Stockton College Proceeding with Plans for Ponderlodge

VILLAS — After inspecting Ponderlodge, Richard M. Stockton College is continuing with plans to turn the former golf course into an environmental education center.
Sen. Jeff Van Drew told the Herald he had spoken with the president of Stockton College following their inspection the building and property.
“They do believe structurally it is without question savable in their mind and they want to move forward,” he said. “Our next plan of attack is to meet with DEP which I am in the process of setting up now, bringing the players to the table which would be the folks from Stockton and their board and DEP, my legislative team and the mayor of Lower Township.”
“Everything seems to be very positive,” continued Van Drew.
Earlier in the month, Van Drew attended a Lower Township Council meeting where he fielded questions on the former Ponderlodge, now know as Villas Wildlife Management Area. At that time, he said he wanted an answer on the project within one month so the property would not continue to deteriorate. That 30-day period ended Monday.
Van Drew said he discussed with Stockton’s president the need to secure the facility.
“That has to be done in a relatively timely way without question,” said Van Drew.
He said the commissioner of DEP was supportive of the project.
Van Drew said no township funds would be used to restore Ponderlodge. He said DEP allocated a great deal of money to demolish buildings on the site and hoped part of that funding would be used to restore Ponderlodge.
Van Drew said the final decision on Ponderlodge needs to be made in the short term.
Mayor Michael Beck said the township was “cautiously optimistic.”
“It would be a home run for everybody,” he said.
“We’d love to see it happen,” Beck continued. “We need to make sure that all the things we need as residents of Lower Township are considered also.”
He said he could not imagine a better location for a college of ecological studies.
Barbara Skinner, who led a three-year campaign to save the property for ecological education center, told the Herald she thought the news was “fabulous.”
“I think it is something that is incredibly timely with everything going on in the environment,” she said, noting April 22 was Earth Day. “It will be a huge boon for Cape May County, a huge asset for everybody.”
Earlier in the month, Van Drew said it would be a very small campus but would be wonderful for Lower Township, creating local jobs and putting the “township on the map.” Classes would be held and possibly a small library created, said Van Drew.