TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Nearly two years after the township purchased the former Washington Township Swim & Recreation Club for $750,000, bondholders—many waiting far longer than that—appear to be receiving their refunds.
Following the public purchase last year, township attorney Kenneth Poller said that the bondholders would need to contact the former club owners, a private not-for-profit corporation, to discuss payment on their bonds.
Council President Desserie Morgan announced Nov. 8 that she was notified that former Washington Township Swim Club bond-owners had received cash payments for bonds that had once been invested in the defunct swim club, a 6.2-acre property purchased in April 2022 by the Township for recreation purposes.
She said some bond holders had been reimbursed “different amounts” for bond holdings. She said she was told the full bond return amount to be reimbursed was $725.
For bond holders questioning the amount being reimbursed, Morgan advised emails to wtswimclubnj@gmail.com. “It’s the best way for them to get answers.” She said she was told that those receiving less than $725 did not resign from the club “properly,” according to the club’s records.
She told bondholders to reach out to her if they were still having issues.
The Washington Township Recreation Center website, wtswimclub.com, is still live, a time capsule touting amenities situated on several acres. “We have an expansive tree-lined lawn with picnic tables, an Olympic-sized pool, a separate kiddie pool, a large clubhouse, and a food concession area. Located in the Westwood/Ridgewood/Paramus vicinity [along the Garden State Parkway], the Washington Township Recreation Center is a family-friendly swim club and recreation center. Call us at (201) 664-4344 for further information.”
The center was home to the award-winningWTRC swim team (competing in the Super Six League), held many special events, and employed generations of teens. The club, like many of its kind nationwide, fell on hard times as trends changed, though residents in the Pascack Valley still have public pool options, including in Westwood and Hillsdale.
The club did not open for the 2020 summer season due to the Covid-19 pandemic. It also did not open for business in 2021 or 2022. The 2019 season was its last year in operation.
Club co-president Loretta DeTitta told us in 2019 that the club counted 130 to 150 bonded members, with the oldest pending refund dating to 2005.
In September 2019, Pascack Press reported “former members on a payback list for the ownership bonds they gave—$750 payable over five years, separate from summer fees—are losing their patience,” with grumblings of class action lawsuits in the air.
Our report added, “Some, who did not resign per the club’s stipulated procedures—by a given date and by return-receipt mail—have seen their bond value shrink to make up for unpaid summer fees, which range from $201 to $1,024.”
Plans for recreational activities at the site are being developed by Boswell Engineering for presentation to the council. Since its purchase, seasonal equipment and some public works vehicles have been stored on the land, vexing some neighbors.
Earlier this year, the council accepted a $438,750 county Open Space grant awarded in late 2022 to begin improvements on the site.
For background, see “Swim club seeks a way forward: Dragging unpaid taxes, stalled reimbursements,” John Snyder, Sept. 30, 2019; and “Local pools stay afloat amid hot competition,” Michael Olohan, Aug. 26, 2019.