Camp Howard is a rustic camp operated by The Alberta Army Cadet League, Southern Zone.
The Camp is located approximately 80 km. northwest of Cochrane, Alberta, in the Waiparous Creek Forestry Area. The land itself is owned by Her Majesty the Queen in Right of the Province of Alberta, and is administered by Alberta Sustainable Resource Development.
The Camp covers 10 acres in all, and consists of three main buildings and two outdoor pit toilets. There is a kitchen facility – recently renovated, and a bunkhouse containing separated sleeping quarters for gender separation, officers, etc. The Chalet is a stand-alone building and can be deployed as an operations center, or as a classroom, lecture room, dining room or can sleep a number of individuals in case of overflow sleeping conditions in the bunkhouse.
The power plant, diesel driven for production of electricity to the main buildings, is located in a separate building away from the living quarters. The kitchen stove and the furnace in the bunkhouse are fueled by propane. There is also an outdoor fire pit for additional cooking or gathering place.
In 2001, the Army Cadet League, Southern Zone, struck a Committee to see that Camp Howard is administered and utilized as was intended. This Committee has been working hard ever since to maintain and improve the conditions at the Camp for greater training opportunities and enjoyment of youth groups of Calgary and surrounding area. The Committee consists of the Southern Zone Executive and the Camp Manager as well as other interested League members.
Camp Howard is available for the use of Cadet Units of all elements, as well as other youth groups that might be interested. It is one of the few truly “wilderness survival” facilities left in the Calgary area where groups that seek wilderness training can access the camp within a 90-minute drive from Calgary City Limits. The Camp has been used as an auxiliary training centre during the summers by the Rocky Mountain National Army Cadet Summer Training Centre, and also by the Regional Cadet Instructors School for training officers for deployment into the Cadet Movement. The Juno Beach Academy of Canadian Studies, based in Calgary, utilizes the Camp for students wishing to complete a specific component of their Duke of Edinburgh accreditation.
During the summer of 2004, Alberta Transportation constructed a bridge over the creek that had always been an access problem to the camp. This new bridge now provides easy vehicular access to Camp Howard, Camp Chamisall and the wilderness beyond, for recreational users year-round.
Certain regular maintenance, upkeep, repairs and renovations are always ongoing at the Camp. Any projects of a major scope must be undertaken during the summer months when access to the Camp with large equipment and supplies can be managed more easily, and working conditions are more pleasant.
Shortly the League will be producing a new brochure to widely publicize the Camp and invite youth groups of all kinds to avail themselves of its use. It should prove an ideal wilderness training facility for Army, Air and Sea Cadets, Navy League, Scouts, schools, Church Youth Groups etc. Camp Howard could be in use every weekend from September to June, with availability for week-long use by special groups wishing this kind of facility throughout July and August.
The Alberta Army Cadet League is very proud of having Camp Howard – the only Army Cadet Camp in Canada which is owned by the League. With proper care and diligent supervision, this Camp will provide an essential survival element to Cadet training for many years to come.