The Scouts were back in town this weekend and this time a blend of about 1,100 young Canadian and American troops faced-off in war re-enactments and marched through town during their camp-out in The Commons.

Troops came from across Canada and the United States, but there weren’t many local scouts on-site this weekend.

Right now, there isn’t a Niagara-on-the-Lake troop, but camp chief Patricia Baker said there are talks about establishing one in town.

She met with Lord Mayor Betty Disero to discuss options for possibly creating one, she said. Nothing is set, but she said she’s hopeful that a NOTL troop will be formed in the future.

Each year since 1984, Scouts have been coming to NOTL for the Scout Brigade of Fort George on the third weekend in September.

“It’s a great way to kick off the year,” Baker said.

The group arrived on Friday and most of the afternoon was spent setting up camp, said Baker.

She said she has participated in this excursion for about 15 years, moving her way up the ranks. Now, as camp chief, she is often approached for direction and guidance from the eager and ambitious young scouts as she walks through the field. They seek her advice as they plan activities and step into their own leadership roles.

“The younger scouts can now take on those leadership roles and move up through the group,” Baker said.

Baker expressed pride at the growth of 18-year-old Madison Norman from North Bay, who has worked her way up to the role of regiment sergeant major for the re-enactment campaign.

“She has really worked hard to get where she is and has demonstrated an exceptional ability to lead the younger kids,” Baker said.

Norman has been in scouts for about seven years. It’s the community, the activities and the excursions that keep her coming back, she said.

Liam Smeets, Ben Chrisholm and Jacob Prophet of the 1st Barrie Foresters Group gathered in their camp before a re-enactment in the field.

The acitivities and programming keeps them interested in being scouts, the boys said.

“The activities are quite interesting, and we get to carry guns,” Chrisholm added.

Cap guns and pistols are carried by scouts for the re-enactments. Baker said if the troops all start firing the cap guns at the same time, then she would call the battle a success.