New Memberships Will Determine Seasonal Fate For Hazlet Pools

HAZLET, NJ – A statement from Hazlet Mayor Mike Glackin details the uncertain fate of the Hazlet Swim and Tennis Club, which may or may not reopen for the Summer 2020 season. Although the pool season was originally cancelled in a statement made on June 3, the Hazlet Township Committee is currently reevaluating the possibility of opening up the Hazlet Swim and Tennis Club for the summer, per the June 11 update.

The Swim Club – which has served as a longtime staple for Hazlet during summer vacation in providing employment for students, practice spaces for local swim teams and recreational activities for seniors – remains shuttered due to the current COVID-19 pandemic. However, as Gov. Phil Murphy recently announced during a June press conference that swimming pools can open in the state on June 22, swimming facilities like the Hazlet Swim & Tennis Club are scrambling to get the proper funding and staff to accommodate swim season under new standards.

“These guidelines are a bit tedious and will limit pool access and add cost to operate, but they are for our safety. Please consider them before you commit to a potential membership,” Glackin wrote. “The swim club will only be opened if we have achieved the appropriate financial levels and can meet the state guidelines for public safety.”

As the entirety of the Swim Club’s revenue is derived from membership fees, the Swim Club will make a decision based on the amount of memberships purchased by June 19, according to the statement. Although a reopening date will not be confirmed before the middle of June, the Township Committee will evaluate the staffing and preparations needed for the club to reopen if an adequate number of memberships are sold.

“If enough memberships can be obtained by the end of June 19, the pool may be opened in the near future,” Glackin wrote. “A potential opening date cannot be determined at this time as staffing and preparations would need to be put in place.”

Glackin later told Patch that the township aims to obtain $200,000 in memberships for reopening. "While this is below the normal annual membership, I think that this number would create the 'Critical Mass' needed to start this venture," the mayor wrote in an email. "The key is getting the word out. We need members and it is a small amount of time to get them."

The club is currently offering memberships at the early bird rates offered earlier in the season, with membership options offered for both residents and nonresidents of the township. In the event that the pools remain closed, all membership payments will be refunded.

However, if opened this summer, the Hazlet Swim Club will look decidedly different than in previous years: the club will operate 50% capacity with a limited number of individuals in the pool, per State Health Department guidelines. Chairs will not be provided, and the club’s playground, zip line, and rock wall will be unavailable for use. Temperatures will be checked for individuals upon entry, and face coverings will be “required when social distancing is not a possibility,” according to the release.

For more information on the Hazlet Swim Club and membership options, click here.