Camp Naivelt - Political and Cultural History

Political and Cultural History

Camp Naivelt (meaning "New World" in Yiddish) was essentially a volunteer, summer, youth camp for Jewish working-class families. It was referred to as a "Worker's Children Camp" and promoted Jewish culture and leftist political ideals. The Camp was described as:

reflecting a secular, non-Zionist, socialist perspective. It was a community of like-minded, working class people, largely in the needle-trade. There were people who were active in union affairs and, yes, there were people who followed the Communist line.

A radical, Communist element was always part of the Park's early history. Canadian Communist Party leader Tim Buck sometimes spoke there. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police monitored activities and goings-on there from time to time through the late 1940s and 1950s. The Mounties were known to 'stake out' the park entrance, recording license plate numbers of those entering for public events.

A key function of Camp Naivelt was to promote the peace movement, social justice and labour rights, and to increase awareness of these issues among youth. Another principal aim was to give urban youth respite from the grime and heat of downtown Toronto. It also served as a refuge for children facing the threat of polio infection every summer.

When purchased the camp contained a merry-go-round and a meeting hall from the early years of Eldorado Park. Initially only tents were used for the campers. Later permanent frame cottages clad in insulbrick or clapboard were constructed. In the 1940s the UJPO built a band shell, boathouse, swimming pool and two bridges over the Credit River. At one point some 90 cottages were on the property. In the 1970s the present Eldorado Park was established when a portion of Camp Naivelt was sold to the City of Brampton.

Several dozen rustic frame cottages remain standing through the site; some arranged around large, open common areas and others in rows. These structures retain most of their original character-defining elements such as original wooden windows, doors and cladding (e.g. clapboard, insulbrick and shiplap siding). The cottages and setting form a significant and unique cultural heritage landscape in the City of Brampton.

Camp Naivelt has a deep and meaningful role to play in the exploration of Jewish cultural history in Canada. Jewish folklore, the Yiddish language, music, folk art and dance were studied at the Camp.