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The Taylor Statten Camps
Algonquin Park, Ontario, P1H 2H2
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Type:Overnight camp
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Focus:Traditional (multi activity)
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Cost:$950 to $10,995/session
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Ages:6 to 16
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Gender:All Girls, All Boys
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Main language:English
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Capacity:Varies
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Programs:0 available; 6 TBD; 1 temporarily closed
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Summary Profile
About The Taylor Statten Camps
The Taylor Statten Camps are nestled in beautiful Algonquin Park, Ontario. Camp Ahmek for Boys and Camp Wapomeo for Girls have a brother-sister relationship with almost 100 years of shared history. With canoe tripping and daily programming, this is an incredibly unique summer experience. Canoe trips range from 2 to 50 days in length, depending on a camper's age and session.- Special needs: Not available
COVID-19 Response
It is hard to believe that Summer 2020 has come and gone. We are so grateful to everyone in our community that has supported the Taylor Statten Camps during our Covid imposed closure in what would have been our 100th Summer on Canoe Lake. We hope you have enjoyed the virtual TSC experiences that we have shared with you on social media throughout the Summer, and we thank all of you for the kind words and letters of support and encouragement you sent to us since I last wrote to you in May. We have been blown away by the love we felt from our community during this very difficult time. Thank you.
Today, we turn the page on Summer 2020 and focus our attention towards the “next normal,”– reopening our camps for the 2021 season and ensuring that we have the protocols and resources to make this happen. For our full re-opening plan, please click the link below
https://www.taylorstattencamps.com/2021-registration-info
View recent COVID-19 updates from The Taylor Statten Camps
Photo Gallery
Video Gallery
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Programs, Rates & Dates
Programs and Sessions Calendar
Choose the right programs and sessions for your child; The Taylor Statten Camps currently has 0 program available; 6 TBD.
Filter activities :
Overnight Camp
Coed
Ages: 7 - 13
Traditional (multi activity)$3,495Algonquin Park, ON
P.O. Box 10007Date TBD Cost TBD Overnight Camp
Coed
Ages: 7 - 13
Traditional (multi activity)$3,495Algonquin Park, ON
P.O. Box 10007Date TBD Cost TBD Overnight Camp
Coed
Ages: 7 - 16
Traditional (multi activity)$11,495Algonquin Park, ON
P.O. Box 10007Date TBD Cost TBD Overnight Camp
Coed
Ages: 7 - 16
Traditional (multi activity)$6,595Algonquin Park, ON
P.O. Box 10007Date TBD Cost TBD Overnight Camp
Coed
Ages: 6 - 7
Traditional (multi activity)$995Algonquin Park, ON
P.O. Box 10007Date TBD Cost TBD Overnight Camp
Coed
Ages: 1 - 18+
Traditional (multi activity)$100 to $175Algonquin Park, ON
P.O. Box 10007Date TBD Cost TBD
Financial Aid & Payment Details
Payment Options:
Deposit required with acceptance Yes Credit card payment Yes -
Insider Reviews & Perspectives
The Our Kids review of The Taylor Statten Camps
The traditions we associate with residential summer camp—the values, the activities, the aesthetics—are in many respects due to the work of one man: Taylor Statten. Returning home from the Boer War, Statten joined the YMCA in 1902 and soon became the national Boy’s Work Secretary, a position that included the directorship of Camp Couchiching in Orillia, ON. He also established the Canadian Standards Efficiency Training program, a series of graded activity levels intended to give children the opportunity and incentive to develop intellectual, social, and physical skills.
What made Statten’s programs unique was the focus that he brought to them. In place of the regimented, sum-is-better-than-its-parts approach of scouting and cadets, Statten built programs around the individual, seeking to develop each child’s potential and to celebrate their individual strengths. Camping in Statten’s hands was about expression, independence, and an appreciation of the diversity inherent in any group. Adventure and resourcefulness were important, but so was imagination, identity, and a close appreciation the natural environment.
In 1916, Statten put his ideas into practice by founding Camp Ahmek, a camp for boys set within the boundaries of Algonquin park. The centerpiece of the camp, then as now, was the stone fireplace in the main hall, one that Tom Thomson helped build, hauling sand for the mortar that would bind the stones. Pierre Trudeau would sit before that fireplace as a camper, as did all three of his sons. Justin Trudeau, in speaking of camp, described his experience, giving what is, effectively, a précis of Statten’s initial vision: “[camp] had an immeasurable impact on my family and me. For my father, my brothers and I, being campers and counsellors at Ahmek taught us much about nature, about responsibility, and, most importantly, about ourselves.”
