Broward’s only Girl Scouts camp will close by 2017

Camp Telogia
Camp Telogia

The only Girl Scouts-owned camp in Broward County, 9.5-acre Camp Telogia in Parkland, is closing and will revert to county ownership.

The Girl Scouts organization told members in southeast Florida that Camp Telogia will be closed in June to overnight campers, and in June 2017 to all events.

The Girl Scouts organization decided to relinquish its 55-year ownership of the camp after failing in October to win county approval of a proposal to sell the camp to developers.

Parkland Mayor Michael Udine told the Sun-Sentinel that the city has opposed development of the camp site off Holmberg Road: “From the city’s point of view, we want it to stay green and open.”

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The county donated the 9.5 acres to the Girl Scouts for a token $1 price in 1961. The property reverts to county ownership if unused for two years, under deed restrictions linked to the county’s donation of the land to the Girl Scouts.

Girl Scouts official Lisa Johnson told the Sun-Sentinel she was unsure if the Girl Scouts will stop using the camp in 2017 and wait until 2019 for ownership to revert to the county, or if it will directly transfer the property to the county sooner.

Johnson said the net cost of operating the park is $17,900, and it would cost an estimated $391,000 to upgrade the camp to “good usable condition.” The $391,000 would cover replacement of the front gate, new roofs, upgraded bathrooms, new steps and entry ramps for buildings, and new tents and tent platforms. [Sun-Sentinel] Mike Seemuth