Buddy Evans, the president and CEO of the YMCA of Montclair, details how the Y transformed a traditional day camp into a year-round outdoor education and program center deeply connected to its local community. Through extensive stakeholder engagement and a post-COVID-19 strategic plan, the Y responded to rising demand for outdoor recreation, human connection, and screen-free experiences by creating a safe, welcoming hub for families, youth and future environmental educators.
Enjoy!
Key Takeaways
- Listening unlocks transformation. The YMCA of Montclair began by acknowledging it didn’t have all the answers and spent significant time listening to local families, schools, PTAs and stakeholders to understand true community needs.
- From seasonal camp to year-round hub. A traditional eight to 10-week day camp was reimagined as a year-round outdoor education and program center, finally serving the immediate communities around the property.
- Post-COVID-19 demand for outdoors. The project directly responds to a surge in interest in outdoor recreation and screen-free experiences, offering safe, welcoming spaces for children and adults to reconnect with nature and each other.
- Collaboration as a core strategy. Success was driven by board, staff, and community collaboration, plus partnerships with schools, scout groups and local businesses, making it a true team effort rather than a single-leader initiative.
- Developing future leaders. Through partnerships like with Montclair State University’s environmental education internships, the site not only serves youth today but also helps train the next generation of outdoor and environmental educators.
