Our Story

Camp Narnia was founded in 1986 as a private, independent, non-denominational camp on Salt Spring Island, British Columbia. The aim of its founders, Anton Voorhoeve and Carol Toal, a doctor and a social worker, was to provide a camp for children in a rural setting, offering programs that would build new skills and attitudes, enhance self-esteem, develop independence and create a sense of personal well-being and enjoyment.

Camp Narnia draws its name from The Chronicles of Narnia, a series of children’s books written by C.S. Lewis in the 1950s, in which Narnia is a magical land open only to children. The stories portray basic human values such as responsibility, respect, compassion, joy and loyalty; values that comprise a major part of the camp philosophy.

The camp relocated in the fall of 1999 to Shawnigan Lake on Vancouver Island where it continued to uphold these values while providing camp experiences for campers and school groups until 2006. After the founders retired in 2006, Camp Narnia stayed closed until Agnes Bartle took ownership and re-opened the wardrobe doors in the summer of 2011. After running for 10 years in Nanoose Bay, Camp Narnia is now located in Cowichan Station, just outside of Duncan, British Columbia. It is run as a partnership between two directors:  Joel Rozsmann, and Sam Clinock. Check out the “Meet Our Directors” section below for more information on your camp directors.