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At the 2005 ESA-INTECOL Joint Meeting, children 5 to 15 years old will be able to participate in a Day Camp organized by La Joutheque of Montréal, Canada. The program will feature a different excursion each day to an offsite location where registered children and teens will engage in age-appropriate activities designed be both fun and educational. Among the places to be visited are the following:
Monday, August 8 – The Montréal Insectarium: Every year since it opened in 1990, the Montréal Insectarium has welcomed hundreds of thousands of visitors intrigued by these misunderstood creatures, which are so often wrongly feared and despised. The Insectarium aims first and foremost to awaken visitors to the wonders of the insect world, and to explain how insects play an essential part in ensuring the Earth’s ecological balance. Along with its educational mission, the facility has important cultural and scientific roles, too. Visitors are encouraged to see the insects, discover their world, learn about them, and even taste them!
Tuesday, August 9 – The Biodôme of Montréal: The Biodôme has been described as possibly the only institution of its kind. Originally built as the velodrome for the 1976 Olympics, it has been refitted to house replications of four distinct ecosystems — a Laurentian forest, the St. Lawrence marine system, a tropical rainforest, and a polar environment — that visitors can walk through and explore. All the ecosystems are complete with appropriate temperatures, flora, fauna, and changing seasons, and all four re-creations are allowed a measure of freedom to grow and shift, so the exhibits are never static. With more than 6,000 creatures of 210 species and 4,000 trees and plants, the Biodôme incorporates exhibits gathered from the old aquarium and the modest zoos at the Angrignon and LaFontaine parks. Among the fauna are specimens of certain threatened and endangered species, including macaws, marmosets, and tamarins. The Polar World contains puffins and four kinds of penguins, from both Poles. The Biodôme also offers a game room for kids called Naturalia.
Wednesday, August 10 – The Montréal Botanical Garden: With its collection of 22,000 plant species and cultivars, 10 exhibition greenhouses, some 30 thematic gardens, and teams of researchers and activities staff, this facility ranks as one of the world’s largest and most spectacular botanical gardens. No matter what the season, visitors are sure to be captivated by the colors and fragrances from around the world as they wander from the delightful Chinese Garden to the heart of the Sonoran desert, from the peaceful oasis of the Japanese Garden to the classically designed French garden or the woodlands of the Laurentians.
Thursday, August 11 – The Shed 16 Labyrinth in Old Montréal: Located in a real shed, the Shed 16 Labyrinth invites visitors to enter a maze of dark alleys where puzzling obstacles, mysteries, surprises, and enigmas threaten to drive them round the bend! Themes, routes, and clues are changed periodically so that obstacles, traps, and play zones are more fun. This year, a 1929-gangster setting lets guests be the detectives to free the victim and capture the real gangster. Children will enjoy finding the clues and solving the mystery about this brand new adventure of Omer St-Laurent.
Friday, August 12 – The Museum of Point-à-Callière in Old Montréal: This unique museum offers an authentic archaeological site on the very birthplace of Montréal. The facility is designed to make archaeology and history accessible to young people through displays, presentations, and hand-on activities. Current exhibitions include Where Montréal Was Born, which is designed to bring the archaeological remains to life. In the multimedia show, Montréal, Tales of a City, thousands of years of history spin by in 18 spellbinding minutes. In addition, the museum offers a selection of fascinating workshops through which young people can look, touch, and learn new skills.
Counselors provided by La Joutheque will supervise the campers and ESA may provide volunteers to serve as additional adult chaperones depending on the number of children registered. The adult to child ratio will be no more than 1:10.
Campers may be enrolled for the full week, which includes four full days and one half day, or for one or more individual days. The enrollment fee for the full week of Day Camp is $200 US Dollars per child or teen. The daily enrollment fees for Day Camp are $50 US Dollars per child or teen for each full day Monday, August 8 through Thursday, August 11 or $25 US Dollars for a half day (morning only) Friday, August 12. These rates include a box lunch and two snacks per day Monday through Thursday and/or a snack on Friday. Rates also include transportation* for campers to program activity sites according to the following schedule:
Monday, August 8 through Thursday, August 11: Shuttle Departs at 8:15 AM and Returns at 5 PM
Friday, August 12: Shuttle Departs at 8:15 AM and Returns at NOON
*All Day Camp shuttles will depart from and return to the Viger Bus Depot on Level 1 of the Palais des congrès de Montréal.
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