Jackson approves $438k plan to turn historic rova farms into community park

JACKSON, N.J. – Jackson Township is officially moving forward with plans to redevelop the long-dormant Rova Farms property into a public community park, after the Township Council approved a $438,432 agreement with Morgan Engineering to lead design and permitting work.

The contract, authorized under Resolution 162-2025, tasks the firm with preparing architectural designs and securing permits from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and other state agencies. The 34-acre site, located at 120 Cassville Road, will be transformed into a multifunctional park that blends recreation with a tribute to the area’s unique cultural heritage.

Council members credited the years-long efforts of the Rova Farms Committee and its chairman, Steve Chisolm, for helping bring the long-awaited project closer to reality. “I’m pleased to see most of the original concept plan fully incorporated into the current project scope,” Councilman Giuseppe Palmeri said during the meeting.

The new Rova Park will include walking paths, a community garden, playground, boardwalk, kayak launch, cultural museum, and a performance pavilion. Construction is expected to begin following the completion of permitting requirements.

Council President Jennifer Kuhn and Vice President Mordechai Burnstein publicly thanked township staff and volunteers for breaking the administrative gridlock that had previously delayed the redevelopment.

Key points

Jackson Township awarded a $438,432 contract to Morgan Engineering for Rova Park redevelopment.
The 34-acre former Rova Farms property will feature recreational and cultural amenities.
Township officials credited volunteers and the Rova Farms Committee for advancing the project.

Historic resort site reimagined for public use

The project revives a landmark location once known as a cultural hub for Russian émigrés. Founded in the 1930s by the Russian Consolidated Mutual Aid Society of America, Rova Farms served as a lakeside retreat that drew thousands annually for Orthodox religious events, concerts, and summer activities through the mid-20th century.

At its height between the 1940s and 1960s, the site hosted a restaurant, dance hall, and camps, anchoring the Russian Orthodox community in Jackson and beyond. But a combination of demographic shifts, financial challenges, and a 1965 accident lawsuit initiated a steady decline.

By the early 2000s, the site was mostly abandoned. Jackson Township purchased a portion of the land in 2019 for $600,000 using open space preservation funds to prevent commercial development. Due to safety concerns, most of the original structures were demolished by 2023.

The park’s ten planned features include native vegetation restoration, a fixed dock, memorial, parking areas, and an ADA-accessible playground. A community center will also serve as a museum to preserve and share the story of Rova Farms.

A number of local volunteers contributed to the planning effort, including Matthew McCall, Ethan Noble, Alla Long, Theodora Noordzy, Victor Sevcenko, and several others named by the Township Council during the resolution’s passage.

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