Ness Lake polar dip a go for Sunday, bible camp announces gym rebuild plans

Cold-water bathers rejoice.

The 11th annual Ness Lake Bible Camp polar bear dip is on for Sunday.

Starting at 2:33 p.m., a group of brave-hearted souls will take the plunge into the icy lake to raise money for the bible camp's Summer Team bursary fund. The cost to take the plunge is $20.

The polar bear dip, originally planned for New Year's Day, had to be postponed when a New Year's Eve fire destroyed the main multipurpose hall, which housed the gymnasium, climbing wall, chapel, and large gathering space.

Staff on hand for a New Year's camp, with help from the Ness Lake Volunteer Fire Department, were able to contain the blaze to the gymnasium building, which was a total loss.

"We have no idea how many people are coming for the polar bear but we didn't want to cancel it," said Will Born, interim director of the Ness Lake Bible Camp. "We had about 50 last year."

Earlier this week, the Regional District of Fraser Fort George approved an amendment to the building permit to allow bible camp to build a larger gymnasium than the one that burned. The new metal structure will provide for a gym about 20 metres (60 feet) wide and 33 m (110 feet) long, with a six metre (20 feet) by 12 metre (40 feet) conference room.

The former gym was 13.5 m (45 feet) by 30 m (100 feet).

A new climbing wall will also be built and there will be washrooms attached to the gym building, a feature the old gym did not have. The conference room will be located above the washrooms.

"We're going to start digging the footings for the new gym next week," said Born.

"The new gym will be on the present site but facing in a different direction. This will be a steel building with some rock work on the entranceways, a metal roof and metal cladding and it will look very nice."

The gym floor will be a concrete slab covered with a rubberized surface, rather than a more expensive hardwood floor. Born said a hardwood surface would not last because of the sand and gravel composition of the soil.

Because the gym also housed the main electrical components, the bible camp was without electricity for 25 days and was relying on generators until power was restored.

A new electrical building is now in place, with underground electrical and phone lines. Once the gym is complete, Born said the next phase of construction will be to replace some of the cabins.

The fire's cause is still undetermined.

Born said it was either an electrical fault or one of the radiant heaters that sparked the blaze.

Born, who grew up in Kelowna, has served as interim director for the past eight months and is impressed with the sense of ownership Prince George residents have with Ness Lake Bible Camp.

"The city of Prince George really rallies around Ness Lake, and you don't get that very often in other cities," Born said. "People think of it as their camp."

A winter camp for elementary school students wraps up Sunday. Ness Lake also hosts a spring break camp in March, mother-daughter camp in April, and a father-son camp in October. There's also a free work-bee camp on the May long weekend.

Go to ww.nlbc.bc.ca for more information.