Summer is fast approaching, and vacations, family barbecues and, of course, high temperatures are just around the corner.
Memorial Day will be here in just a few short weeks — and Cherry Hill’s 13 neighborhood swim clubs are hard at work preparing to open for the 2013 season.
For decades, the swim clubs have provided Cherry Hill families with an ideal place to connect with friends, enjoy quality time with family, and beat the heat. They truly are a unique and integral part of what makes Cherry Hill such a special place to live and play.
When I was a child, my family frequented the Haddontowne Swim Club, and I know firsthand what a valuable asset these clubs are to our neighborhoods. I also know that they need community-wide support to continue to grow and thrive, so that they can serve our families for years to come.
That’s where you come in: If you aren’t already a member, I hope you’ll visit your local club in the coming weeks to see what it has to offer. You might be surprised!
The 2013 swim club season officially begins Memorial Day weekend at most clubs — and many host special community open houses in late May and early June for prospective new members.
Most clubs offer a variety of membership options, from individual memberships to large families, to special rates for seniors and “empty-nesters.”
You can contact your local club of choice directly:
• Barclay Farm, 315 Whitemarsh Way; (856) 429–9616; www.BarclayFarm.org
• Charleston, 1297 Marlkress Road; (856) 354–9808; www.CharlestonSwimClub.org
• Cherry Valley, 3406 Church Road; (856) 667–9828; www.CherryValleySC.org
• Covered Bridge, 1 Aqua Lane; (856) 429–6620; www.CBSwimClub.org
• Downs Farm, 1701 Haddonfield-Berlin Road; (856) 428–1151; www.DownsFarmSwimClub.org
• Erlton, 1505 Park Boulevard; (856) 429–9714; www.ErltonSwimClub.com
• Fox Hollow, 51 Partridge Lane; (856) 424–9826; www.FoxHollowSwimClub.com
• Haddontowne, 60 Plymouth Drive; (856) 429–9834; www.HaddontowneSwimClub.com
• Kingston Estates, 116 Deland Avenue; (856) 429–9641; www.KingstonSwimClub.com
• Old Orchard, 9 Evans Lane; (856) 424–9815; www.OldOrchardSwimClub.com
• Wexford Leas, 14 Rooftree Road; (856) 424–4512; www.WexfordLeasSwimClub.org
• Willowdale, Swallow & Ticonderoga Drive; (856) 428–8180; www.WillowdaleSwimClub.org
• Woodcrest, Cranford Road and Astor Drive; (856) 428–1413; www.swimwoodcrest.org
Each club hosts a variety of activities and events throughout the summer, including swimming lessons, and the summer’s big event, Cherry Bowl, which will be held this year on Saturday, July 27, at Wexford Leas.
The daylong, annual event boasts hundreds of swimmers from across the 13 clubs and features more than 60 events. Last year’s Cherry Bowl drew more than 2,000 spectators to Fox Hollow Swim Club.
The township does not manage the clubs, and policies and rates are set by each pool’s management board. With that said, council and I realize that it takes a full community effort to ensure the pools are able to thrive and continue to serve our local families.
We have worked closely with the pools over the last year and a half, and encouraged their local executive boards to work together to maximize their existing resources to benefit everyone.
The pools have come together to form the Cherry Hill Association of Pools, which will help create cooperative purchasing opportunities and shared services, and identify other best practices to streamline operations across all our swim clubs.
We also offer periodic support from the Department of Public Works, which picks up yard waste and other materials in the spring, and helps collect the leaves in the fall. And we are committed to offering whatever additional support we can.
For more information on events, programs and membership, please contact your local club directly. I hope you will help Cherry Hill’s swim clubs maintain their longstanding tradition of family fun by visiting your neighborhood pool this summer!
