|
Overview
In 1988, the Camp planning committee spent many long hours focusing on the programs, operation, maintenance, future use, and long-range development of YMCA Camp Chingachgook. With the support of camp planning consultants, the committee prepared the Chingachgook Development Plan, which was intended to stimulate growth and encourage change. This original plan is still being used to guide Chingachgook’s growth today. A major review and minor restructuring of the 1988 plan occurred in 1994 and again in 1999/2000 by the Chingachgook board of managers.
The development process is a system for determining the needs of the YMCA, the resources available to meet those needs, and the plan of action to fulfill those needs. This planning process helps clarify the goals and vision of the YMCA and establish priorities. Since 1988, the total vision for Chingachgook has been to direct the Camp into the future by turning a summer resident camp into a regional year-round outdoor center. That vision has now been accomplished. It has always been the goal to preserve the history, tradition, and personality of the Camp, while incorporating a newness and versatility into the facilities that will propel Chingachgook into the coming decades.
We are presenting an updated version of all future projects in phases for this new site development master plan. The phases are flexible to respond to changing YMCA objectives and funding sources.
Prior to 1988, the evolution of the Chingachgook site may be summarized as response to a demand. Facilities were constructed in the next available area without an overall camp development plan. Program and operational areas were mixed with camper housing in a random pattern of development.
With this 12-year planning process, we have reorganized Chingachgook’s site. The greatest physical asset of the Camp is Lake George and the abundant natural resources it provides. Currently, both the access and view at the lake are monopolized by camper housing and operational facilities in the form of staff housing and boat storage/maintenance. In addition, the present arrangement requires the summer campers to pass through the senior boys’ private space in order to gain access to the waterfront. The three other camper units have been built back on the property on the fringe of program space and offset from major pedestrian paths. These units maintain easy access to the program areas, yet retain a sense of privacy, community, and openness. This plan recommends moving the Senior Boys’ Unit according to the 1988 and 1994 Camp development plans.
The basic concept of this site master plan is to develop a program corridor that extends from the waters of Lake George to the activity and sports fields on the lower slopes of Buck Mountain. As campers move through the Camp, they circulate past various programs on their way to their selected activities. Housing units occupy the fringes of the program corridor with girls’ units on the south side and boys’ units on the north side. With natural and visual separations of the units by topography and vegetation, the new alignment of housing offers a more efficient, even distribution and utilization of the site. The unit locations provide easy access to all program areas and maintain separation and privacy to each grouping.
The following plan for growth is presented in three phases with maps detailing, in concept, where projects should be located.
|
