Requesting the Mayor to dedicate any payments received as a result of the sale or lease of real property currently known as Camp William Penn in trust for the purpose of providing similar camping opportunities to the children of Philadelphia.

WHEREAS, The City of Philadelphia has owned and operated Camp William Penn for more than five decades, providing an overnight, outdoor camping experience to thousands of children who might otherwise never have enjoyed such an experience; and

WHEREAS, The City has subsidized much of the cost of each child attending Camp William Penn, making it possible for children of all economic strata growing up in an urban environment to row a boat; swim in a lake; sleep in a tent in a forest; sing songs around a campfire; and enjoy the benefits of a supervised, nature-based program; and

WHEREAS, In 2003, the American Institute for Foreign Study recognized Camp William Penn as one of the five most diverse camps in the country, and in 2006, the Camp received a programming excellence award from the Pennsylvania Recreation and Parks Society; and

WHEREAS, Notwithstanding these accomplishments, representatives of the Administration have explained that the 670-acre Camp in recent years has become dilapidated; that the Camp would require the expenditure of more than $200,000 in capital improvements to operate safely, including in particular repairs to the kitchen and dining hall, which were built in the 1920s; that attendance has dwindled despite efforts to promote it; that the camp is inconveniently located in the Pocono Mountains; and that the cost to the City per camper now exceeds $1,000; and

WHEREAS, The Administration proposes to close the Camp and to explore the possibility of leasing or selling the property; and

WHEREAS, For 2008, the Administration has commendably committed to provide an alternative subsidized camping experience for approximately 400 children through agreements with the Salvation Army and Outward Board; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That the Council requests the Mayor to place in trust any and all proceeds from the sale or lease of Camp William Penn, and to dedicate the income from that trust for the sole purpose of providing subsidized camping experiences to the youth of Philadelphia.

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Council requests the Administration to continue to provide camping opportunities to at least 400 children annually, regardless of the ultimate disposition of Camp William Penn.

End