommodate this?
We can definitely accommodate for dietary needs! On the medical form in our registration system, you can indicate the dietary needs of your camper. Please ensure this medical form is filled out at least a week prior to camp so we have enough time to accommodate your camper. If you would like to discuss your camper’s dietary needs more, please feel free to contact us.
Please be aware that Cave Springs Camp strives to be a nut-safe facility, but we cannot fully guarantee that we are nut-free.
Do I need to send my child with lunch, snacks or extra money?
For both of our day camps and overnight camp programs, we provide campers with all of the food they will need for the week! Please do not send any snacks or candy with your camper to camp. Day campers do not need to bring a lunch.
Tuck money is included in the registration fee, so extra money is not needed for tuck. We will have t-shirts, and water bottles for purchase on both the drop off and pick up days.
What is the ratio of counsellors to campers?
The Ontario Camps Association requires a ratio of 1 counsellor to 8 campers. This means we never go above this ratio, but often our ratios are between 1:5 and 1:6. The ratios of all our staff to campers is around 1:4.
Can my camper request to be in the same group with his/her friend or sibling?
There is a box on our registration form where you can list one request for your camper, and we will do our best to accommodate these requests, but unfortunately we cannot guarantee requests. Groups are made according to age, therefore it is more likely a request will be granted if the two campers are the same or similar in age.
My camper needs 1:1 support, or my child has special needs, can he/she attend camp?
Cave Springs does not operate a 1:1 support program. Arrangements for 1:1 support can be facilitated in partnership with 3rd party partners who will provide the 1:1 support.
If your camper has particular needs you think we should know about, please contact the camp so we can understand how to best provide a positive experience for your camper!
Can my camper bring electronics to camp?
Cave Springs Camp strongly encourages campers to not bring electronics to camp and to spend the time at camp in nature rather than on electronic devices. Cave Springs Camp is not responsible for any damage that may occur to electronics that campers do bring. We try to encourage both campers and parents to be in the present meaning we discourage the use of cell phones with campers. Should you have something you would like to say to your camper, please contact the camp, and we can relay the message.
Should I send my camper with a full water bottle?
Please do! Hydration is a very important part of life at camp. All of our taps on site contain drinking water, so your camper will be able to fill up their water bottle throughout the day. We aim to be as environmentally friendly as possible, please avoid sending your camper with a disposable plastic water bottle. We have reusable water bottles for purchase should you choose.
Rental Group FAQs
Will my group be the only group on site?
Unless your rental contract includes an additional “exclusivity fee” of $500, there may be other rental groups using different facilities on our site at the same time as your rental.
We will do our best to ensure that crossover between separate groups is minimal.
How many can be seated in your halls?
Both Upper Legacy Hall and Hoxie Hall can seat up to 100 guests at tables. Max capacity for both of these halls is 150.
Lower Legacy Hall can seat 50 guests at tables, or 75 seated theatre style.
Can I make adjustments to my departure and arrival times?
You may contact our office to discuss the possibility of adjustments to your departure and arrival times.
When is the noise restriction cut off in the evening?
The noise restriction cut-off is 11:00pm.
Can we access electrical plugs outside?
Yes, there is access to electrical outlets in our outdoor chapel and our outdoor pavillion.
Can we bring tables and chairs outside?
No, tables and chairs from both Hoxie and Legacy Hall must remain inside, and must also remain in their designated hall (ie. tables from Legacy cannot be brought into Hoxie Hall).
There are picnic tables available for outdoor use.
Can we put up an event tent outside?
Yes, you may choose to put up an outdoor event tent. However, there are some spaces where we do not allow them to be put up.
You may request a tour where we will indicate the spaces where you may/may not put your tent. Possible spaces include cabin circle and next to the pavillion.
Is your site accessible for people with mobility challenges?
We offer several accessibility features on our site.
Legacy Hall has accessible washrooms including accessible showers. It also has an elevator, and a ramp to enter. All of our buildings have ramps to enter, including Hoxie Hall and our cabins. All stairways have railings.
Can my group consume alcohol on your site?
No, unless your rental contract and insurance policy allow consumption of alcohol on site. In this case, your event must also obtain a Special Occasion Permit (SOP) from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario and must follow all rules and regulations outlined by said permit.
Do you provide catering on site?
The rental group is responsible for securing their catering.
Caterers can make use of our commercial kitchens (both Hoxie Hall and Legacy Hall have commercial kitchens) provided that use of a kitchen is included in the rental agreement.
You may bring your favourite caterer to site, or you can check in with us for a list of local catering recommendations.
School Program FAQs
How many students can we bring?
In the Spring we typically have up to 150 students on site per day, usually from 2 individual schools.
Our Overnight Trips can accommodate up to 80 students.
However, to discuss the possibility of a larger group, please be in contact with our office.
What time do we arrive and depart?
For a Day Trip, our groups arrive between 9am-10am, and depart between 2pm-3pm. This can vary based on the proximity between us and the school, as well as the school’s schedule.
For Overnight Trips, we follow the same arrival and departure times as stated above, the only difference being that groups do not arrive and depart on the same day.
Arrival and departure times will be discussed further with our office when you are creating your booking.
If it rains on the day of your trip, we will remain outdoors for as long as we can. In the case of excessive rain or thunder, we will move to indoor locations which often means adapting or changing activities.
Students and teachers/ parent volunteers should come prepared with clothing appropriate for the weather forecast (i.e.raincoat, rain boots, light jackets, warm sweaters etc) under the expectation that they will be spending the majority of their time at camp outdoors.
How many teachers/ parent volunteers can come?
For an Overnight Trip, you may bring up to 15 teachers/ parent volunteers.
For a Day Trip, you may bring as many teachers/ parents as you see necessary to meet the supervision needs of your students. We suggest a minimum of 1 teacher per class. Younger students will require more supervision.
And how many do we need to have?
Please refer to your school policies regarding day trip supervision for both Day Trips and Overnight Trips. We do not provide a specific number as policy varies based on school board and as well as school.
Are we able to customize our activity schedule?
Our office will provide you with a template of our suggested schedule based on the age of your students.
While completing your booking, you will be able to request certain activities and we will do our best to accommodate them into your schedule. Certain activities may not fit with your schedule based on the availability of our staff and the schedule of the other groups on site. In this case, we will suggest alternate activities. Your teachers will have access to your schedule before your arrival at camp.
We can also discuss adapted schedules for high school groups who are looking to feature student leadership (ie. older students running activities for younger students).
Please note that High Ropes may be featured on your schedule for an additional cost of $15 per student (in May, September and October ONLY). The minimum age for our High Ropes course is 7 years old.
Of course, specific considerations will be made for schools who CANNOT participate in certain activities (ie, use of the pool), in which case we will find an alternate activity to fill that slot.
Do you offer extended day trips, 1 and a half day trips, or three plus day trips?
Please contact our office to discuss the possibility of trip lengths different from what we highlight on our website.
We would love to work with you to design your trip.
