YMCA of Montclair has big plans for its lodge, Camp at the Lake in West Milford

David M. Zimmer, NorthJersey.com
·2 min read

The YMCA of Montclair is gearing up for a seven-figure investment in its campgrounds in the hills of upper Passaic County.

Called Camp at the Lake, the 32-acre property off Germantown Road in southeast West Milford has for decades hosted a summer day camp for children. Now organization leaders are planning an investment in new facilities to make it a year-round destination for upper Passaic County residents and those from the Clifton and Montclair area, said Buddy Evans, CEO of the YMCA of Montclair.

"We look to fill needs and help out anywhere in Passaic County that's within our catchment area," Evans said. "We look at this as an opportunity."

A rendering of the proposed 4,400-square-foot Constable Family Lodge at the YMCA of Montclair's Camp at the Lake in West Milford.
A rendering of the proposed 4,400-square-foot Constable Family Lodge at the YMCA of Montclair's Camp at the Lake in West Milford.

Officials at the YMCA of Montclair are heading a $1.5 million fundraising campaign designed to cover new construction around the 4-acre lake. A 4,400-square-foot lodge, called the Constable Family Lodge, is the centerpiece. Replacing a former caretaker's home, the lodge is planned to include a kitchen, office space, four bathrooms and 2,200 square feet of multipurpose space, records show.

Other plans include retrofitting an existing pavilion to create an outdoor performance space, replacing a temporary tent put up each year at a $10,000 cost with a permanent pavilion, and building a new environmental education center, YMCA officials said. Officials said the new spaces are designed to make outdoor programs and services year-round and support existing community health and wellness programs.

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Camp officials have been working with the community to provide water safety classes at local elementary schools, outdoor education classes and mental health first aid classes. Still, the YMCA of Montclair's pending investment in Camp at the Lake facilities is meant to enhance and multiply programming for the local community, officials said.

Founded in 1970 as Willow Lake, the YMCA of Montclair camp serves about 300 children per day each summer, Evans said, and is accredited by the American Camp Association. The facility focuses on small group activities ranging from fishing and swimming to arts and crafts.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: YMCA of Montclair NJ has big plans for camp in West Milford