Camp Arrow Wood Prepares to Open in Former Lakeside Camp
RICHMOND, Mass. — The former Lakeside Christian Camp is getting a makeover into Camp Arrow Wood and will welcome sporty kids from across the country this summer.
"The goal is to create a sports-centric camp, a place where kids can not only get better at sports over the summer but have opportunities to explore what a traditional camp is like at the same time," camp director Matthew Linick said.
"So as opposed to going to a specialty basketball camp we believe we can do the same thing that specialty camp would do except we can offer all the traditional fun stuff as well, so a lot of this stuff is programmatic in nature, in terms of the way we do things and the why we do things."
There will be a traditional Camp Arrow Wood, a leadership camp for student-athletes ages 16 to 18, and an outdoor adventure camp called Arrow Wood Outdoors that will feature hiking, climbing, mountain biking, and camping.
The property is undergoing a long list of renovations to both its sports facilities and buildings that kicked off early this year. There will be new basketball courts, tennis courts, a new soccer field, auxiliary field for other sports, and new baseball and softball fields.
A new low ropes course, beach volleyball field, and possibly a climbing wall will also be a part of the activities that campers can enjoy.
Five cabins are being renovated at the moment, undergoing projects such as bathroom replacements, and the parts of the dining halls are being upgraded as well.
The 135-acre property has 22 cabins with front porches that look out into the lake.
"The bones of the property are quite good," Linick said. "It's laid out almost exclusively on the water so almost every building at the camp has a view of the water which is really nice, so that part was great, and honestly they did a great job of keeping it camp like with the limited amount of budget I assume that they had, so we're really just improving existing structures right now."
Registration is now open for Camp Arrow Wood on its new website and the camp is also hiring for both summer jobs and higher-level positions.
Linick said there are campers coming from Utah, Philadelphia, and New York City to name a few and he would like to see kids enroll from even farther locations such as California.
Investment group Mill Town Capital acquired the camp, the former Berkshire West, and Bousquet Ski Area in 2020 to enhance outdoor and indoor recreation offerings in the area.
The property has been used as a camp for more than 100 years and for the last 40 years operated as the Lakeside Christian Camp. The camp was closed in 2020 and 2021.
The new Bousquet has a couple of seasons under its belt and recently opened a new lodge and restaurant. Across the street will be Bousquet Sport in the former Berkshire West.
When the camp is not in session, the location will also be available to rent for events. There are four spaces that have been identified for such use: a quad right by the water, a rustic barn, the dining room, and a four-season auxiliary lodge.
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