Boy Scouts looking to begin renovations of Broad Creek camp by the end of 2024

The Boy Scouts of America is looking to start renovations to its Broad Creek campus in Northern Harford County by the end of 2024.

The Baltimore Area Council is funding the renovations through the Broad Creek Capital Campaign and will include a 450 seat dining area, a campfire arena and bathroom facilities among other improvements.

“The new 450 seat dining hall is a great example of what an additional community resource this facility will be for Harford County,” said Kenn Miller, CEO of the Baltimore Area Council, in an emailed statement to The Baltimore Sun on Friday.

“While all three camps on the Scout Reservation are used extensively every weekend and through the summer, we see great opportunity for weekday and evening rentals.”

However, the project will not start until the cost is fully secured. The goal for the Broad Creek Capital Campaign is to raise $9.4 million, and to date, the campaign has gotten $7.7 million through the support of over 500 contributors.

The campaign also includes endowments to secure the long term future and maintenance needs of the scout reservation. BSA has received commitments of $3.8 million for the Broad Creek endowment.

“A founding principal of Scouting is to provide youth the opportunity to develop their leadership skills, self-reliance and positive interaction with others in an outdoor environment,” Miller said. “It has been a number of years since a major reinvestment in Broad Creek has occurred. We also see these capital projects as a great opportunity engage more community organization to utilize Broad Creek.”

The Baltimore Area Council was founded in 1911 and since that time has delivered the scouting program to the youth of Harford, Carroll, Howard, Anne Arundel, Baltimore County and Baltimore City.

Broad Creek Memorial Scout Reservation was founded in 1948 and is nearly 1,700 acres with three independent camping facilities on the property.

The scouting reservation celebrated its 75th anniversary last year, and the year-round attendance at Broad Creek Memorial Scout Reservation was 23,950 participants.

Through the years, the scouting reservation has helped nearly one million youth obtain life skills and created a larger community with those involved in their programs.

“We know that when youth are involved in scouting they learn valuable life skills and lessons that will stay with them the rest of their lives, and ultimately make our communities better for everyone,” Miller said in an emailed statement.

Katie Carico, a scouting volunteer, told the Sun on Saturday that her family had their first camping trip at Broad Creek in February 2009 when her sons were cub scouts.

Since then, Carico spent many weekends and a few summer camp weeks at Broad Creek with her three sons and now, her daughter is attending, Carico said. Her daughter went to the Cub Scout summer camp last summer where she took her first canoe ride.

“Although the Cubs were apprehensive for the adventure of camping away from normal comforts they came back with a new confidence and memories they won’t forget,” Carico said in an email to the Sun. “After spending a week there, Elizabeth, who is 10, has declared Broad Creek her favorite place and that week was her best ever and can’t wait to return. She is counting the days until her first Troop campout there next month.”

Currently, Carico said her sons camp and volunteer with the order of the arrow, scouting’s honor society, where youth up to age 21 take on leadership roles and the adults mentor them through their activities.

“My boys have grown through planning and leading events at Broad Creek for groups of Scouts from around the Baltimore Area,” Carico said.

Families are looking forward to the improvements from the Broad Creek renovations since it opens up new ideas to get the youth to attend the reservation for the new dining hall among the other improvements, Carico said.

Miller said the renovations, as well as other moves for the campus, relates back to the recruitment of new youth and their retention in scouting, and the continued development of Broad Creek will allow them to serve more youth and stay relevant with the needs of today’s youth.

“We believe that every youth in the greater Baltimore area should have the opportunity to participate in scouting,” Miller said in an emailed statement to the Sun.

To determine a fundraising campaign goal, a capital campaign study was held with scouting alumni and supporters, business and community leaders to share the vision for the development of Broad Creek.

The fundraising for the capital campaign is being done with key volunteers and the staff of the Baltimore Area Council.

Additionally, Broad Creek Scouting Reservation will have the first week of its summer program from June 23 to June 29. Miller told the Sun on Saturday the scouting reservation will be able to keep the cost for a youth to attend Broad Creek in the summer at $455 per week.

For more information on Broad Creek, visit https://broadcreekbsa.org/.