Picnic Shelters

There are three different shelters on the Crieff Hills property. The first is located beyond the Dove House in a now wooded area. The first was built in 1973 by Louie Maier Ltd. and volunteers from St. Andrew’s PC, Hespeler. This square wooden cabin was created in order to host local church and Presbytery day camp programs. In the spring of 1974 a well was drilled and a hand pump added. Nearby an outhouse was built to accommodate growing groups of children and youth who spent their days making campfires, doing Bible study, and learning about the outdoors. After the day camps ceased in the 1980’s, the shelter became a hiking destination and as a staging centre for the Adventureworks high ropes course nearby.

The second shelter was built in 1978 by Harvey Main, an avid camper with a love for Crieff along with others from St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church, Simcoe. With a portable sawmill, trees from the property were used to construct a large, open-air shelter, roofed with tin. It was hoped that this would become a central place for family camping, but bylaw restrictions made that impossible. Instead, it has become a shady stop for hikers not far from the Crieff Hills bee hives.

The third shelter on the property was created in the early 2000’s by a partnership between Crieff Hills and Waterdown High School. The design and blueprints were completed by students in the drafting department and students from the construction department used their skills in the physical building. Its central location and ample parking make it a great place for outdoor worship services, church or family picnics, and bird banding events.