Pool property to be sold
By Nicole M. Wells, Special Writer
CRANBURY — For members of the Cranbury Swim Club, this summer will be different from last summer, and the summer before that. That’s because this summer, the covers won’t be coming off of the club’s pools.
The race to fund the club’s 2014 season has ended and, with membership and financial commitment numbers just shy of where they needed to be, the organization’s volunteer board has decided opening is not a possibility.
”Despite the Herculean efforts of some and the very generous support of so many, the Cranbury Swim Club will not be opening for the 2014 season,” the board said, in a statement to its members. “After numerous board meetings, fund-raising activities and recent membership drive, your board unanimously voted to not open the pool this year.”
The current membership number of 142 was close to the minimum of 150, and the club’s capital campaign raised $95,000 of the $110,000 needed, according to the board’s statement.
Because the organization is also behind on its mortgage payments, the bank decided to only extend its approximately $200,000 mortgage to Dec. 31.
The club is unsure if it could refinance before that date, the board statement said.
”It’s definitely devastating,” board member Matt Curran said. “So many people put so much time and money into it and we were close.”
After many conversations with several lending institutions, including the club’s bank, the board is not confident that it could open for more than one season, according to its statement.
”All along we said that we would only open this year if we were confident that we could do it for more than one season,” it said. “We are not confident.”
The property will be put up for sale soon, the board said, to pay off the bank, back taxes and the pool’s management company.
Ultimately, the hope is that the new owner will reinvest in the pool and reopen it in the future.
”That would be ideal,” Mr. Curran said. “Hopefully we can find a buyer.”
In its statement, the board urged members to take the money they pledged to the swim club and apply it to other community organizations.
”In order to help other local Cranbury groups, please consider using some or all of your assessment commitment dollars to supporting them in lieu of the Cranbury Swim Club,” it said. “All of our local groups would greatly benefit from your continued generosity.”