Scotch Plains Parks & Recreation

What Scotch Plains Parks & Recreation does

Scotch Plains Parks & Recreation is a department within the Township of Scotch Plains, a municipal government entity in Union County, New Jersey operating under a Council-Administrator form of government. The department manages nine municipal parks across the township's nine square miles, including Green Forest Park, Kramer Manor Park, Brookside Park, and Haven Park, along with historic landmarks such as the Shady Rest Golf & Country Club (recognized as the first private African-American country club in the United States) and the Osborn Cannonball House Museum. It operates year-round recreation programming including the Small Fry Camp for children ages 3-5, youth sports leagues, fitness classes (yoga, line dancing), senior services, and community events such as the Summer Concert Series, Play in the Park, FreeCycle, and Memorial Day Parade.

The department delivers services through multiple channels: the Community Pass online registration portal, the municipal building at 430 Park Avenue, and physical park locations. Underlying technology consists of standard municipal systems including Community Pass for program enrollment and Edmunds GovTech for tax and sewer fee processing. The broader Township encompasses additional departments (Police, Fire with EMS division, DPW, Library, Rescue Squad) and operates on a 2026 municipal budget of $36.7 million, with $21.19 million raised through local property taxes; the Township carries a AAA bond rating from major rating agencies and maintains one of the lowest municipal tax shares in New Jersey at 14-15% of total property tax bills.

Revenue mechanics for the Township combine property tax revenue, program registration fees, state and federal grants, shared services revenue from inter-municipal agreements with neighboring communities (Clark, Fanwood, Mountainside, Westfield, Union Township), and interest on investments. The Parks & Recreation department specifically generates program registration fees (resident vs. non-resident tiered pricing such as $200/$230 for Camp #1), facility rental fees, and administers the Home Improvement Program (up to $22,000 in no-interest 10-year forgivable loans for income-eligible homeowners) through a third-party administrator, Community Grants, Planning & Housing, LLC. Customer segments include families with children, senior citizens, all township residents, and low-to-moderate income homeowners, with a horizontal segmentation approach across persona types.

Name

Scotch Plains Parks & Recreation

Legal name

Township of Scotch Plains

Website

https://scotchplainsnj.gov

Company type

Public

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Scotch Plains Parks & Recreation is a municipal department of the Township of Scotch Plains, NJ, managing nine parks and delivering recreation programs, community events, and facilities (including the historic Shady Rest Golf & Country Club) to township residents of all ages.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Municipal Parks and Recreation Services

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services (BPAIACAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Parks, Recreation & Protected Areas Administration (BPAIAMAH)

Keywords

• Municipal recreation services
• Public parks management
• Community programming
• Summer day camp
• Home improvement loans

Headquarters

HQ city

Scotch Plains

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Program Registration Fees: Fees collected for recreation programs including summer camps (Small Fry Camp), sports leagues, fitness classes, and special events. Resident and non-resident pricing tiers apply.
2. Home Improvement Program Loans: Provides up to $22,000 in no-interest 10-year forgivable loans for critical home repairs to eligible low- and moderate-income residents. Funded through the Township's Affordable Housing Trust Fund.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Scotch Plains Parks & Recreation is the municipal recreation department of the Township of Scotch Plains, NJ, providing accessible, tax-funded parks and recreation services to township residents. The department operates nine municipal parks and historic facilities, runs seasonal programs such as the Small Fry Camp for ages 3-5, and offers youth sports leagues, fitness classes, senior services, and community events including the Summer Concert Series and Memorial Day Parade. It also administers a Home Improvement Program providing up to $22,000 in no-interest 10-year forgivable loans to income-eligible residents for critical home repairs.

Product overview

Scotch Plains Parks & Recreation operates as a department of the Township of Scotch Plains, NJ, providing a comprehensive portfolio of parks, recreational facilities, programs, and community events across the municipality. The department manages multiple municipal parks (including Green Forest Park, Kramer Manor Park, Brookside Park, and Haven Park), the historic Shady Rest Golf & Country Club, the Osborn Cannonball House Museum, and various recreational facilities. Programs include the Small Fry Camp for young children, youth and adult fitness classes, sports leagues, and special events like the Summer Concert Series, Play in the Park, FreeCycle, and Memorial Day Parade. The department also oversees recently acquired properties including the former Highland Swim Club site for future recreational development. Services are delivered through the Recreation Commission and Department, with facilities available to residents for various activities including tennis, pickleball, basketball, soccer, golf, and community gatherings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Green Forest Park Municipal park featuring tennis and pickleball courts, multi-use rink for futsal and hockey, and a new playground area; serves as the venue for summer day camp programs such as Small Fry Camp.
• Kramer Manor Park Historical neighborhood park near Kramer Manor featuring basketball courts, seven tennis courts (with one being converted to four pickleball courts), and historic significance in African-American history.
• Brookside Park Municipal park featuring a full-length basketball court and four pickleball courts; hosts summer day camp programs.
• Haven Park Municipal park with basketball court, landscaping, and fence replacement as part of ongoing renovations.
• Shady Rest Golf & Country Club Historic landmark and first private African-American country club in the United States, featuring an 18-hole golf course, clubhouse, and event venue; hosts Juneteenth celebrations and community events.
• Osborn Cannonball House Museum Historic museum operated by the Historical Society of Scotch Plains and Fanwood, open for tours and special events.
• Small Fry Camp Summer day camp for children ages 3-5 (must be potty trained), operating Monday-Friday from 9am-12pm at Green Forest Park with multiple sessions throughout summer; pricing ranges from $200-$280 per session depending on resident status and session.
• Scotch Plains Summer Concert Series Annual summer concert series featuring live music performances held at local venues.
• Play in the Park Annual community event series held in municipal parks for residents of all ages.
• FreeCycle Market Annual spring event as part of Earth Day celebration where residents can donate and take free items, promoting waste reduction and community exchange.
• Scotch Plains Recreation Department Programs Year-round programming including youth sports leagues, fitness classes (yoga, line dancing), senior services, and special needs resources for township residents.
• Home Improvement Program Provides up to $22,000 in no-interest 10-year forgivable loans for critical home repairs (heating, electrical, plumbing, roofs, weatherization, foundations) to eligible low- and moderate-income Scotch Plains residents. Funded through the Township's Affordable Housing Trust Fund and administered by Community Grants, Planning & Housing (CGP&H).
• Highland Swim Club Property Five-acre property acquired by the township from the former Highland Swim Club, deed-restricted for recreational purposes, adjacent to Kramer Manor Park.
• Memorial Day Parade Annual joint Memorial Day parade and ceremony with Fanwood, honoring military service members who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Quantifiable outcome

