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Camp of the Crooked Creek

Photos and transcription by contributor Wayne Adam - Posted June, 2011

In Morningside Park off Morningside Avenue you will find this Boy Scouts plaque. Follow the access road to the third parking lot. The plaque is along the west side of the lot.

Coordinates: 43.777833 -79.201137

History

Scouts camped in this valley, with permission of the owners, in the 1920s and early 1930s. In 1936, approximately 40 ha were purchased by the Toronto District of The Boy Scouts Association from the Lennox family who were farmers in the area. Only 24 km from Toronto and featuring hills, valleys, woods, a creek and abundant wildlife, it was an ideal spot for day hikes, short-term camps, camporees, training courses, group meetings, corn and wiener roasts and cuborees.
The name "Camp of the Crooked Creek" was selected through a competition open to Toronto Scouting youth. In the early years there was no road into the valley and consequently everything - tents, equipment, food and packs - had to be carried down the hill and, at the end of the camp, carried back up again.
In 1963, approximately 20 ha of the north end, bordering on Ellesmere Road, was sold for the construction of Scarborough Centenary Hospital. Scouting continued to use the remainder of the property until 1968 when it was taken over by The Metropolitan Toronto Conservation Authority.
Over the thirty-two years that Camp of the Crooked Creek operated, it is estimated that camper days (one camper for one day) totalled about 750,000. Thousands of Cubs and Scouts lit their first camp fire, cooked their first camp meal, spent their first night under the stars and learned their first woodcraft skills.
The camp was used year-round and many will remember their first experience of winter camping.

Gilwell Lodge

Half hidden in the woods on the north side of a large, level, grassy area near the south end of the property was Gilwell Lodge, a 6 m by 12 m frame structure with a stone fireplace and a kitchen area with a wood burning cook stove. This area was used for leadership training. Hundred of adults attended training courses in this area where they learned Scouting programming and outdoor skills to pass on to their young members.
During World War II, this area was used for "Camp Victory". This was a camp for Scouts whose leaders were serving in the armed forces and thus could not take part in their own troop camp.

Campfire pavillion

Built in the trees near the bottom of the hill, just south of what is now Campfire Pit 8, was a 15 m by 15 m wooden platform with built-in benches around the perimeter and a large stone pillar fireplace with a steel smoke canopy in the centre. Many happy campfires were held here with singing, skits and marshmallow toasting.

Chapel

Just below the top of the hill on the west side near what is now Plover Road, was a rustic outdoor chapel with a log altar and log seats. Each Sunday, "Scouts Own" was held, which was a non-denominational worship service, planned and conducted by Scouts. Occasionally, a camping troop would arrange for their own chaplain to come and conduct a service. The chapel was also used on occasion for investitures of new Cubs, Scouts, Rovers and/or leaders.

Swimming Hole

Each year, the creek was dammed to create a swimming hole. As anyone with knowledge of this valley will know, the creek bed is very unstable. The result was that often during a heavy rain storm, the dam washed out and it took several days to repair. However, thousands of Scouts recall happily splashing in the swimming hole.

Related Ontario plaque
The Scouting Movement in Canada

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Parks and Recreation

Here are the visitors' comments for this page.

> Posted July 31, 2012
I grew up on Plover Road, and my parents still live there, fairly healthy and in their mid-eighties. They bought their house in 1958 when it was built and I would imagine are one of the few remaining original owners in the Curran Hall area. I was 6 months old when my parents bought the house, so until I was ten years old, the camp was active there. I remember many summers when the scouts would have Jamboree's, and cars from all over Canada and the north eastern US would come to the camp.
There was extensive parking at the top of the hill just inside the large gates that were at the end of the Plover Road, one lot that you can kind of see in the picture of the gates and a second lot just to the south of it. There was also an access road that some brave drivers used to go right down into the main camping areas at the bottom near the creek.
You can still see the area where the chapel was, it was on a level area partway down the hill from the parking area just inside the gates but all the fencing that demarcated it and the lectern disappeared in the early 70's, probably for firewood for the people that used to party down in the park. There were also steps that led from the chapel down to the creek and camping areas that were put in by the scouts. They were just wood slats held by metal rebar and backfilled with earth. They needed a lot of maintenance and disappeared within a year or two of the camp closing.
One thing that people may not know, is there was a camp warden who worked for Scouts Canada and lived in a cabin down at the main camping area all year round. He used to buy war surplus jeeps, halftracks and, if recall correctly, a Bren gun carrier (fully tracked, no wheels) and use them to drive around in the camp, and actually used to come up in them to go to the grocery store.
Even though the Scouts sold off the camp to the city in 1968, the gates at the end of Plover Road were not taken down until at least 1978 or 1979. I kept a brick of it and it may still be in my parents basement. I was out visiting my parents just a week or so ago, and the whole area where there used to be the parking areas and roads to access them are now completely overgrown with small bushes and trees. The city did maintain it somewhat until roughly 10 years ago or so, but then I guess decided to let it return back to nature.
Matthew Grills

> Posted July 31, 2012
Having moved to the Markham Rd and Lawrence Ave area in 1955, I completed my Scouting with the 13th Bendale Cubs and Scouts out of Golf Road Public School, eventually earning my Queen's Scout cord, and Rovers (3rd Scarborough?) at the Rover den in the valley just south of present-day Cedarbrae Collegiate. The den is still there, and being used, I believe.
Jack Smith was the head Scouter/custodian of CCC in those days and, like others, I vividly remember the trekking in and out of camp gear from the top of the hill off of Plover Rd. I didn't realize that there was now a trail back into the camp from Morningside Park. Having moved away from the area in 1965, I will have to make an attempt to get back in there again to check things out.

> Posted June 29, 2011
I attended my first Camporee at CCC in the spring of 1953 as a thirteen year old member of Toronto 66 (SM Robert S. Brown). The troop was out of St. Anne's Church at Dufferin and Dundas. I will never forget the horror of climbing down the hill just inside the entrance (end of Plover Rd.) nor the beautiful meadows where everyone camped. Plover Rd. was not there nor were any of the homes or roads at the top of the hill. The whole area was just farm fields and dirt roads. The only directions we had to get there was to head north on Scarborough Golf Club Rd. which was at stop 27 on Kingston Road. When we got to a main road we turned right to the first farm road then headed north. We located the camp entrance when we found other Scouts assembling in the fields near the entrance. If it were not for the help and guidance of a more senior Scout, Russel Kelk, I don't think I would have survived the weekend. Unfortunately, Scouting will never return to those rugged days. Even we had it good compared to those who went before. Thanks to Wayne for having posted the information on the plaque.
Scout Leo Darmitz-1951-1968

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