Updated July 1, 2025 with South Orange Mayor Sheena Collum’s quote from her social media post.
The tall piles of dirt are gone. The plumbing is in. The concrete decking is poured and dried. And the baby and intermediate pools are beginning to sparkle, even if the big pool is still green. Lifeguards and staff are working on the premises.
In other words, the wait for the South Orange Community Pool to open is almost over.
On Monday, June 30, South Orange Village posted a notice on its website apologizing for the wait and letting residents know it won’t be much longer. The notice said they are “optimistic” that the baby and intermediate pools will be open by July 4, pending the clearance from mandatory state lab testing. (The Village says it will announce the result of this on Thursday, July 3.)
“We sincerely apologize that the pool is not yet open, but we are pleased to share that construction work at the South Orange Community Pool continues to progress steadily, bringing us closer to reopening and welcoming the community back for a safe and enjoyable summer season,” the notice reads.
It further states that because South Orange residents have been without access to a pool for nine days, “we are exploring options to extend pool hours during the regular season and later in the season to help make up for lost time. Any changes to the schedule will depend on staffing availability and will be announced once finalized. The Village will also be offering two complimentary guest passes per family to Recreation Badge holders.”
Pool Staff are getting the intermediate and baby pools ready for possibly opening by July 4. (Photo by Laura Griffin)
Because the main pool is so much larger than the other two pools, it requires additional time to balance the water chemistry, and then it will need to have third-party testing, according to officials.
“We expect to have a clearer timeline for submitting samples and opening the main pool later this week and will share updates as soon as they become available,” the notice states.
The baby pool and intermediate pools are getting prepped for opening. Photo taken June 30, 2025 by Laura Griffin)
South Orange Mayor Sheena Collum posted the notice on social media on Monday, apologizing for the frustration the delays have caused and saying that beyond the weather, there were challenges related to the contractors and gutter manufacturer and additional sub contractors were needed.
“If something could go wrong, it always felt like it did: it started with the manufacturer’s delay in our gutter order, which meant that by late fall, the work couldn’t be completed due to the cold weather,” she said. “The contractor had to source and bring in third-party subs after the manufacturer’s welders failed to appear in February, when the weather was warm enough. The completed welds then failed pressure testing and had to be returned and fixed….Then we dealt with pushing to keep the original timeline, only to be met with one of the state’s “wettest” Mays in 130 years, so we continued into June.”
The Village’s notice to residents outlines updates regarding gutter construction (now successfully installed), pool decking, pump operations, water chemistry, site preparations and information looking ahead to the opening and the rest of the summer.
Work that is continuing this week includes joint caulking on the main pool, light fixture replacements, mandatory state lab testing, water chemistry balancing on the big pool, and the cleaning of poolside furniture, according the Village. While doing that work, they are also installing ladders, railings, diving boards, starting blocks and lifeguard chairs.
The newly appointed ADA compliant bathhouse is open to recreation campers this week. (Photo taken June 30, 2025 by Laura Griffin)
The new bright orange-and-blue sunshades were installed and the new ADA-compliant bathhouse upgrades were completed last month. Grass has been planted, and parts of the lawn will remain fenced off while the grass grows, officials said.
Large portions of the lawn will remain off limits while grass is growing. Village officials hope to have an update by the end of the week on opening the big pool. (Photo taken on June 30, 2025 by Laura Griffin)
For more specifics on the work visit the Village website. Anyone who wants a refund can contact the South Orange Recreation Department, which can be reached at [email protected] or 973-378-7754.
“We truly appreciate your continued patience and understanding,” the Village wrote in its update. “Our team continues to work diligently to deliver a safe and welcoming pool experience, and we look forward to seeing you at the pool very soon.”
