Cherry Hill Set To Buy Kingston Swim Club, Use It For Open Space

CHERRY HILL, NJ — Cherry Hill Council will consider a resolution that would allow the township to purchase the Kingston Swim Club property and preserve it as Open Space when it meets Monday night, officials announced.

The club didn’t open for the 2020 season and is headed toward a sheriff’s sale, the township said in a statement Thursday night.

“We have heard a great deal of concern from residents worried about the impact of any development on that site, and we promised from day one to do everything in our power to protect the neighborhood and the residents’ quality of life,” Cherry Hill Mayor Susan Shin Angulo said. “The board of the swim club remained engaged and in contact with us. Their cooperation is an incredible example of the progress that can be made when citizens and government work together to achieve a positive result.”

“While we are very disappointed to see the swim club close, we are thrilled that the mayor and council stepped in to protect the property,” Kingston Swim Club Board President Bob Mangels said. “This is a great outcome for our community.”

Residents were concerned because the 3.98 acre site sits in the middle of the Kingston neighborhood, up against several homes. It is next to the baseball fields and hockey rinks.

The township said its position in the neighborhood near the fields makes it prime land for a neighborhood park or walking trail. The property will be purchases using the township’s Open Space funds, officials said. The Cherry Hill Department of Public Works will clean up, secure and beautify the site in the coming weeks, officials said.

“Our goal is to protect and enhance the charm and character of the Kingston neighborhood,” Shin Angulo said.

“This action ensures that this property will stay out of the hands of developers,” Cherry Hill Council President David Fleisher said. “This is a major victory for the Kingston neighborhood and our community. We look forward to seeing this property used for recreational purposes to benefit our residents.”