THUNDER BAY – Fort William Historical Park’s March Break Day Camp is back, and the children and youth of Thunder Bay are invited to step back in time to 1816 and experience the Canadian fur trade and Anishinaabe culture at Fort William, the inland headquarters of the North West Company.
“We’re really happy to be able to offer these again, it’s been a couple of years obviously,” said Emily Carr, Fort William Historical Park communications officer.
“We have a great group of kids out there learning a lot, they’ll visit all sorts of different areas around the across the fort and learn a lot about voyager heritage, Indigenous heritage, and some French Canadian heritage as well.”
Visitors will be taken on guided tours where they will learn all about the local history and participate in hands-on activities.
The group on March 15 learned a lot about how the fort operated, but eight-year-olds, Joshua and Jette’s favourite part was learning about the muskets and they were excited to share their new knowledge.
“You pull the thing with the flint on it back until it’s in the middle, then you put gunpowder in the little cups and then you pull this thing called the hammer back, then you put the rest of the gunpowder in the musket and you’re ready to fire,” said Joshua.
“I learned a lot about what makes it work, there’s a tiny explosion and it shoots it out,” said Jette.
“I didn’t think muskets went that far but now I know they go very far”
March Break Day Camp runs March 14 - 18 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. The camp is available for youth ages 7-10 and costs $145 per person (HST included). Additional information, including COVID-19 day camp protocols and the registration form, can be found at www.fwhp.ca.
Tours of the Fort William Historic Site are available Monday through Friday at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Admission is $5 per person (plus HST) and youth ages 12 and under are free.
Monday, March 14 through Friday, March 18, from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. daily, Fort William Historical Park will open the large tubing hill at the park's amphitheatre free of charge.
Only FWHP tubes will be allowed on the tubing hill, personal sliding devices will not be allowed. In accordance with COVID-19 regulations, masks/face coverings will be required when physical distancing of two metres cannot be maintained between persons from another household.
Visitors must follow COVID-19 protocols, including mandatory masking and physical distancing.
