Dino Camp is back for summer 2004…and it’s big. Tyrannosaur-big.

Last year, the Tumbler Ridge Museum Foundation and Northern Lights College jointly marketed and delivered a pilot project for a children’s dinosaur theme camp in Tumbler Ridge. The program was such a success that it will be repeated, on a larger and grander scale, with slight changes made to the age categories and the registration process.

The proposed “Dino Camp 2004” program will consist of several camps running simultaneously from the Tumbler Ridge campus of Northern Lights College. Of ten introductory level (“Raptor”) camps, eight will be allocated for children in the 9-12 age group and two others will be for youth between 13 and 16 years old. Graduates of the introductory camp can advance to the next level and attend one of four intermediate camps, termed “Tyrannosaur” camp.

Younger children between 6 and 8 years old can register for 2-day mini camps, which include one day in class and one day in the field. Maximum class size will stay at 10 for all children’s camps.

Grown ups are equally fascinated with dinosaurs and public demand was such that a new curriculum is being developed for adult and seniors’ camps, and it is anticipated that there will be two intakes for each. The adult camps may accommodate 12 to 15 students, depending on demand. In total, over 200 students from age 6 to 60 could graduate from the Dino Camp program in 2004.

Although exact dates have yet to be announced, the program will likely start in late June and run through to Labour Day. By spring, an online registration form may be available on the Northern Lights College website but, in the mean time, interested parents are asked to call the Tumbler Ridge campus directly at (250) 242-5591 with the student’s contact information and preferred dates. Students will be contacted when dates and cost have been determined and given first chance to register.

Each student who registers will receive a package in the mail containing information on Tumbler Ridge as a tourist destination and listing the amenities that make it an ideal family vacation. For more information on Dino Camps, visit the websites of Northern Lights College or the Tumbler Ridge Museum Foundation.