Camp 30 and the Jury Lands
BOWMANVILLE - Dozens of Clarington residents turned out to celebrate the opening of the Ehrenwort trail, a path leading to the site of Camp 30, the former German prisoner-of-war camp used during the Second World War. The one-kilometre trail runs from Sprucewood Crescent to Concession Street, offering a view of the historic grounds, which have fallen victim in recent years to graffiti, vandalism and fires.
“These grounds were immaculate. It’s sad to see they’ve fallen into disrepair due to neglect,” said Clarington Councillor Ron Hooper. “There’s a lot of history here.” Clarington council members along with landowners Kaitlin Group and Fandor Homes were on hand for the ribbon cutting as well. “This is so important to the public and to council,” said Clarington Mayor Adrian Foster. “This is a tangible step forward. The trail is probably one of the quickest things we’ve ever had done.”
The trail was developed in partnership with the Municipality of Clarington, the Jury Lands Foundation, Valleys 2000 and the landowners. Hannu and Karen Halminen of Halminen Homes donated the money to cover the cost of building the new section of trail. St. Marys Cement donated the path surface material, crusher dust, while Welcome Feeds donated grass seed. Broz Excavating and Wynn’s Property Maintenance participated in the construction.
Camp 30 was designated a national historic site in 2013 and the goal is rehabilitate and reuse the remaining salvageable buildings before it’s too late. “We had an architectural study and analysis done and six of the buildings are still in good condition,” explained David Crome, director of planning services for Clarington. “Our vision is that these buildings could be reused with a different use.”
Mayor Foster said council is anxious to see a resolution on this impasse. “There’s a number of scenarios that are possible to make things happen,” said Marilyn Morawetz, chairwoman of the Jury Lands Foundation. “It comes down to the fact that the landowner needs to be happy with the plan, whether it’s turning over ownership to the town or giving a long-term lease.” Ms. Morawetz said as soon as a deal is made, she’ll get fundraising. She said the Jury Lands Foundation has been unable to apply for government grants and special funding for the property at this time because it’s still owned by developers. In the meantime, the Jury Lands Foundation has been granted permission by the landowners to run small tours of Camp 30 this summer.