Setting the tone for reimagined outdoor education and refreshed local outreach efforts, on July 12, the YMCA of Montclair officially broke ground on their West Milford property. With renovations underway, Buddy Evans, president and CEO of the YMCA of Montclair, said he cannot wait to see the West Milford community gather in the new and improved space, the Outdoor Education Center.
The 32-acre property was purchased in 1970 with plans to provide local children with an outdoor, recreational summer camp experience. At the time, this was an opportunity for local youth to step away from the television and immerse themselves in the outdoors, as part of the 10-week program.
For about 45 years its purpose was to reach kids in places like Montclair, Bloomfield and Clifton, Evans said, providing them with a recreational experience they could not as easily find in the towns where they officially resided.
However, YMCA of Montclair ultimately decided that there was an opportunity to reinvest and redesign their West Milford property to expand their services from 10 weeks during the summer to a year-long operation.
“We want to make this a program center to service all children and families, with a heavy focus on the communities of West Milford, Bloomingdale, and Wanaque, which for 45 years we didn’t serve,” Evans said.
The Constable Lodge, a 4,400 square ft lodge, a fully handicapped accessible facility which will include a full service teaching kitchen, a family great room and a nursing station, will sit at the forefront of the property. YMCA of Montclair hopes to offer after school programs within the lodge, like STEM-based activities and even adult classes like senior aerobics, perfect for older community members looking to get out of the house, engage with others and prioritize a good dose of weekly movement.
With help from donors John and Kristin Fette, another planned addition to the space is an environmental education center, offering year-long programs to teach children about nature and give them the tools to better understand their environment.
And for those with an itch for the stage, the Hara-Koshik Performing Arts Center opened a few weeks ago — a designated home for all things music, theater and dance.
Another one of the property’s future landmarks, the Turgeon Pavilion, will hold space for families to engage with one another. For those athletically competitive families, new basketball courts and five pickleball courts have been added to the campus.
Family Days are another great way for the whole gang to stop by and get a taste of the fun. On a Saturday or Sunday, you can all partake in the YMCA facilities, with your children as your tour guides, demonstrating new kayak skills or showing you the ropes around their other favorite YMCA approved activities.
“We want to get people onto our property,” Evans said. “We know that if they come, they are going to have a good experience.”
From a community accessibility standpoint, Evans said they have promised not to turn anybody down, regardless of ability to pay.
Each year, YMCA of Montclair holds a scholarship campaign, helping families in need of childcare with financial barriers to experience their programs.
Evans also highlighted their engagement with West Milford schools, forming connections and continuing to work with them to host popular events like the fifth and sixth grade field days.
But rest assured, summer camp will continue in the new space following its rebrand, with new camp options to look forward to as well. To help accommodate students whose parents work during school closures, like Spring or Winter breaks, Evans said they will organize school vacation camps at the lodge.
As a YMCA, safety is a top priority. American Camp Association accredited, the staff undergoes 40-hour training before being permitted to work. With strict safety standards in place, parents can find comfort that while their children will have fun, they will first and foremost be protected.
The entire project is set to be done by early Spring of 2026, when Evans said he hopes to hold a community event welcoming everyone. He also named the West Milford Board of Education, Superintendent Brian Kitchin and the West Milford Rotary Club as great partners to YMCA of Montclair throughout this process. Nothing would make him happier, he added, then to see “hundreds of West Milford residents become regular users of our property.”
“Our focus and our priority is to engage the local community of West Milford,” Evans said. “We want to be a partner of theirs, we want to be a provider of theirs. We want the Town of West Milford to understand that this Outdoor Education Center on Germantown Road is the West Milford Outdoor Education Center.”