Madison Community Pool Faces 'Uphill Battle' After Difficult 2020

MADISON, NJ — A year after memberships at the Madison Community Pool plummeted by 54 percent at a time when operating costs were at an all-time high due to the coronavirus pandemic, an attempt to bring residents back this summer remains in full swing.

But pool officials acknowledge bouncing back from last year won't be easy. As of Tuesday, 273 memberships have to been sold for the upcoming season, which is about 25 percent of the goal that has been set for the year, pool officials wrote in a social media post.

In addition to pool memberships, swim lessons and spots on the Madison Community pool swim team are also open for registration. Summer swim camp spots are also quickly filling up, according to the post, especially for youngsters between the ages of 5-7 and 7-9. The swim camp sessions last a half-day with lessons and lunch included. Registration for summer camp spots, swim lessons and for the swim team — along with membership options — are all found at the pool's website.

The membership drive comes as pool officials said they are still trying to be “transparent about the hardships” according to a post on the pool’s website. The pool receives no funding from the borough, officials said, which means that they must cover the costs entirely themselves.

Pool officials have set a goal of 1,200 memberships to be sold by the end of April. The drive began Feb. 1 and memberships are being offered at various price points. The website post said that they will determine what opening for the season looks like once membership closes.

The pool opened last year once coronavirus restrictions were lifted and was the only community pool in the region to offer a full 10-week season, the website states. Despite the ongoing pandemic, pool officials said int he post on the website that they did not have one positive case of COVID-19, which makes them optimistic about a safe 2021 season.

The pool, which is the largest employer of young people in Madison, according to pool officials, said the organization still faces an “uphill battle” in rebounding from last season’s COVID-19-related struggles, but believes they can be overcome with community support.