Camp 30

As the daughter of historians, and sister of a Classics professor, I have worked hard over the last three terms to preserve the Camp 30 / former Boys Training School for future generations as your Local Councillor for Ward 3.

Here is an outline of all the steps I have taken to protect and preserve Camp 30/Boys Training School, including helping to found the Jury Lands Foundation:

  • I was a founding member of the Camp 30 Task Force which established the Jury Lands Foundation (“JLF”), a non-profit volunteer community group dedicated to rejuvenating through conservation the national historic site of the Boys Training School/POW Camp 30 in Bowmanville, Ontario. See www.jurylandsfoundation.ca for information or it’s Facebook Page (Jury Lands Foundation).
  • I am responsible for securing $45,000.00 in funding in March 2014 to go to the JLF to hire a consultant to devise a plan for development of the site that promotes and preserves its integrity as a culturally and historically significant site. The source of funding was through finding efficiencies in the budget and had zero tax implication.
  • I moved a motion on June, 2014 that Council request in writing that the province follow the lead of the Federal government’s designation of the Jury Lands by provincially designating the Jury Lands.
  • In December 2016, Council awarded the Request for Proposal for the Jury Lands Community Vision and Urban Design Study to a consulting firm – DTAH. Consultants worked with the site owners, JLF, and a staff steering committee to determine overall layout and residential densities.
  • We created the Ehrenwort Trail: One of the highlights of the 2016 budget of which I was most proud was the construction of “Ehrenwort”, the Camp 30 Walking Trail which links residential Bowmanville and Camp 30. The title comes from the German word meaning “word of honour”, referring to when the prisoners had to promise to return if they left Camp 30 for the day on leave.
  • Soper Creek Crossing Pedestrian Link to Camp 30: The 2016 Municipal budget also included $364,350 for a pedestrian link from the west side of Soper Creek to Camp 30 on the east side of Soper Creek.
  • Acquisition of Camp 30 – In July, 2016 I moved the motion at Council to assume ownership of the Camp 30 lands. As part of the deal of assuming ownership from Kaitlin and Fandor homes the current owners were to demolish non-historic buildings, cleanup graffiti, install cameras, and donate $500,000 to assist Clarington with maintenance of property. In October, the demolition of the non-essential buildings began.
  • When Kaitlin did not comply, on February 3, 2020 I seconded Councillor Joe Neal’s motion to sue Kaitlin for the $500,000 they did not pay as per the deal, and to make the contract public. This was ratified at Council on February 10, 2020.
  • At the September 13 2021, meeting, I brought forward a motion to address the issue of ATV and vehicular access to the site because Kaitlin let the fence fall down along the eastern boundary. Our options were to dig a ditch or build a berm to protect the site. I was successful in obtaining support to build the berm.
  • Clarington recently was handed over the Cafeteria building and steps are being taken to repurpose it. The remaining five buildings will be transferred shortly.