A land on the territory of the Blackfoot people, witnessed the expansive Rupert’s Land, a vast 939-million-acre region in the Hudson Bay drainage basin. Nestled on the traditional lands of the Siksika people is, what we call Camp Chestermere today!
In 1670, King Charles II granted a charter to the Hudson’s Bay Company for exclusive trade rights in Rupert’s Land, neglecting to acknowledge the sovereignty of the Indigenous people who had inhabited the region for generations. Eventually, the Government of Canada acquired Rupert’s Land for $1.5 million.
The signing of Treaty 7 in 1877 marked a pivotal moment, involving the Siksika, Kanai, Piikani, Stoney-Nakoda, and Tsuut’ina Nations. Despite these agreements, the Chestermere area remained sparsely settled until the arrival of the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1881.
The CPR’s ambitious irrigation project in 1904 transformed the landscape, diverting water from the Bow River to create Reservoir #1, now known as Chestermere Lake. In 1937, the Sea Cadets of the Canadian Naval League received a generous donation of fourteen acres on Chestermere Lake from the CPR, eventually evolving into the Camp Chestermere we know today.
Originally named ‘Undaunted,’ the camp underwent various transformations, from sea cadet summer camp to a Second World War training centre for the Canadian Navy League, South Alberta District, after the second world war it hosted Hebrew camps and Gospel Missionary children’s summer camps. In 1955 it became Camp Chestermere. Over time, the perception shifted welcoming boy scouts, girl guides, weddings, meetings, retreats, and community events.
The camp’s evolution continued with the sale of 7.5 acres, funding developments like triplex cabins. Ownership changed hands in 1991 when the Gospel Missionary Association passed it to the Camp Chestermere Association. Today, the camp offers 150 beds and remains an inter-denominational non-profit Christian Camp, emphasizing building relationships, creating experiences, and developing individuals.
Camp Chestermere’s diverse offerings include summer camps featuring water activities, wall climbing, archery, and skateboarding. It hosts events like Fall Fest and That Winter Thing while providing year-round guest rentals for community events. Camp Chestermere has truly become a place to belong since 1953, presenting the youth and communities with great opportunities.
