Photo Source: Township of Verona
In summer 2026, for the first time the Verona Community Pool will release a limited 100 passes for non-residents. Check out the details below to learn how you can snag a spot at one of Essex County’s top places to cool off this summer.
With a snack bar, on-site volleyball and basketball courts, plenty of open green space, two winding slides, and a newly renovated children’s splash pad and zero-entry pool, the complex has something for every member of the family. The pool sits at the base of a large hill, with three levels of parking above, while tennis and pickleball courts overlook the grounds.
Why open the pool to non-residents now?
The Verona Community Pool operates independently from the town budget and relies entirely on user fees to break even each year. With financial reserves projected to last only one to two more seasons, welcoming new non-resident members is a vital step in keeping the pool open and avoiding the fate of many other municipal pools in the area.
Since the pool first opened, Verona’s demographics have shifted significantly. From it’s post–Baby Boom peak in 1970 to today’s reality of mostly two–working-parent households, fewer families are spending their summers poolside. This has caused annual membership fees to rise in order to afford for the pool to pay out their annual operating costs.
In October 2024, the town hired NewGen Strategies & Solutions to review pool membership rates and operating finances. The analysis showed that rising water costs, higher wages driven by minimum-wage increases, escalating materials expenses, and debt from construction of the splash pad have significantly increased operating costs. Beginning in 2027, splash pad debt payments will add $153,000 annually to the budget for the next 15 years. While Verona previously used a portion of its $1.4 million American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding to offset these expenses, those funds were fully exhausted in 2024.
Non-resident RegIstration criteria
To secure your spot for the 2026 pool season, check out the criteria outlined below for details:
- From February 2nd to February 28th, registration is reserved for friends and families of 2026 Verona Community Pool members.
- Non-resident registration opens on March 2nd for all Essex County non-residents living within 1.25 miles of the Verona border. This includes Caldwell, North Caldwell, West Caldwell, Cedar Grove, Fairfield, Essex Fells, Roseland, Montclair, and West Orange.
- Non-residents memberships outside of the above mentioned radius may be referred by a current 2026 Verona Community Pool member.
- Non-resident memberships must be paid in full at the time of approved registration.
- The cost for non-resident memberships is $1,000.
Good luck securing your spot, Montclair!
