Cherry Hill Council Approves Purchase Of Holly Ravine Farm

CHERRY HILL, NJ — The first formal step toward preserving Holly Ravine Farm has been approved. Cherry Hill's Township Council enthusiastically authorized the township's agreement to purchase the property that once housed a dairy farm and a beloved ice cream parlor.

The township is set to acquire the land for $3,859,000 and preserve it as open space. The price represents the average of two recent appraisals within $100,000 of each other, officials said at Tuesday's council meeting.

Last week, the township announced an agreement in principle to purchase the farm from the Gilmour family. Earlier this year, a developer hoped to build a senior-living complex on the property at the intersection of Evesham and Springdale Roads. But the Zoning Board rejected Caddis Healthcare Real Estate's proposal.

Once home to the Cowtail Bar ice cream parlor, Holly Ravine Farm brought fond memories to generations of residents and visitors. Often considered a relic of Cherry Hill's agrarian past, the 23-acre property represents one of the bustling suburb's largest green spaces.

"This is a significant milestone in the history of Cherry Hill Township," said Council President David Fleisher, "and is the first formal step toward ensuring that the Holly Ravine Farm is preserved and protected forever."

The township has the fiscal strength to purchase the property on its own, said Fleisher, a mayoral candidate who led negotiations for the township's purchase. However, Cherry Hill will pursue funding from the county and state.

Once the agreement is executed, Fleisher anticipates that Camden County will financially contribute to the acquisition.

"I can say from individual conversations that the Camden County Board of Commissioners," Fleisher said, "which has traditionally been very supportive of our open-space initiatives, shares our excitement for preserving this property forever."

A tree on the property, believed to be more than 100 years old, will also be preserved, added Council Member Jennifer Apell.

Lewis Gorman III, representing the Cherry Hill Environmental Board, praised the effort to preserve more open space. Like many longtime locals, he also has prized memories of the farm.

"As a kid, I went to Cowtail Bar a lot after dances on Friday and Saturday nights," Gorman told the council. "So this also has a personal touch for me."

The Gilmour family has owned the dairy farm for generations. John C. Gilmour Jr. — a dairy farmer who later became Cherry Hill's mayor — established the Cowtail Bar in 1933. Between the ice cream shop and the 1964 addition of the Moo Zoo, Holly Ravine Farm stood as a longtime family favorite in the region.

After the Cowtail Bar closed in the 1980s, the farm remained John and Eva Gilmour's home. John died in 1993. When Eva died in 2011, the family decided to try and preserve the property.

But several obstacles interfered, with the New Jersey Farm Preservation Committee and the township previously declining to preserve the land, according to Robert Gilmour, son of John and Eva.

With two preservation attempts failing, the family put the property on the market. But the township had blocked past potential sales out of concerns about adding traffic to the area.

Efforts to preserve Holly Ravine Farm hit a pivotal juncture earlier this year, when Caddis hoped to build the senior-living complex. The proposal sparked an outcry from members of the public hoping to preserve the farm. Ultimately, the Cherry Hill Zoning Board had concerns and rejected Caddis Healthcare Real Estate's application last spring.