Kingston Park Replaces Former Swim Club Site
Cherry Hill homeowners near the former Kingston club now have a $5 million public park with playground equipment and a basketball court.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Residential
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Cherry Hill opened a $5 million Kingston Park on the former site of the Kingston swim club, which the township bought for $441,000 after the nonprofit operating the club stopped making mortgage payments. The park, which includes playground equipment and a basketball court, opened on November 1, 2026.
Why it matters
The township acted to keep the nearly four-acre property from being developed after TD Bank threatened to foreclose, turning a closed private amenity into public green space for neighborhood families. The nonprofit had faced high expenses maintaining the club, the underlying reason the property came up for sale.
The township paid $441,000 for the property, which is zoned institutional, and spent $5 million on the new Kingston Park. The park was built on nearly four acres originally donated by the Kingston Estates developer for the 1957 swim club.
The players
Cherry Hill Township
The New Jersey township that bought the Kingston swim club property and built the new park, a municipal government serving local residents.
TD Bank
A major national bank that threatened to foreclose on the swim club property after the nonprofit stopped making mortgage payments.
The details
The Kingston swim club was opened in June 1957 on land donated by the Kingston Estates developer, and it was operated by a nonprofit that sold 355 membership bonds in 1956 to fund the club. Over the following decades the nonprofit faced high costs to maintain the facility, and it eventually stopped making mortgage payments, prompting TD Bank to threaten foreclosure. The township bought the property for $441,000 to prevent its development, then demolished the swim club and built Kingston Park with playground equipment, a basketball court, and other amenities.
Timeline
1956: The Kingston club sold 355 membership bonds to fund the swim club.
June 1957: The Kingston swim club opened on nearly four acres of donated land.
November 1, 2026: Kingston Park opened on the former club site.
The Home Front
The purchase reflects a local response to a closed private recreation club whose land carried institutional zoning, a use that can limit residential redevelopment pressure. Converting such property into public parkland preserves neighborhood open space that tends to support nearby home values.
If you live near Kingston Park, expect more foot and vehicle traffic on nearby streets, especially around playground hours. Homeowners who value nearby open space can watch how the township maintains the new park over the coming seasons.
The takeaway
Public acquisition of a failing private amenity can preserve neighborhood open space and stabilize nearby property values. If you live near former institutional land, check the township's zoning map to understand what uses are allowed on your block.
Further reading
Explore more local home and neighborhood coverage in Residential to see how community projects like this one shape the area around your home.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Philadelphia Inquirer.
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