An Addition With A Mission
New cabin at Camp Jewell is ready for campers
By James D. Bell
Photos: John Giammatteo
Camp Jewell was founded by the Hartford YMCA in 1901 on the banks of New Hampshire’s Lake Swanzey with three tents, cooking utensils, and a pair of rowboats. In the early 1950s, the search for a new home began with the final decision made to move to Colebrook, Conn. In 1955, the camp opened its doors in Colebrook for the first time.
As part of the YMCA of Greater Hartford, Camp Jewell has a long and proud history of working with the community to address important issues related to youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. The YMCA strives to improve the lives of everyone in the community and has done so since 1852. With that in mind, a proposed new cabin project had to continue the traditions of the last 65 years and look forward to the next 65 years.
The cabin replaced a dated and worn structure on a sloping site and had to accommodate two separate groups of 12 campers plus one chaperone. Each group required their own bathroom. A common living room separate from the sleeping areas was a necessity since the cabins are not only used by boys and girls ages 9 to 16, but also by families, as well as corporate and community groups.
In addition to serving the groups noted above, Camp Jewell also hosts Camp Rising Sun which welcomes any child ages 5 to 17 who has faced a cancer diagnosis for a week of fun and friendship at no cost. The new cabin had to be fully accessible and inclusive to allow for equally shared experiences of all campers.
Because the YMCA and Camp Rising Sun rely on donations to fund many of their operations, the budget for this project was extremely tight. The original design concept was almost twice the allocated budget. Working with a dedicated team of professionals, the new building meets the program’s needs along with the budget constraints to provide an updated facility that should serve the community needs for many years to come.
A dedication was held on June 5, 2021 in memory of Yvette and Arthur Eder, a couple who devoted much of their time and resources to helping children and Camp Rising Sun in particular.
James D. Bell, AIA, ACHA, is a Principal with the Wethersfield, Conn., firm Moser Pilon Nelson, Architects, LLC. With over 30 years of experience, he has overseen a broad spectrum of project types specializing in healthcare and community facilities. Reach him at (860) 563-6164 or jbell@mpn-arch.com.