After many years of dreaming, Camp Tweedsmuir manager Heather Hamer finally got her wish – we have gone green!
On Sept. 26, Ali Grieve. director for Area A RDKB, and Joe Danchuk, Mayor of Montrose, along with James York of Columbia District Solar Energy and Richard Hamer, maintenance manager, met at Camp Tweedsmuir to celebrate the installation of a Solar Grid Tie In system at the camp.
“This has been on our wish list for over 15 years and then the youth started commenting about “our carbon foot print” part of the Scouting lifestyle we teach, so we had to make it happen,” said Heather Hamer.
“We can brag that we are the first Scout Property in B.C. to go with this system and already it is making a difference.”
The system will produce power to help offset overall electrical cost, which gets high due to the fact everything at the camp is electric except the kitchen stove (propane).
“We are hoping to reduce our costs by as much as one-fifth over the year if all goes well. Winter time won’t be as productive but spring and summer will be great as we get direct sun from about 6:30 a.m. till almost 4 p.m.
“We are in the process of trying to fund the final four panels to completely cover the roof. Down the line maybe we will be able to install batteries to charge and use that power when on site, reducing our costs even more.
“James has done a great job of the installation and explaining how it all works,” said Hamer.
“We can now teach the youth about the system and along with a digital display in the hall, they can keep track of how well it is working.”
She said York has great knowledge on solar energy as well as other ideas for cutting ever growing electrical costs.
According to the display unit the system has already produced 176 klw of power over the past 3.5 weeks, and averaging about 45 klw per day use.
“That isn’t a lot of a saving, but consider what the weather has been like,” explained Hamer. “Whatever we produce from the sun, helps with reduction of our cost and carbon foot print so it is a win win all around.”
This spring, an application to the CBT Community Granting program was submitted for the solar project along with shoring up the First Aid cabin and siding it etc. and to put a cover over the bridge that spans Beaver Creek, right in the main camp.
“We are pleased to say that the Solar is done and so is the First Aid cabin,” said Hamer. “The cabin has been sitting on pieces of logs for more than 50 years and they were almost rotted away. Now the cabin is secure forever. We will now be focusing our attention on the bridge cover design and build.”
The Camp Committee cannot say “Thank You” enough, to the local communities and Columbia Basin Trust, for all the support received over the years.
“We have upgraded the camp to make it a year round training facility for our youth and for anyone who would like to rent it.”
Camp Tweedsmuir is now 85 years old and should last for many more years to come. If anyone has old stories or memorabilia from Scouting in the area and especially Camp Tweedsmuir, please consider donating it to the Camp, the organizers would like to put in a bit of a museum. Contact Heather at 250-367-7453.