In the late 1950's, it was evident that there was a need for a recreational facility for people with disabilities. The Kiwanis Club of South Edmonton strongly supported the concept and spearheaded the project. A committee of Kiwanis members consisting of Bob Sewell, Dr. Ken Gordon, Walter Bates and Norm McBeth was formed to select a permanent site and to establish a camp especially suited to meet the needs of children with mental and physical disabilities.
In 1959, these committee members approached the Provincial Government with their project. It was approved in principle, and the Government directed them to a 107acre parcel of property located on Lake Isle that was accessible by boat only. This site was selected, and lease arrangements with the Department of Lands and Forests was drawn up.
A plan was developed to attract other groups that were involved in work with people with disabilities to join in the effort to achieve the goal of the Kiwanis Club. The Alberta Council consisted of representatives from the Kiwanis Club of South Edmonton, the Associated Canadian Travelers Club of Edmonton, the Diabetic Association, and the Edmonton Cerebral Palsy Association. These organizations contributed varying amounts of money to get the project started, and with donation of buildings from Imperial Oil Ltd. and the construction of a Medical Centre by Mr. & Mrs. Muttart, the Camp commenced operation in 1960.
The camp became an instant success! Today Camp He Ho Ha provides recreational opportunities not only for children with disabilities, but also for adults of all ages with every type and degree of disabilities.
Camp He Ho Ha has emerged as a first-class facility providing first-class services. In the last 40 years, it has come a long way! It has grown from the old oilfield camp bunkhouses to a very modern facility consisting of 24 hotel-style rooms, 8 hostels, beautiful meeting rooms, and a wonderful dining room where delicious home-cooked meals are served. It boasts of an incredible wheelchair accessible indoor swimming pool, an 18 hole mini-golf course, a "state of the art" 3-sided 40 foot climbing wall, a high ropes course, a low wheelchair accessible ropes course, and much more.
Recent projects in the last few years here at Camp include the construction of the Bate’s Point wheelchair accessible washroom facility (down by the climbing wall and ropes course), a capital re-roofing project, a capital residing project, and the creation of an adapted playground complete with safety surfacing made from pour-in-place recycled tire crumbs! More recently, Camp He Ho Ha has installed exterior automatic door openers as the next step toward becoming a completely barrier free facility. Work is currently underway on the construction of a new Maintenance Building and a major repair and re-painting of all cabin interiors will be complete by February 2008.
Major contributors are the Kiwanis Club of South Edmonton, the Edmonton and area Lions Clubs, the CAF (the Children's Ability Fund), the ACT Clubs of Edmonton and area and the BPO Elks and Order of the Royal Purple. Donations from clubs, groups, organizations, corporations, businesses and individuals provide additional funds that enable Camp He Ho Ha to provide its mandated services to people with disabilities.
DID YOU KNOW?
Camp Health, Hope and Happiness Society is an independent, non-denominational, federally registered charity. Our charitable registration number is: 11882 7229 RR0001.
