Lac du Castor Blanc – Gracefield, Quebec
Synod of Quebec and Eastern Ontario

In 1961 the Billings family, who were members of St. Timothy’s Presbyterian Church in Ottawa, was seeking to sell their family’s summer property which was located just outside Gracefield, Quebec. In 1962 and 1963 the Synod of Montreal and Ottawa purchased two parcels of land from the Billings family. The first camp at Gracefield was held during the summer of 1963. Gracefield grew throughout the 1960s: the chapel was built and dedicated in 1965, and campers’ cabins and a community washroom were built in 1967. In 1972 the Dowler family donated a five acre plot of land which included a cabin that became known as Bruno’s, while in 1977 the camp purchased the Manager’s Cottage from Dr. Wilson’s family who were friends of the Billings and owned property adjacent to the camp.

Gracefield continued to grow and provide programming to the Presbyterian community during the 80s and 90s. In 1994 the name was changed from “Gracefield Presbyterian Centre” to “Gracefield Camp & Conference Centre” to make it known that the facilities could be used by groups outside the Presbyterian Church. Gracefield continues to host co-ed summer camps for a variety of age groups, tent and trailer campers, and retreat groups.

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