At June 1st’s Hoboken City Council Meeting, there were a few interesting items up for discussion. One order of business discussed by the Council was a potential one-year contract with the Stevens Institute of Technology that would turn the Stevens pool into a Hoboken community pool, something Hoboken does not currently have. Another point of discussion up for a vote was a 60-day pilot program instating body cameras for parking enforcement officials. Both items were voted through unanimously at the meeting — and the City just announced the hours of operation and fees for the new Stevens community pool, which is available only to vaccinated + boosted residents. Read on for what we know about these two initiatives passed by the Hoboken City Council as well as how to register for the Stevens community pool.
The Stevens Institute Community Pool
Despite prior discussions and plans in place, Hoboken still does not have a community pool — and with summer quickly approaching, the Council considered another route to provide locals with swimming opportunities. The Council discussed pursuing a one-year contract with the Stevens Institute of Technology to allow the Hoboken community to use its pool. The pool in question is the DeBaun Aquatics Center, which is located in the Schaefer Athletic Center. The vote was unanimous in favor of this resolution.
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“The Council voted on and approved an agreement with Stevens that allows residents to have access to and use of the swimming pool and tennis courts – which has also been true in the past, but not during COVID,” Councilwoman Emily Ball Jabbour told HG. “There is a requirement from Stevens that residents must provide proof of residency as well as vaccination documentation to have facilities use.”
This contract is valid until May 19th, 2023, according to the Facilities Usage Agreement.
Hours, Fees, and How to Register
The pool + tennis courts will be available to the Hoboken public beginning on June 6th and will require a multi-step registration process.
Summer hours are weekdays from 8AM to 9PM and Saturdays from 11AM to 5PM until August 31st, per Patch.
The pool fee is $55 for a monthly membership with one-day ($20) and two-week ($35) options available. There’s a Senior Citizens rate of $15 per day, $25 for two weeks, and $35 per month.
To register for both the tennis courts and/or the swimming pool, Hoboken residents can click here. You’ll need to provide contact information, government identification or a utility bill with a Hoboken address, and proof of full vaccination with at least one booster dose, as per the rules at Stevens.
Upon getting confirmation from the City, residents can then register through Stevens. After receiving approval from Stevens, the last step is to pick up an ID card from Stevens Card Services at the Howe Center, Room 120, Monday through Friday between 10AM and 4PM.
There are also other pools throughout Hudson County for locals to use.
Body Cams for Parking Enforcement
In recent years, it’s become increasingly common — and often required, as it is in New Jersey — for law enforcement officers to wear body cams. The recent proposal from the Hoboken City Council, which passed unanimously on June 1st, outlines the launch of a 60-day pilot program whereby all parking enforcement officers will also be required to wear a body cam. This will be a partnership with Axon Enterprise, and Axon will provide all equipment and training to the City for free for this 60-day trial period. Axon is the same company that provides body cameras for the HPD, as required by the state.
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“These body cameras have proven to be a valuable tool for law enforcement agencies, including the Hoboken Police Department, by documenting hostile interactions experienced by officers, deescalating conflicts, [and] creating accountability for officers,” the resolution reads.
Councilwoman Jabbour explained that this program “would test the use of five body cameras with HPU code enforcement officers in an effort to help protect them.”
When the trial period finishes, the City will return the equipment to Axon and evaluate the success of the initiative.
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