Montgomery County summer camp prepares to open after Gov. Wolf's surprise announcement

ELKINS PARK, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- A huge weight was lifted from Chris Hill's shoulders after Governor Tom Wolf announced Friday that summer camps and other outdoor recreational facilities can open in Pennsylvania.

Hill and his wife Joyce own the scenic Camp Anglewood in Elkins Park. The lake is stocked with fish, the pool is sparkling and families have been calling steadily after Wolf's unexpected decision to relax the stay at home order he first implemented in March.

"We were very pleased. It's nice he mentioned that we're child care," said Hill. "A lot of our families need help so they can go back to work."

Camp staff will spend the next month planning to implement CDC safety guidelines which include smaller groups, masks, and more vigilant cleaning. Hill said even simple tasks like keeping the kids hydrated will need to change.

"The kids typically push a button on coolers and get a cup of water," said Hill. "We're going to have one person do that per group."

Hill said the eight-acre camp, now in his 68th season, will open as planned on June 22. While there are still some openings he expects most of those spots will fill up as parents look for ways to keep their children occupied.

"People want to get out and do something and I think they want their kids to get back to some kind of normalcy," said Hill. "Hopefully we'll provide that."

Governor Wolf's announcement also permits community and public pools to open this summer; however many communities like Cheltenham Township in Montgomery County had already decided to close its two township pools.

Cheltenham commissioner Brad Pransky says it may not be financially feasible or practical to reverse that decision so close to the start of the season.