This year got off to a terrible start for Ness Lake Bible Camp on New Year's Eve when the gymnasium burned to the ground.
Touched off by an unknown cause, not only did the fire wipe out the gym but it also destroyed the camp's climbing wall, sports equipment and the supply of portable chairs.
In the aftermath of the disaster, it didn't take long for camp administrators to begin the rebuilding process. Planning of the new gym began only a couple weeks after the fire and the product of the those construction efforts is now visible.
On the site of the old building, the shell of the new gym has taken form, and work is in progress on the intricate design of a new 22-foot high, 26-foot wide climbing wall, with installation of the gym floor happening this fall.
"You could lift a couple trucks with the top of that climbing wall, it's so overbuilt for safety and strength," said camp director Andrew Milton. "Part of what makes it so in-depth is we don't want just a straight -up wall. There are parts that lean back and parts that lean forward and there's an archway that goes into kind of a cave."
The gym was insured for $400,000 for the building, and $10,000 for the contents, but that wouldn't begin to cover everything lost in the blaze. Milton said the climbing ropes and harnesses alone were worth close to $10,000.
"If we were to buy it, it would be over a million dollars, but with people who just come and work or give supplies or give money to purchase stuff, we're doing OK on the gym project," said Milton. "We'll build what we can with what we have, and as more comes in, we'll make it better quality.
"Typically, often it takes a year or two just for the planning stage, and then fundraising. The insurance [payout] jump-started the fundraising and a few major donors just wanted us to have a gym and it got started right away."
A pre-engineered design was chosen and camp staff went shopping for building materials. The camp has hired a few contractors to complete the work but there's been a steady stream of volunteers lined up by the projects committee. One local construction company, which wants to remain anonymous, is contributing the labour of two of its paid employees to get it the 110-foot by 80-foot gym completed.
Since mid-July, the building has been used as a gathering place for the camp's chapel services. The focus this summer has been to erect the shell of the main building. Work on partition walls, washrooms/showers, a multipurpose meeting room, stage, and storage rooms will continue over the winter. A hardwood floor was ruled out because the prohibitive cost and Milton is still working out what type of floor surface will be used in the gym.
