What's New At Chatham's Colony Pool Club For 2021 Season

CHATHAM, NJ — After an abbreviated season in 2020 from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Colony Pool Club has many reasons to celebrate its 2021 season and 93rd year in operation since 1928.

Membership at the club on 55 School Avenue in Chatham Township, has climbed about 80 percent from 2019, with the Pool Club offering a new tennis program, food concession and outreach. Two of 2021’s updates also include a swim team expansion and shifted daily schedule.

The Pool Club, with its nearly five acres of recreational amenities - including its 8,300 square foot beach and chlorinated, fresh water soft sand pool - says it expects that there will be new memberships rolling in throughout the summer, even as the pool season winds down, with about 700 memberships to date and 2,000 registered.

This is a jump since May, when the pool club’s membership was then 25 percent higher than it had been in 2019.

““We’re happy to have all our offerings available for the membership from water slides and playgrounds, to cookout grills and sand toys,” said Lauren Hauser, Colony Pool Club’s manager.

“Colony Pool Club is fully back to the business of family fun in Chatham Township,” Hauser added.

“Colony is a special place and I’m proud to have taken on the responsibility of Chairman in January 2021,” said Mark Lois, Colony Pool Advisory Committee Chairman.

“Even if you are not a member, there is reason to celebrate, as the Club supports its own operations, instead of relying on township taxpayers," Lois said.

New Tennis Program

Part of the Pool Club’s exciting summer lineup is the return of its children’s tennis program, which is back after a decade of being gone. Over 60 children participated this season, with the summer’s last two-week session of group lessons starting on Monday, July 19.

“I am very happy to be leading the Colony tennis program, participation has been great,” said Jeffrey Brandes, the tennis supervisor, who is Fairleigh Dickinson University’s head coach.

“The youth instructional program I have developed over many years is in use at multiple locations in New Jersey, including Colony,” he added. “Our unique instruction methods allow participation by players as young as four; and makes tennis skill development fun for all ages.”

New Concession

Panini sandwiches, salads, grilled and chilled sandwiches, beef burgers, veggie burgers, hot dogs, personal pizzas, chicken fingers, waffle fries, ice cream and more make up the menu at the Colony Pool Club’s new concession with Vespucci’s Marketplace.

“I have a passion for food that is really a family tradition,” said Lorenzo Vespucci, the owner of Vespucci’s Marketplace at Colony.

“We are happy to be a part of Colony, a club with a history even longer than my nearly 40 years in the business of feeding people quality food,” Vespucci said.

Some Exciting Summer Events So Far

With the return to group activities following the pandemic, the Pool Club has already hosted a lineup of events for its members. In addition to swim and tennis lessons, the pool members celebrated with fun and activities on July 4, with two of the activities for families on Independence Day, a water balloon toss and treasure hunt.

A Family Float Day took place this past weekend, with families relaxing with their inflatable floats and noodles in the pool.

In June, the Pool Club hosted “Bert Abbazia Day,” with the club’s first certified lifeguard from the 1944 season. Abbazia was commemorated with an honorary lifeguard chair, with its own special plaque.

More Upcoming Happenings

The Colony Pool Club has some fun planned ahead this summer, with:

• A Sand Castle Contest on Sunday, July 18 at 2 p.m.
• Afternoon Music With DJ Tomas on Friday, July 23 at 3:30 p.m.
• Tween/Teen Dance Party on Friday, July 23 from 7:15 to 9:15 p.m., for 10-14 year olds, with games and activities.

For more information about the club, click here for its website and here for Facebook. View the Colony Pool Club 2021 brochure here.

Questions or comments about this story? Have a news tip? Contact me at jennifer.miller@patch.com.