Bowmanville Camp 30: WWII site saved from demolition

Camp 30, a former WWII German prisoner‑of‑war camp that later operated as a boys’ reform school, sits in Bowmanville, Ontario. In 2008 the camp closed and the cafeteria building deteriorated. In 2022 it became the only municipality‑owned heritage structure on the former camp grounds, prompting calls for restoration. On Jan 24 2026, Clarington council unanimously approved that the volunteer Jury Lands Foundation (JLF), led by board chair Marilyn Morawetz, would take responsibility for fundraising and overseeing redevelopment, rather than the town. JLF has secured a $1 million federal grant and estimates a $2.6 million first‑phase cost, leaving $1.6 million needed to finish the project. The restoration will take about a year, with a deadline by year‑end.