• Municipal portion of property tax remains at 14-15% of total bill - one of lowest in New Jersey
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• New Jersey Green Acres ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 October 2025State program providing open space protection and potential grant funding for the former Highland Swim Club property acquisition. The land is being considered for deed restriction to recreational purposes with Green Acres protections.
• Scotch Plains-Fanwood Board of EducationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Potential partnership to improve open space at Terrill and Nettingham Middle Schools. The township works with the school district on shared facilities and recreational spaces.
• New Jersey Department of TransportationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Provides grants for road improvements including repaving Cooper Road, Raritan Road, and other streets in town. Township dollars supplemented by NJ DOT and Union County grants.
• Shared Services Partners (Clark, Fanwood, Mountainside, Westfield, Union Township)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerShared services agreements covering sewer operations, tax collection, leaf disposal, health inspections, and other municipal functions to eliminate duplication and reduce costs.
• Scotch Plains Green TeamminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental advisory board collaborating on sustainability initiatives, community cleanups, waste reduction programs, and Earth Day celebrations including the FreeCycle event.
• Social Justice Matters, Inc.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEvent organizer for the annual Juneteenth celebration at Shady Rest Golf & Country Club. Partnership with Scotch Plains and Fanwood municipalities, with support from PSEG and Union County HEART Grant.
• Community Grants, Planning & Housing, LLC (CGP&H)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPrivate consulting firm specializing in implementation of publicly-funded housing rehabilitation programs. Manages and administers the Home Improvement Program on behalf of the township.
• Regional Chronic Disease Coalition of Middlesex and Union CountiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition working to strengthen partnerships to help residents become healthier through education, screening, and advocacy for disease prevention.
• Scotch Plains Rescue SquadminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVolunteer emergency medical services organization. The township fire department launched an EMS division to complement rescue squad services, improving emergency response times.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Union County Department of Parks and Recreation: County-level parks and recreation authority that operates parks within and adjacent to Scotch Plains, providing regional programming context. Comparable as a higher-tier government parks operator serving overlapping populations in Union County.

Others

• CivicRec: Provider of municipal recreation management software used by parks and recreation departments comparable to Scotch Plains. While not a direct peer, it operates in the same municipal recreation ecosystem as a technology enabler for similar departments.

Direct peers

• Springfield Township Recreation: Neighboring Union County municipality operating a comparable municipal parks and recreation system serving similar suburban demographics with overlapping program types (youth sports, summer camps, senior services).
• Union Township Recreation Department: Larger Union County municipality and explicit shared services partner with Scotch Plains. Operates a broader parks and recreation portfolio but follows the same municipal service delivery model.
• Mountainside Recreation Department: Small Union County borough and shared services partner with comparable municipal parks operation. Similar scale and program mix make it a directly comparable municipal recreation peer.
• Berkeley Heights Recreation Department: Nearby Union County municipality with comparable scale of parks, recreation programming, and community events delivery model. Operates as a similar municipal recreation department serving suburban New Jersey residents.
• Fanwood Recreation Department: Smaller neighboring borough that is a direct shared-services partner with Scotch Plains. Operates similar municipal recreation programs and is explicitly partnered through inter-municipal service agreements, making operational models directly comparable.
• Cranford Recreation and Parks Department: Union County municipality with established parks and recreation programming serving a comparable suburban New Jersey residential base. Direct operational peer in the same county service area.
• Clark, NJ Recreation Department: Shared services partner municipality with comparable parks and recreation offerings to Scotch Plains residents. Direct operational peer through formal inter-municipal agreements covering multiple service categories.
• Westfield, NJ Recreation Department: Neighboring Union County municipality with a comparable Parks and Recreation department serving a similar residential New Jersey population with youth sports, camps, and community events. Direct operational peer given geographic proximity and similar demographic profile.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/scotchplainstwp
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCFWMjOCM36Cqq-mz7IX3W_w
• Facebookfacebook.com/ScotchPlainsTwp
• Instagraminstagram.com/scotchplains
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/scotch-plains-parks-recreation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Scotch Plains Parks & Recreation