SPRINGFIELD, NJ — At the June 13 Springfield Township Committee meeting, a bond ordinance was authorized for the town to make a down payment of $1,400,000 for its community pool renovation project, now in its second financial phase. The project’s total cost is between $2 and $2.5 million, with $1 million approved for the project last year.
“We are looking at the best and most cost efficient way to go about this,” Robert Barranger, of Cornerstone Architectural Group, said at the town meeting. Preliminary aspects of the renovation were discussed last year and the construction plans were introduced at the meeting, and handouts of plans and fact sheets distributed.
“The original building was constructed in 1963,” Barranger said. “It’s been well maintained and is worthy of expansion and renovation. We will turn the presently undersized seasonal building of 4,500 square feet into a new building. Our vision is to expand the building.”
Barranger described the “beach club design” envisioned for the new building, with materials and colors to illustrate that concept.
“The new building will be a year round facility with a new multipurpose room for the children’s program and other activities,” he said. “Architecturally, what we’ve done is make the building look noteworthy and significant by replacing the flat roof with a pitched roof. The glass doors will be welcoming and allow for an open breezeway from the parking lot to the pool. Another set of doors will lead to the multipurpose room so it can still be used when the pool is closed.”
“We also moved away from the blue paint to beige and slate blue for a more natural color scheme. Decorative stone will accent the main entrance. The building has good bones. The old roof will be removed the walls will be used to create new space. There will be locker rooms and a new fitness center on the pool side of the building.
Two sets of restrooms will be on either end of the multipurpose room. The kitchen and concession stand is much like it is now except the concession stand will have a shaded roof. The new building will be 8,888 square feet, almost double the size it is now.”
The building will remain one story, making the installation of elevators or stairways unnecessary. The additions will be in the back of the building and on one end.
The recreation department expressed a concern about how space is covered in case of inclement weather.
“The picnic area is sheltered so kids could wait for their buses there in case of bad weather,” Barranger responded. “There’s also the new fitness area.”
Previously, kids were cramped inside the locker rooms while waiting for buses when it rained. Residents also expressed a need for family friendly restrooms which the new building will be able to accommodate.
“Families expressed that there were issues having to take children into the opposite sex bathroom with them,” Barranger said. “We’ve added family friendly bathrooms to address these needs.”