CRANFORD, NJ — Questions about the financial future of Cranford’s municipal pools resurfaced as the township moves ahead with major renovations at the Orange Avenue Pool ahead of the summer season.
At the May 19 Township Committee meeting, Mayor Kathleen Miller Prunty announced the township has secured $875,000 in grant funding for the project, including $750,000 from the state and $125,000 from the Union County Kids Recreational Fund.
The planned upgrades include a new ADA-compliant pool lift, renovated bathrooms, expanded decking, and a rubberized splash pad, according to township officials.
The mayor noted that the grant funding is restricted to capital improvements and cannot be used for operating expenses such as staffing or salaries, keeping focus on the ongoing costs associated with running the township’s two pool facilities.
That issue came up during public comment, where resident Ray Richards questioned whether the township can continue sustaining both pools given what he described as ongoing annual losses.
“How do you lose money on pools year after year and still do it?” Richards said. “Who in business does that? I can’t imagine any responsible person doing that.”
Richards said the township should consider closing the Centennial Avenue Pool, arguing the current setup is not financially sustainable. He also suggested an alternative use for the property, proposing an indoor ice rink as a potential revenue-generating option.
“If you put up a nice big cheap metal building… you can put in a real ice rink for $500,000,” Richards said. “You could make a fortune on this, but I’d hate to see this go to waste again.”
Mayor Miller Prunty acknowledged the long-standing financial challenges of operating two township pools, saying the issue has been discussed for years.
“It had been discussed for many years, as long as I’ve been on the township committee,” she said. “It just reached the point of being financially impossible.”
She added that the township has increasingly relied on outside grant funding to support repairs and improvements, particularly at Orange Avenue Pool.
The future of the pools has also become part of the broader local political discussion. Township Committee candidate Will Thilly used public comment to outline his position on the issue, saying, “I will keep both Centennial and Orange Avenue pools open and free.”
Officials also provided an update on pool membership numbers, reporting 963 memberships sold so far, with roughly two-thirds belonging to Cranford residents. Township officials said the figures are consistent with 2024, though below last year’s total of more than 1,400 memberships, which they described as an “outlier” year driven by increased interest.
Sign up for free local newsletters and alerts for the
Cranford, NJ Patch
Patch.com is the nationwide leader in hyperlocal news.
Visit Patch.com to find your town today.