$15k in equipment stolen from kids' boating camp in Kingston, Ont.
Summer camp is a time for kids to get out and get active, but for one day camp in Kingston, Ont., a recent theft is making that more difficult, and the organization says it’s not sure when it will be able to replace it all.
The Limestone Boat and Board Club is a small club in Kingston’s west end. On July 25, camp councillor Andrew Chin says he and his fellow councillors arrived to find three paddleboards had been stolen.
“They’re not small and they are not light, so this would have had to be organized,” says Chin.
The three boards were brand new and had a special seat to them. The club sits in Rotary Park, out of a storage unit. The paddleboards were kept on a wooden shelving unit, and were locked up, says fellow councillor Eddie Vandyke, but it was cut open.
“They’re all locked and around all the boards, so there had to be some force used,” he explains.
What’s more shocking, explains Vandyke, is this was the second time the club had been hit, after a boat motor was taken from the dock.
“We felt really devastated and it really shocked us,” says Chin of the whole thing.
The camp’s owner says about $15,000 worth of equipment was taken in all. He says it will be difficult for them to cover because it’s a not-for-profit camp, and says they only make enough to cover operating costs through the summer.
It took the club several years to save up the money for the equipment, and then another two years to get it because of shipping delays. It is not known when it will be able to be replaced.
“We lock it up, think that’s enough, and then people take advantage of this little local business,” Chin says. “We’re just trying to help the community, get some kids in the water, teach them some skills, and they’re taking stuff from us which is frustrating overall.”
The group is raising money through a GoFundMe to help with costs, but say for now, camp continues.
“When people steal stuff, they think it only affects certain people,” says Chin. “But it affects the kids, it affects us, it affects the owners of the club, it affects a lot more people than people think.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Live updates as Stormy Daniels testifies at Trump hush money trial
Adult film star Stormy Daniels is on the stand a second time Thursday as former U.S. president Donald Trump’s hush money case continues in Manhattan. Follow live updates here.
BREAKING Sheldon Keefe out as head coach of Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs have fired head coach Sheldon Keefe. The team made the announcement Thursday after the Original Six franchise lost to the Boston Bruins in seven games in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Bank of Canada says financial system is stable, but risks remain
The Bank of Canada says the Canadian financial system is stable, but risks remain due to debt servicing costs among households and businesses and stretched valuations of financial assets.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
Ontario man frustrated after $3,500 paving job leaves driveway in shambles
An Ontario man considering having his driveway paved received a quote from a company for $7,000, but then, another paver in the neighbourhood knocked on his door and offered half that rate.
Why these immigrants to Canada say they're thinking about leaving, or have already moved on
For some immigrants, their dreams of permanently settling in Canada have taken an unexpected twist.
RateMDs violates privacy of health professionals, class-action lawsuit claims
A lawsuit against RateMDs has been given the go-ahead by a B.C. Supreme Court judge who found the claim that the website violates the privacy rights of medical professionals is not 'bound to fail.'
Boeing 737 catches fire and skids off the runway at a Senegal airport, injuring 10 people
A Boeing 737-300 plane carrying 85 people skidded off a runway at the airport in Dakar, Senegal's capital, injuring 10 people, according to the transport minister, an airline safety group and footage from a passenger that showed the aircraft on fire.
Capital gains tax change 'shortsighted' and 'sows division' business groups tell Freeland
Forging ahead with increasing Canada's capital gains inclusion rate 'sows division,' and is a 'shortsighted' way to improve the deficit, business groups are warning Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland.