It may not be a heat wave bit it’s still hot. The beach is always a popular spot for families during the summer break and Monday was no different as parents look for new and fun ways to keep their kids busy. “Thankfully, we live near the beach so coming to a place like this is always our go to. It’s beautiful outside, the kids play in the water, they play with the balls, the beach toys and we have a great time in the sun,” says Stephanie Rea, a Barrie resident. Summer camps are in full swing right across the county this week. In Barrie, hundreds of campers are taking part in five different camps. “We have beach volleyball, natures art and then our standard earth challenges camp for ages from six all the way up to 13 and we have about 30 staff,” says Bella Carnalho, camp convener. City staff say there are plenty of options for all kinds of passions. For those with a keen eye on the ball, the Barrie Baycats are back holding its annual summer baseball camp at Athletic Culture stadium this month. “I like how we get to have fun and you get to meet new people and learn a lot of new things with the Baycats,” says camper Nixon Klein Gebbinck. Several Barrie Baycats are with the kids on the field this week. “Even if it is just an introductory to the sport, I think that baseball is fun,” says Ryan Rio with the Barrie Baycats. “It’s trying something new for some of them but it’s going to be a really good four weeks here so I’m really excited.” For those who wish to play hockey, there are lots of camps taking place starting this week. National Training Rinks in Barrie has plenty of the go and lots of space still available. “We want everybody to feel safe here. We want everybody to participate in an encouraging environment but we want everything to be fun. Our main focus is our coaches, help the kids have fun, the kids have fun with one another and provide just a really good experience,” says Zach Mccullough with the National Training Rinks in Barrie. Most, but not all, of the summer camps will run right through to the end of August. If you are interested in registering your child with one of the camps with the City of Barrie, there are still many spots available.
