By larry ramer
Staff Writer
The parents of children who are attending Marlboro’s summer recreation program will receive a refund because a new pool that was scheduled to be ready this summer has not opened, said Stephen Dick, chairman of the town’s Recreation and Parks Commission.
Parents were notified last week that they are scheduled to receive a refund in early September, Dick said.
Due to the intensely rainy spring — and more recent rains — work on the $2.1 million pool being built on Vanderburg Road was delayed, Dick explained.
"We had a spring with horrendous weather and rain most of June. … The weather just got nice at the end of June, early July," he said.
Activities such as laying cement and putting in the pool’s lining were delayed by the bad weather, Dick added.
As a result of the construction delays, the children enrolled in the summer recreation program have not been able to swim in a pool. Parents of children who attended the full six-week session will receive a $50 refund, while parents whose children attended the half-session of three weeks will receive a $25 refund, Dick said.
"We’re offering this refund because we want to do what’s right," he added.
About a week before camp started, parents were informed for the first time that campers’ access to the Vanderburg Road pool would be delayed, Dick said.
In the letter informing the parents of the delay, which was signed by Dick, sent to parents of the summer camp and obtained by the News Transcript, Dick wrote, "We now are experiencing a slight delay in the opening of the New Aquatic Center. How-ever, this ‘temporary’ delay will only affect the start of the summer camp facility. Our magnificent new facility is scheduled to open shortly after the camp program begins."
In order to receive a full refund of their $475 registration fees for a full six-week session of camp, parents would have had to cancel by June 13, at least a week before they received Dick’s letter.
The Recreation and Parks Commission did not know the delay at the pool would be so extensive, Dick explained.
"We never knew the severity of the delay. When we found out about the delay, we thought maybe it would be a week or two. … When you’re told, ‘Don’t worry, it will be done next week,’ you can’t keep sending out alerts. You’re always at the mercy of builders" in a situation like this, Dick said.
He added that the Recreation and Parks Department had hired lifeguards and other personnel with the assumption that the pool would be ready for the camp.
"Why would we hire these people if we didn’t think the pool would be ready?" Dick asked. "I would love to see the recreation department recoup some of these funds."
The children attending the recreation program are still enjoying other activities involving water.
"We’re offering a whole slew of water events and activities," Dick said. "The kids [in the program] still enjoyed a nice summer."
The refund that the parents will receive is equal to the amount of money allocated to the swimming program, Dick said.
Marlboro Public Information Officer Susan Levine added the acting township attorney will review the contract with the builder of the pool, Stone Ridge Inc., and make recommendations about what action, if any, the township should take in this matter.