Editor:
The announcement that Camp Byng will be closed indefinitely (Coast Reporter, November 26) is a sign that something is terribly wrong in the Scouting movement and in our society generally. All of us, these days, are spending far too much time indoors and online. This is especially unhealthy for our young people. They need to get out more and have more hands-on interaction with others. Doing things together in the outdoors is a memorable experience for young people, not only in learning about the outdoors but also in acquiring social skills and values that give meaning to their lives: like helpfulness, resourcefulness and teamwork.
Camp Byng is one of Scouting’s most historic places; it is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. It is a magnificent old-growth forest, complete with wild creeks and a spectacular shoreline; and it is situated not in some remote wilderness but right here in our midst. Taking it away from our young people is a real injustice – a sign that we are failing them.
Here on the Sunshine Coast, we have a wealth of outdoor education resources that could be shared with Camp Byng and the youth groups who use it. The camp, in addition to being a world-class campsite, could become a state-of-the-art base from which to lead young people out into the world of wilderness hiking, mountain biking, forest ecology, and much, much more, including First Nations’ spiritual/ceremonial connection to the land.
Young people need to be inspired. They need to be prepared for the world’s uncertain future. Camp Byng has a critical role to play in this. Local volunteers and businesses would be more than willingly come forward and help. Scouts Canada, instead of closing it, should find the imagination, determination and resourcefulness to transform it into a world-class outdoor education centre to which young people and others will be excited to come.
Robert O’Neill, Roberts Creek
