Matrix provided engineering and landscape architecture services to the City of Orange Township for its pool renovation project at Colgate Park. Colgate Pool is one of the City’s most popular pools, with an average of 550 visitors a day in the summer, so rehabilitating it was a top priority for the City.  While popular within the community, the pool had a number of issues over the years. The first major issue would be the material of the interior of the pool. The coping around the pool was very old and in need of replacement.  The interior finish of the pool, which consists of a painted concrete surface, required repainting every two years for proper maintenance and was badly in need of resurfacing. In addition, access into the pool was out of compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Lastly, the pool’s skimmers were old and leaking, forcing the City to frequently refill the pool. Recognizing these ongoing issues, the City set out to procure the necessary grants to rehabilitate the pool without asking residents to bear the cost.

The City was successful in receiving just under $300,000 in financial assistance to make the necessary repairs, with half of the money coming from the Community Block Development Grant and the other half coming from an Essex County Open Space Grant. In coordination with the City’s Department of Public Works, Matrix was able to create a design allowing the City to refresh the pool with new coping and a new plaster interior, reducing maintenance by replacing damaged skimmers and using a plaster with a 10-year lifespan, and improving access to ensure that all residents can enjoy the pool.

Services Provided:

• Civil Engineering
• Landscape Architecture