>“This article on Declining enrollments strain finances, in many north Jersey swim clubs, shows how pools have lost memberships this year at accelerated rates due to the slumping economy. Even as the pro RPP tout they joined neighboring pools, those pools show declining membership percent losses also: Paramus 10% loss, Westwood 25% loss, Washington Twnshp 10% loss. Towns are holding off on expensive repairs. One would think, how can Ridgewood possibly think of a $10Million Bond?”
Swim clubs in deep
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Last updated: Sunday September 6, 2009, 9:39 AM
BY DEENA YELLIN
The Record
STAFF WRITER
https://www.northjersey.com/recreation/Swim_clubs_in_deep.html
In a slumping economy, many North Jersey swim clubs have just about managed to stay afloat.
With summer unofficially ending this weekend, swim clubs in Ridgewood, Paramus, Fairfield, Hasbrouck Heights, Bogota, Westwood, Ringwood and Washington Township report they have lost substantial numbers of members this year.
Many of the clubs are holding off on expensive repairs. Others are allowing residents of other towns to join as associate members or to use the pool for daily fees, an unthinkable concept in richer times.
One economist was not surprised.
“The consumer is retrenching sharply because of lost home equity, financial investment losses, excessive debt and job losses or fear of job losses,” said James Hughes, dean of the Edward Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University. “Discretionary spending has been curtailed as households try to rebuild their balance sheets. Swim clubs are a discretionary spending item.”
At the Highlands Natural Pool in Ringwood, Treasurer Helene Wittmershaus attributed the decline from 102 to 76 member families to this year’s inclement weather as well as the harsh economic climate. “We are trying to come up with ways to entice people to join,” she said.
Closter dropped the price of its membership. Demarest is considering merging its pool with Closter, and Haworth has allowed the town to take over the club’s operation. Several clubs said they advertised this year for the first time to appeal to a crowd that’s not buying.
“Up until this year, we’ve had a waiting list every year for the past 20 years,” said John Casella, president of the Hasbrouck Heights Swim Club. “The pool needs to upgrade some of its equipment, but its revenue stream has been lowered,” he said.
The Hasbrouck Heights Swim Club charter does not permit members from out of town, but this year, the club issued guest passes for families with friends and relatives in town on a one-time basis, said Casella. Several other North Jersey swim clubs also said they loosened their normally tight membership restrictions this year to make ends meet.
Bogota’s pool, for example, which lost about 30 member families this year, opened its membership to the public for the first time, said pool manager Jeff Clark. “We’re all pitching in to have special events to do fund-raising activities. We’re reaching out to neighboring communities. We hope to appeal to more people.”
Not all pools are suffering. Hillsdale, Wayne and Fair Lawn said their numbers are similar to last year’s. Cresskill gained members. “We’re getting more members because it’s cheaper to join the swim club than to go away on vacation,” said Matt Bickford, assistant manager at the Cresskill club.
Others are not as lucky. At Graydon Pool in Ridgewood, where membership is down 31 percent from last year, spokeswoman Nancy Bigos said, “This is the lowest membership we’ve had in years. It’s hard to pay expenses.”
Demarest’s pool has seen a lot of turnover, as has the town: Many high-powered executives who lost their jobs sold their homes and moved out. “We’re doing better than most of the other pools, but if we don’t get a surge in the next few years, it will be hard to keep up the pool,” said assistant manager Mike Pasciuto. “The costs of chlorine and cleaning supplies have gone up. There’s been talk about merging the Demarest and Closter pools together, but neither town wants to give up their facility.”
Some say that the declining membership has been a steady trend over the past few years. In Washington Township, membership has gone down every year for the past few years by about 15 families, while five to 10 new families join, said board Co-president Scott Davies. But this year was markedly worse because of the economy. The club lost 25 families this year, and no new families came in.
“A lot of swim clubs are having difficulties,” he said. “We had a greater number of people resign this year than in the past with the economy,” he said. “If residents lost their jobs, they will curtail in whatever way they can.”
In an effort to cut costs, the board members pitched in by volunteering at the club on weekends, maintaining the grounds and painting the pool. The club renegotiated insurance and landscaper contracts to save money. And now, the club is more aggressively seeking members, said Davies. “We’re reaching out to other communities. We’re advertising. It’s definitely tougher this year than in the past.”
Westwood has watched membership decline and expenses go up over the past few years. The club, which lost 30 families this year, had a potential buyer, but the board members wanted to hold on to their beloved club.
“We’ve had financial problems,” said Marge Guitella, the board president. “We had to take out a loan to replace a pump, but we are reluctant to raise dues. We don’t want to lose our club. We will advertise, we’re inviting other towns to come, we’re offering discounts, and we’re thinking of lowering our dues. High dues are driving out members in this economy. We are working hard to get through this season.”
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