CAMP CREINA, Pacific Shores Area Girl Guide Camp, is located near the Koksilah River, 12 km south of Duncan, BC. It has 47 wooded acres with accommodations for 200 campers on cleared campsites and two buildings for indoor camping.
Camp Creina is located at 2365 Shaw Road, Duncan (Cowichan Station), BC.
Camp Creina History
Miss Norah Creina Denny, who founded Queen Margaret’s School in Duncan and who had 70 years of Guiding to her credit, made the purchase of the property possible with an interest-free loan in the mid sixties. The original ownership by the Girl Guides of the Cowichan Valley and Stuart Channel Divisions was turned over to Mid Island Area in 1981.
Miss Denny’s influence on the Guiding life of Cowichan Valley Division (Vancouver Island) was stupendous. In the newspaper records of the early years, she is mentioned as addressing meetings in the interest of Guiding many times—to help form new Companies, parent groups, etc. Over the many years, it had been almost unknown for Miss Denny to miss a Guide event—her attendance and support always there as the power behind the wheel, helping and encouraging. A great many people look back with fond memories of the large camps organized by this able Leader.
There are not many people who were enrolled by the Chief Scout, Lord Baden-Powell and remained as active in Guiding as this lady. Miss Denny was active in England for 5 years before coming to Can-ada in 1919. She was District Commissioner for Cowichan from October 1920 until 1935, when she was appointed Division Commissioner for Cowichan Valley. She remained in this job until October 1957. Miss Denny was Captain of the 1st Cowichan Company from 1920 until starting a company at the school in 1930, a position she held for 34 years.
Many annual meetings have been held at Queen Margaret’s School. Also numerous District and Division meetings, rallies and Guide Inter-national Service Training Camps. She was co-hostess at the school for many VIP’s to name a few: Lady Baden-Powell, Mrs. Peplar, Miss Bridget Ransden, Miss MacMahon, Miss Milne, Miss Close, Miss Sim-mons, Miss Hannah, and Miss Illingworth, all from England. Miss Roff from Quebec and Miss Dorothy Ayre from Newfoundland.
In 1946 Lady Baden-Powell presented Miss Denny with the “Beaver”, Canadian Guiding’s highest award. In 1958 the Cowichan Valley Divi-sion, in appreciation of her many years of devoted service, presented a Life Memebership in her name to the National Council.
Camp Creina (appropriately named after Miss Denny) was officially opened on June 3, 1962 with Provincial Camping Commissioner Mrs. RA Thompson and Provincial Camp Advisor Miss B Henson in attendance. Miss Denny addressed the many visitors and officially opened the camp.
Miss Denny passed away in October 1983. Sadly missed, but forever remembered.