Outdoor education

Chandos Outdoor Education Centre is a camp property owned and operated by North Toronto Christian School just outside of the town of Apsley, Ontario. The 76-acre property contains open fields, wetlands, thick forests, hiking trails, and a beach on Chandos Lake, all of which are enjoyed by our students on their trips every fall and winter. These trips are opportunities for students to explore nature, learn new skills, and develop closer relationships with their peers. For seven weeks each summer, NTCS operates an overnight program, Camp Ke-Mon-Oya, on the property.

Activities

Chandos trips focus on allowing students to enjoy the outdoors in the company of their classmates. Swimming, canoeing, hiking, sledding, and snowshoeing are some of the activities that students participate in during the trips.

Trips also include unique educational opportunities, and students are given the opportunity to explore biology, astronomy, botany, geography, and art in a dynamic and engaging environment.

Trips

Students from grades 3 to 10 participate in our Chandos trips, with the youngest students staying two days (one night) at the camp and all older classes for three days (two nights). In elementary grades, classes are accompanied by their teachers and parent volunteers, while the high school students are supervised by their teachers.

Trips leave from the NTCS property in Toronto on Monday and Wednesday mornings and return on Wednesday and Friday afternoons. The drive to the camp from the school is just over two hours.

Facilities

The camp property contains a large field on which both soccer and football can be played. There is also a volleyball court and a tetherball post where each sport can be enjoyed during free time. A frisbee golf course spans the camp property and is used by students. Many games of hockey and basketball have been played on the court located near the cabins. Also, campfires are often held around the outdoor fire pit.

The dining hall, which includes an eating area and a general lounge, is the main building on the property. Meals, devotions, and activities all take place here. A separate auditorium is also available as a large area for indoor games, and there are two classrooms that are used for lessons.

Accommodations

The camp property has six winterized sleeping cabins available for the school trips. The cabins -- Swallow, Oriole, Cardinal, Finch, Vireo, and Chickadee -- have a main room with four bunk beds to accomodate eight students, and a smaller room with one bunk bed where the parent or teacher stays. These cabins also contain a washroom, table, and shelves.