Cranford Expands Orange Avenue Pool Access With New Evening Pass Options

CRANFORD, NJ — Cranford residents will have a new way to get into Orange Avenue Pool this summer as the township adds a weekday evening pass and adjusts guest access hours during peak season.

The new Weekday Twilight Pass allows Cranford residents who are not season members to use the pool Monday through Friday from 4 to 8 p.m. The cost is $20 per person, ages 2 and older, per visit.

The pass is separate from both season memberships and regular day admission.

The township has also adjusted its Twilight Guest Pass for members, moving the hours to 4 to 8 p.m. Guests can be added for $7 per person, per day.

Orange Avenue Pool, located at 1025 Orange Avenue, remains Cranford’s only operating outdoor pool this summer after Centennial Avenue Pool did not open for the season.

That closure follows the township’s decision last year to keep Centennial Avenue closed, citing ongoing costs tied to operating and maintaining both facilities.

Pool finances have been a recurring topic at Township Committee meetings in recent years, with officials pointing to rising operating expenses and continued reliance on outside funding for maintenance and upgrades.

Most recently, Cranford secured about $875,000 in grant funding for improvements at Orange Avenue Pool, including upgrades to locker rooms, bathrooms, seating areas, lighting, accessibility features, and other site work.

The new pass option adds another tier to the pool’s existing structure, which includes season memberships, day passes, guest passes, and twilight access.

Township officials said the changes are aimed at offering more flexibility for residents while helping manage demand later in the day.

The Orange Avenue Pool season runs from Memorial Day through Labor Day.