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KATEPWA BAPTIST KAMP / KATEPWA LAKE CAMP 
Katepwa Lake Camp (formerly Katepwa Baptis Camp) is owned by the Canadian Baptists of Western Canada and is operated under the direction of its local Board of Directors. KBK is an accredited member of the Saskatchewn Camping Association. The expansive waterfront and acres of rolling hills and fields provide a serene setting for both the reflective and activity-based aspects of our Christian camping experience. It is a dynamic place where, as God works, social as well as spiritual relationships are newly formed and progressively strengthened. MISSION STATEMENT To provide an excellent Christian camping experience where all have the opportunity to come to faith and maturity in Christ, and where Christian leaders are developed. HISTORY The land that is now known as KLC was first surveyed in 1947 by Harry Sundeen, Harvey Cartwright and Paul Sundeen. The churches in Regina had been using other locations at Echo in the Qu’Appelle Valley for many years, but now sought out a place they could develop for the Camping Ministry.
In 1949, the first official camp began onsite at Katepwa Baptist Kamp. The focus was largely on facilitating family camping. The scenic location offered the natural beauty of the unbroken prairie and the open skies over a deep blue lake. Most activities revolved around the water, from fishing and swimming to washing clothes or hair. These pioneer campers had no cabins or lodge, so they spent their nights in tents. The first road into the camp ran along the lake and was made in 1950. It can still be found behind the boys' cabins and leads past an overnight spot named Hidden Hollow. A mess hall was also purchased from Fifteen Wing Moose Jaw in the same year for $1000, but it was too wide to fit down the road. A plan was made to let the hall sit until winter, then a road was made across the ice where it was brought in one piece that very winter. Its use began in the summer of 1951. More buildings, such as girls' cabins, were added between 1951-55, and two old houses were moved in along the lake. In about the mid 1960's, Mr. Cohen, the owner of Army and Navy in Regina, was grooming Garth Kennedy, an upcoming executive from First Baptist, to take over the store when he retired. Mr. Cohen asked Garth if he knew of a particular charity that he should donate money to when he passed on, and Garth suggested KBK. The amount of $50,000 was donated and began the project of what became the Cohen Lodge. This lodge was completed in the early 1970's and has been a focal point of the camp ever since. Its purpose is to fulfill the camp's goal of an accessible retreating facility for the local church and year round camping. Perhaps no other building has been used so greatly on site to aid the camp's ministry.
The camp experienced financial struggles in the early to late 1990's, but through the faithful efforts of Neil and Allison Sundeen and many others, it is still around to be a place created by God to achieve His will. On June 16, 2011, the membership at the Annual General Meeting voted to change the name of the camp to Katepwa Lake Camp. This was done to increase accessibility. |
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The first view of the land was from the location of a hill that is now called Vesper.
The impression of the group was that is was “sound land”.
The land was eventually purchased from a Mr. Lanque for $1800.
However, this did not include the waterfront area, which was owned by a separate group.
Eventually the point was purchased from Wheatley’s Jewellery
for the high price of $200.
The stage was set for camping to begin.
Many other changes have happened over the past decades.
Buildings, activities, campers and supporters have come and gone.
Many have served humbly to use the camp for God's glory and
to fulfill the purpose of touching the lives of all who come to this Kamp,
and to take them deeper in their relationship with God through His Son Christ Jesus.