Wapomeo, a sister camp to Ahmek, followed in 1924 and, taken together, the two camps provided a model for many, many camps to come that, in turn, reflected the organization and the values that Ahmek and Wapomeo had demonstrated.
It’s quite a story, in every way, and one that continues today. These two camps provide a definition of the culture of camping in Canada, and that’s because they provided a model for so many of them, as well as the great work they continue to do.
Visit camp's website
Questions for the Director
We interviewed The Taylor Statten Camps. Here are their answers to:
- [00:33] - What makes this camp unique compared to others?
- [01:26] - What type of child is successful at this camp?
- [02:49] - Is the schedule structured or is it more open?
- [04:27] - How do your staff deal with behavioural issues?
- show more
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Location & Site Details
Address
P.O. Box 10007, Algonquin Park, Ontario, Canada
Busing
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Toronto (Bus fee: 148)
Location Address Pick up Drop off Crescent School 2365 Bayview Ave, North York, ON M2L 1A2 1:30 pm 12:30 pm -
Montreal/Ottawa (Bus fee: 148-208)
Location Address Pick up Drop off MTL - Fairview Centre, Pointe Claire (Lamp Post 23) 6801 TransCanada Hwy 3:30 pm 9:30 am OTT - Carlingwood Shopping Centre 2121 Carling Avenue, Ottawa, ON, Canada 1:30 pm 11:45 am -
Airport (Toronto) (Bus fee: 148)
Location Address Pick up Drop off Sheraton Gateway Hotel Pearson International Airport 11:30 am 12:30 pm
Accommodations
Sleeping Accommodations
- Cabins
- Platform Tent
- Tents
Washrooms Facilities
- Flush Toilets
- Outhouses
- Showers (indoor)
Are meals provided? Yes
Is The Taylor Statten Camps technology free? Yes We provide a technology free atmosphere at the Taylor Statten Camps. There is a 1 way email system available to parents, which is printed and delivered to the camper. Campers do not have access to the Internet.
Rentals & Services
Offers outdoor education program for schools or corporate groups: Yes
Available for private rentals: Yes
Associations
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Toronto (Bus fee: 148)
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What's New
Director's Message
David Jefferies & Mercede Rogers, Ahmek Director & Wapomeo Director
Ahmek Director: David Jefferies
David first attended Ahmek as a young camper in 1980. He went on to serve in various staff positions including CIT, Head of Sailing, Program Director, Assistant Director of Ahmek, Assistant Director of September Camp and most recently, Director of September Camp. David has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Taylor Statten Camps for the past 7 years. His family roots at TSC run deep- his grandfather Bill Jefferies was a cabin mate of ‘Dr.Tay’s’ in 1921 in the Inkie Section. His grandmother, father, uncles, sisters and cousins all attended Ahmek and Wapomeo as campers and staff. His initial leadership, social, and problem-solving abilities grew out of the TSC camping experience and lead to a challenging career at a management and executive level in the ICI construction industry after spending a number of years in the academic world attending Queen’s University, University of Toronto and University of British Columbia.
David’s wife Andrea will be joining him at TSC during the summer season and they have one daughter, Aria, both of whom are avid September Campers, and who have also grown fond of Canoe Lake. The canoe, the paddle, the lakes of the Canadian Shield and Algonquin Park have provided a spiritual home for the Jefferies’ family for decades. Their family cottage on Lake of Bays was chosen for its proximity to Algonquin. He is very excited to help facilitate and develop similar experiences and personal growth for new generations of staff and campers.
Wapomeo Director: Mercede Rogers
Mercede’s journey with TSC began at a very young age. Her mom was a counselor at Wapomeo and her uncle – a former camper at Ahmek and Head of Riding for a number of years both knew that Wapomeo would be a natural fit for Mercede and they were right!Over the years, she became fully immersed in the TSC environment; from work camp to fall crew, from Section Director to Long Trip Counselor, Head Guide as well as Assistant Director – Mercede has a wealth of knowledge and deep love for TSC. An active member with the Ontario Camps Association, she has worked as a guide and outdoor educator with Outward Bound, Camp Tanamakoon, Camp Temagami and MHO Adventures and has pursued training and certification in Risk Management from the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS). She believes in the importance of nature connection and developing resiliency and awareness through authentic wilderness interactions. Mercede holds a Bachelor of Education with a specialty in Outdoor and Experiential Education from Queen’s University and as a teacher, was focused on character education and wellness. Mercede has taught at a number of private schools in Toronto and is the former Trip Coordinator at The York School where she facilitated overnight residential camp programs, international service excursions and national travel opportunities for the students. Mercede will be joined at Wap by her young children Dylan and Jude.
