Council authorizes up to $335,000 contract to replace Towne Park playground

The Town of Corte Madera on Dec. 16 authorized Parks & Recreation Director Tim Berry to approve redesign and contract documents and to award a construction contract for the Towne Park school‑age playground replacement, not to exceed $335,000 plus a $5,000 contingency.

Berry told the council the existing playground, installed in the early 2000s, has multiple components closed after a 2024 inspection and is the town’s second‑most‑used playground. Staff ran two community surveys and a child‑focused design review; a preferred conceptual design (option B1) was favored by survey respondents and the Parks & Recreation Commission. The project captures eligibility under the California Park & Recreation Society’s (CPRS) Healthy Play Initiative, which provides participating agencies with discounted equipment; the grant for this project was valued at roughly $82,000 but requires ordering equipment by Dec. 31 to qualify.

Procurement will use the OMNIA cooperative purchasing agreement (an allowed exception to competitive bidding under the town ordinance), allowing staff to order equipment and separately go to competitive bid for construction. Berry said construction is tentatively scheduled to start in February 2026 with about a three‑week installation window, and staff proposed a funding plan using $150,000 from the sales tax override fund and $180,000 from recreation capital fund balance.

Councilmember (speaker 8) moved to authorize the contract award to GameTime up to the not‑to‑exceed amount with contingency; the motion passed on roll call. The Parks & Rec Commission and a public speaker supported the project; councilmembers suggested signage crediting the funding source when feasible.