Rate Increase For Morristown Pool Membership On Council Docket

MORRISTOWN, NJ — This season, the cost of swimming at Morristown's Burnham Park Pool might be a little higher, as the council prepares to introduce an ordinance amending the pool fees.

The Burnham Pool complex includes a main pool measuring 25 by 50 meters, a separate diving tank, a wading pool with a water fountain, a training pool, a sand area, a concession stand and a picnic area.

According to the agenda for the March 14 council meeting, the town intends to introduce an ordinance amending the municipal pool fees and update them for the 2023 season at Burnham Park Pool.

Resident families will pay an additional $15 annually, compared to last year, with a new rate of $265 and individual resident members will pay an additional $10. Resident couples will pay $15 more this year, with a new rate of $230.

Non-resident families will also see a price increase.

These families will pay an additional $20, with a new rate of $380 and individual resident members will pay an additional $15. Non-resident couples will pay $20 more this year, with a new rate of $340.

Morristown residents on food stamps, Medicaid recipients, or families eligible for free or reduced lunches through the National School Lunch Program are eligible for a 50 percent discount on all pool membership fees.

The ordinance also states that volunteer members of the Morristown Fire Bureau and the Morristown Ambulance Squad, as well as their immediate families, will be granted free pool membership.

Membership renewal and new member registration for the Burnham Pool will begin on Monday, April 3 at 9:30 a.m.

Officials from Morristown also recently unveiled a project proposal to upgrade Burnham Park after years of planning.

Burnham Park, which has been a part of Morristown for over a century, was donated to the town in 1911 by Frederick and Catherine Burnham, with deed restrictions requiring the town to hold the park in trust for the public.

The revitalization plan's goals include focusing on environmental cleanup and increasing accessibility for those with disabilities throughout the park while respecting and preserving the park's historic nature.

The plan for the park's pool calls for improving the parking area and enlarging the walkway for pedestrians outside the pool area.

Morristown administrator Jillian Barrick stated that the full scope of the project necessitates extensive planning and that completion could take between five and ten years.