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Boy Scout Councils are not isolated from the current economy. They have money problems just like everyone else. A current topic in many councils is whether to continue with canvas tents at summer camp or to seek alternatives. What alternatives? Take a look at some non-scout camps. Tents are not the norm. Cabins are the usual sleeping accommodations. But does non-tent camping really sound like scout camp? Is sleeping in a tent a prerequisite for summer camp? Are cabins feasible for scout camps? Are cabins affordable for scout camps?
Some camps do already have some cabins. I don't know if any camp is exclusively housed in cabins. Two designed that I have seen are a wooden version of the old cook's tent design or the Adirondack shelter style (shown in the photo from the Allegheny Council camp in New York state)and the other is a more conventional cabin with four bunks and screens on three sides. The bunks are built in so cots are not needed. They both have wood floors but they are otherwise pretty spartan.
Another idea is camp supplying no tents at all. Immediately this is a problem for out of council troops. I doubt many would want to travel and carry tents and supplies, so I am not sure of the practicality of this option. Flat tent sites would be a must. I am not sure if tent platforms would be a good option either, since there is no standard tent size.
An option might be to offer some sites with tents and some without tents. This would allow the troop to make the decision. Some troops have very well equipped trailers with enough room to carry tents and supplies. For some, the tent option might not be the best.
What is your opinion on a scout camp without tents? Needless to say, all camps will have to look at all the alternatives. Is there a way to get more life out of a tent? What is the estimated cost of building and upkeep on cabins or shelters? Will cabins or shelters be accepted by the campers? Is there an alternative for out of council campers? I am curious about the feeling of the readers. Please respond to this post with your comments.
3 comments:
I see several problems with a transition to camp cabins or no tents being furnished. Very few troops have tents that are large enough to be lived in for an entire week of camp. Small tents limit the space needed for clothing for a week and sufficient bedding to be comfortable for an entire week of camp. As for as cabins being built we are talking about a transition over several years of building some type of shelter unless we find enough money to have all built at the same time. I for for one am in favor of the cabins for camp. A permanent structure will have significant upkeep problems due to weather and general misuse from distruction from the user just as we see on the present tents. Unless a very durable structure could be built for each cabin we are essentialy left with the same problem of distruction and general upkeep from such a large number of permanent structures.
Our troop has been to out of council camps for the last three years, Greater Alabama Camp Comer, National Capitol Area Camp Snyder, and Blue Ridge Council Camp Old Indian. Camp Comer and Camp Old Indian both used cabins. Comer used 8x12 storage barns w/o doors, and four bunks per cabin. They also still had some tents. Old Indian had NO tents, and had either 4 or 8 person Adirondack cabins. Cabins are nice, and I see less of an upkeep problem with them than tents. Once built, it would be difficult to damage a cabin beyond use. With a tent, that only takes one stray tree branch, or pocket knife. Just my 2 cents.
If you think you cost will go down with treated lumber you are wrong.
The mini barns or other wooden structures will all fail at about the same time and the replacement cost will be more as the wood will only go up in price. The BSA organization has managed for a very long time to provide tents for the scouts. We may have to look at the source of the problem. Waste and potential loss prevention issues. Travel pay for meetings that take place immediately following business hours is fraudulent. It happens. Pulling out of the parking lot and returning does not entitle one to travel pay. They also did not lose any money on the food they served at Buck Toms summer camp either as a slice of ham, seven green beans a roll the size of a golf ball and a pudding cup was about 75 cents worth of food for a full grown adult. Oh not to mention that there was never any coffee made for lunch or dinner. We need to hold the GSMKC officials accountable for the way they spend our SCOUTS money yes THEIR money. They raise it and raise plenty. If they can not manage the profit on a 14 dollar box of popcorn that Walmart sells for 1.49 then maybe we have the wrong people in charge and need a change.
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