East Brunswick's Crystal Springs Pool Future In Doubt As Deficit, Staffing Woes Mount

EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ — Mayor Brad Cohen said the township will soon need to decide whether to continue operating the Crystal Springs family Waterpark, describing the municipal pool as a growing financial burden that may become increasingly difficult to justify.

Cohen's comments came during a public hearing on the township's proposed 2026 municipal budget, in response to a resident who asked about the pool utility deficit.

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The budget shows the pool utility deficit grew from $600,000 to $630,000 this year, with the general fund absorbing the full shortfall. The pool utility is carrying no operating surplus, down from $51,930 the prior year.

"At some point we are going to have to make a decision as a town, as a board, as a community — is it even something that's worth continuing as an ongoing business?" Cohen said.

The mayor cited several compounding challenges. The pool operates only two months a year, making it difficult to recruit and retain seasonal staff, particularly as competition has grown from the township's ice rink, which offers year-round indoor employment. Rising chemical and equipment maintenance costs have added further pressure.

Cohen also noted that a significant portion of the pool's users come from outside East Brunswick — a dynamic he described as a double-edged sword. "If we didn't have people from outside of the town using it, it would have actually closed years ago, because that's what's keeping it afloat," he said.

Residents, he added, have raised concerns about the out-of-town usage, even as that usage subsidizes operations.

The mayor said the township has not yet held a formal discussion about the pool's future, but indicated that conversation is coming. "It's one we're going to have to think about relatively soon," he said. The choices, as he framed them, are stark: continue absorbing the deficit as a public service paid for by taxpayers, or close the facility.

The pool utility's struggles are one of several financial pressures reflected in the proposed $89.4 million budget, which the council trimmed from an initial 3 percent tax increase to just under 1 percent by identifying $875,000 in new revenues.

The parking utility is also running a deficit, with the general fund absorbing $1.36 million in 2026, though that figure has improved slightly from $1.78 million in 2025 as post-pandemic commuter parking has partially recovered.

A public hearing on the budget is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. May 11 at Township Council Chambers.

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