MARLBORO — A new Marlboro recreation swimming pool complex will be planned for next summer if township officials can locate a suitable site for it.
For the second time in less than a month, John Safiotti, superintendent of recreation and parks, appeared before the Township Council at its meeting Thursday to answer questions from council members regarding a proposal to replace the current recreation pool with a new one.
On May 25, Safiotti and Stephen Dick, chairman of the Recreation and Parks Commission, presented the council with a proposal to replace the current above-ground pool, located at the municipal complex and used for the town’s summer camp program, with an in-ground pool at a new site. The current 5,660-square-foot pool has a capacity for 700 swimmers.
According to Dick and Safiotti, the current pool, which opened in 1988, is almost beyond its practical life and requires substantial maintenance work to make it operational for the 2000 summer camp season. The work is expected to be completed in time for the opening of the summer camp.
The recreation commission has detailed a replacement proposal with two options. Under the first option, a new 4,500-square-foot in-ground pool with a capacity for 500 swimmers would be constructed at a new site. It would be for the summer camp and senior citizens’ use only. The projected cost for this option is $1.2 million.
The second option is a new 7,000-square-foot in-ground pool with a capacity for 875 swimmers to be constructed at a new site. That facility would be opened for 10 weeks instead of the present six-week summer camp session and would be available to the general public on evenings and weekends, with the township’s senior citizens having access to the facility for the entire day, instead of 3-5 p.m. as is the present practice, Dick said. The projected cost for this package is $1.9 million.
Following discussion among council members, a consensus was reached to pursue the second option.
"The enhanced new recreation pool facility will include a concession stand, a playground, a volleyball court, an enlarged parking area, as well as other amenities," Safiotti said. "It will be an attractive recreational facility for the township."
Council members then directed their attention to selecting a site for the new pool, asking their professionals for recommendations.
"If the former Marlboro hospital property was available, that would be the optimum site," said Township Engineer Bill Schultz. "A second site, on Tennent Road, has access problems as well as wetlands that would have to be disturbed to locate a pool there. That’s not acceptable."
Safiotti and Schultz informed council members that a 20-acre tract of municipal land at the intersection of Lafayette and Robertsville roads, with a Green Acres classification, would be the best site available to locate a pool facility as well as additional recreation softball fields.
Council Vice President Barry Denken-sohn disagreed with their recommendation, citing traffic patterns and congestion on those roads and the site’s proximity to the Greenbriar adult community.
"You’re barking up the wrong tree with this site," Denkensohn said.
Councilwoman JoAnn Denton suggested a tract of land on Topanemus Road for possible consideration. Schultz said that spot could support a pool but lacks sufficient acreage for ballfields.
"We need to get more information on the Lafayette Road site, as well as possibly building the new pool on the present site, if it can be expanded," said council President Steven Gustman. "Let’s get this process going so we can have a facility ready in time for next summer."
Council members directed Schultz and Safiotti to pick three sites, including the present location at the municipal complex, the Lafayette and Robertsville roads site and the Tennent Road location and return on June 22 with recommendations.
"We’ll establish a committee then to move the proposal forward," Gustman said.

