Town of Stony Point looks to purchase beloved Camp Bullowa

After decades of creating memories, the camp's pristine 313-acre campground has been put on the market.

News 12 Staff

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Jun 25, 2021, 10:10 PM

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Updated 1,275 days ago

In the heart of Stony Point is a beautiful campground that Boy Scouts have called home for decades, until now -- Camp Bullowa is up for sale.

After decades of creating memories, the camp's pristine 313-acre campground has been put on the market.

"I have memories as a young boy in Scouting. I remember coming here on a day trip, we did archery, hiking" said Stony Point Town Supervisor Jim Monaghan.

The campground belongs to the Greater Hudson Valley Boy Scouts, which informed the town of Stony Point it is looking to sell. There is no price tag on the property, but the town supervisor confirms the town is looking to purchase it.

"It is used by close to 50 Scout groups, not only here in Stony Point but throughout Rockland County. We want to make sure it's not developed, and we would like to save Camp Bullowa," Monaghan said.

The land is zoned as recreational and residential, but the town would like to purchase it and preserve it as is.

"It really is a vital piece of property, that we want to make sure it stays just like it is now - beautiful, not developed open space," Monaghan added.

Below is a statement from the Greater Hudson Valley Council, Boy Scouts of America:

Regarding the Need for Camp Property Sales:

To ensure we are best positioned to continue serving local youth, families and communities for years to come, the Boy Scouts of America Greater Hudson Valley Council has made the difficult decision to list some camp properties for sale. While this has the potential to impact operations at one or more properties including Camp Bullowa, Durland Scout Reservation and Camp Nooteeming, we have not yet finalized any sales and will continue operations as planned in these locations for the summer 2021 season. We hope to retain at least one of these properties depending on the market value needed to fund our council’s contribution to the survivor’s compensation Trust as part of the national organization’s bankruptcy process. Additionally, our Curtis S. Read Scout Reservation property is not for sale and will continue to serve local youth this summer and beyond.

The national organization of the BSA and all local councils are working together to achieve two key imperatives: equitably compensate survivors of past abuse in Scouting and ensure that Scouting continues in our communities and across the country for generations to come.

This was a difficult decision, and we understand the concerns that this may raise with our local Scouting families, but this a necessary step as we work toward these shared imperatives. While all of the Greater Hudson Valley Council’s camp properties have been valued parts of our operations over the years, we are confident that this decision is the right course of action to ensure the future of Scouting in our communities.

As a reminder, our council has not filed for bankruptcy. The Greater Hudson Valley Council remains as dedicated as ever to delivering our nation’s foremost program for character development and values-based leadership training in the Hudson Valley region. The Greater Hudson Valley Council serves about 10,000 young people on an annual basis. We are looking forward to an enriching summer of programming including STEM workshops, merit badge workshops, family nights, and other summer adventures.

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