In the News
December 15, 2020
2021 Registration Plan
Registration is open for 2021! Read more about how we plan to operate in 2021.... Read More
December 9, 2015
Registration is now open!
Come join us for the adventure of a life time! TSC provides a wide range of activities and wilderness excursions through Ontario & Quebec.... Read More
Stories
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What Camp Means to Me (Camp Ahmek)
My time at the Taylor Statten Camps started when I was 3 years old, when I began attending September Camp with my family. After a number of years at September Camp, I couldn’t wait to start as a camper and my time finally came in the summer on 1999. I was 7 years old and in the Bantam section. I continued as a camper from 1999-2006, moving through all the sections from Bantam camper to Kipawa camper in 2006. In the summer of 2007, I took a brief hiatus but triumphantly returned to camp as a CIT in 2008. My time as a CIT sparked the beginning of a long career as an Ahmek Staff member, which is still continuing to this day. The positions that I have filled during my time at the camps has been CIT, two years as a counsellor, a guide, Bisco counsellor, Outpost Staff until I replaced an injured staff member on 50 Day, 50 Day counsellor, and Head Guide. In addition, I was also a member of the Spring Work Crew since 2012 including going up to camp at the beginning of May twice and being the Head of the Work Crew in 2015. I was also the CIT Section Director during September Camp in both 2014 and 2015, as well as a member of the Fall Work Crew in 2014. Needless to say, Camp Ahmek and the Taylor Statten Camps has been an incredible and immense part of my life.
One of my most memorable moments during my 8 years as a staff member at Ahmek was leading a Kipawa as a CIT in 2008 and leading my own 50 Day canoe trip with a good friend of mine in 2014. Another one of my most memorable moments during my staff career was working during the Fall and being able to be in Algonquin Park during the time the leaves were changing colour. The reasons these were so memorable is because they were all big moments in my life that helped bring me to where I am today. Doing a Kipawa as a CIT taught me how to be a good staff member and the skills that would lead me to more Long Trips in the future. It’s a really cool feeling when most of the campers on that trip in 2008 are still working at camp currently and are in line for their very own long trips now or have taken one out already. Taking out a 50 Day trip was in a class of its own. It taught me so much about myself, the importance of appreciating nature and bringing oneself to a more natural way of life. It was an experience that I will hold dear for the rest of my life.
I have now started a full time position at the Taylor Statten Camps as the Canoe Tripping Coordinator, which has been a dream of mine since I first started at TSC as a CIT. My time as a summer staff member has taught me everything I needed to know for this position. It has taught me how the inner workings of a summer camp is run, how to effectively plan the best canoe trip possible in multiple regions of Ontario and Quebec, and taught me valuable life skills. Some advice that I would give new and returning staff members coming to the Taylor Statten Camps would be to fully embrace the job you are undertaking. These are some of the best years of your life and you will be spending them at one of the most amazing places in the world. The lessons and experiences that you will have during these summers will stick with you for the rest of your life and help you along the way.
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What Camp Means to Me (Camp Wapomeo)
I started at the Taylor Statten Camps when I was 11 years old and am currrently 25. My first summer at Camp Wapomeo for girls opened my mind and eyes to so many new things. I was able to try something new everyday. I worked on my swimming and canoeing while using my creative side at arts & crafts and drama. I truly loved being on the Island of Wapomeo, meeting those who would be my friends for a lifetime. I continued through the years, completing a 36 day canoe trip in Quetico Provincial Park when I was 15 and a 50 Day canoe trip when I was 16. I could not end my camp career there, however, so I applied to be a counsellor and have yet to look back. As a staff member I have held the role of Counsellor, Section Director, Long Trip Leader (2 Quetico trips and a 50 Day), Assistant Director of Wapomeo and am currently working full time in the camp office as Camper-Parent Relations & Logisitcs Coordinator.
I can say with confidence that this camp has made me who I am today. It has prepared me for life, teaching me skills that I did not get the opportunity to learn in school. Camp gives children the chance to be independent, while ensuring that they are constantly supported. Canoe trip is what stands out to me the most about my experience at Wapomeo. It teaches leadership and teamwork as well as instilling confidence and strength. I implore anyone who has an interest in nature and the outdoors to give TSC a try. It is a experience that you will not regret.
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What Camp Means to Me (Camp Ahmek)
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Thank you for your interest in The Taylor Statten Camps. They will be in touch with you shortly.
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Thank you for your interest in The Taylor Statten Camps. They will send you information about this session:
Thank you for using Our Kids.
The Trusted Source for Families since 1998.
Questions about The Taylor Statten Camps?
