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Important information
PLEASE READ BEFORE YOU REGISTER
AGE RESTRICTIONS: Summer Camps at VanDusen Botanical Garden are run by the Vancouver Botanical Gardens Association (VBGA) and are designed for children ages 5-10. Children must be 5 years of age or older on the day of the program AND have completed Kindergarten by the time they attend the program. Our registration system will not accept campers who are not at least 5 years old on the day of the program, and if a child is suspected to not have completed kindergarten prior to attending, parents/guardians will be contacted by an administrator.
HEALTH/ILLNESS: Please note that wearing a mask does not excuse or negate the presence of active cold or flu symptoms – campers are not permitted to attend camps if experiencing/displaying active cold or flu symptoms and may be sent home at staff’s discretion.
PROGRAM LOGISTICS: Summer Camps will take place outdoors rain or shine, with some covered outdoor spaces available for lunchtime and stationary activities. Please ensure campers are dressed for the weather and have additional layers or a change of clothes available if needed. Indoor spaces are limited and only available in instances of extreme weather or other safety hazards. Youth attending our programs should be prepared to use porta-potties located throughout the Garden and their accompanying outdoor hand washing stations; there are indoor washrooms available in the Visitor Centre but due to the expanse of the Garden, access is not always feasible or efficient.
ADDITIONAL SUPPORT: Please also note that although we strive to provide an inclusive environment for campers, we are unable to provide 1-to-1 support due to our current program format with group sizes of up to 24 campers. If your child runs away from leaders, has difficulty following directions, or is unsafe towards themselves and others, you will need to provide an adult to attend camp to support their behaviour. If we find during camp that your child is disrespectful of others or the Garden or is having difficulty following instructions, we will ask you to provide an adult for the remainder of the camp. During registration, you will be asked whether your child has any allergies, medical conditions, or other specific needs that may require support from staff or an external party, as well as strategies to support those needs. We welcome guardian-provided support aids to join children in our camps, but this must be pre-arranged with our administrative team; we also welcome any other follow-up information you are able to provide prior to their attendance.
Please consider these factors when determining if this program is the right fit.
CANCELLATION POLICY: If you would like to cancel your registration, please provide a written request at least three weeks (21 days) in advance of the start of the program(s) to nfriedmann@vandusen.org. If we receive the request with the required notice and are able to fill the spot, we will provide a refund minus a $15 administrative fee. If we receive the request with the required notice and are unable to fill the spot, we will provide an equivalent credit to be used in future programs, valid for 365 days.
No refunds or credits (either complete or partial) will be issued for the following:
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Cancellation requests made with less than three weeks’ (21 days’) notice
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Cancellation requests made over the phone, by voicemail, or in person
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Expulsion due to disruptive/unsafe behaviour, inappropriate fit for program, or similar
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Absence from a program due to illness, injury, travel, family, or similar
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Public Health Regulations/Restrictions, as mandated by the Federal and/or Provincial governments
Program cancellation by the VBGA due to Public Health Regulations/Restrictions will result in education program credit equivalent to the value lost.
CONTACT: Natasha Friedmann (Youth Programs Manager) nfriedmann@vandusen.org | 604-257-8443