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AFTER 15 years of waiting, Timberline Ranch has finally established the right
connections to get a building permit.
The independent Christian camp and retreat centre in Maple Ridge, established in
1961, is modeled on a working ranch and includes activities such as horseback
riding.
Because of an aging septic system, the camp had, for some time, been unable to
get permission from municipal authorities to replace some of its buildings.
This year, it has received permission to connect to the District of Maple Ridge
sewer system – and as a result, has been able to begin building.
Ground was broken May 25 for the first building project. A ‘six-plex’ of cabins will be built to replace accommodations in the 50 year old ‘bunkhouse.’
The cabins are connected, and are designed to look like the buildings of an old
western street, complete with false fronts, a boardwalk and hitching posts.
Each cabin contains two double beds, four bunk beds and a complete bathroom.
In future years, the camp hopes to add:
• bathrooms for all existing free-standing cabins;
• an activity centre (with gymnasium and climbing wall);
• a ‘four-plex’ of additional cabins, to enable expansion of the camping program;
• a multi-use building (with a chapel, meeting rooms, offices, a store and staff
housing).
The camp now serves about 6,000 campers a year. There is a waiting list of
several hundred. – Jim Coggins
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