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Fairfield council accepts park master plan; $400,000 grant covers remediation and walking path
Summary
A consultant presented a phased master plan for Fairfield’s new town park; the council reported a $400,000 grant will fund dirt work, arsenic remediation and the walking path. Members asked the consultant for detailed irrigation plans, a $2,500 itemized history-plan proposal and a vendor quote showing what $100,000 would purchase for playground equipment.
Dustin Hissle, the landscape consultant, presented an overall site plan for the new town park and described a phased approach to let construction follow available funding. 'I've created this overall site plan and then a bunch of 3 d images,' he said, describing features including a perimeter trail, pickleball courts, basketball area, playground footprint, pavilion/restrooms and flexible multi-use open space.
Why it matters: The council reported a $400,000 grant that will fund much of the dirt work, arsenic remediation and the walking path, removing a barrier to moving the design from concept to construction. That funding changes the near-term feasibility of larger park elements and reduces the town's immediate capital burden.
What was decided: Council members and the consultant discussed programming and maintenance considerations, requested a softball (dirt infield) option rather than a grass baseball infield for multi-use, and asked the consultant to prepare a more detailed plan and an itemized invoice for the history master plan the council discussed funding at $2,500. The consultant said he would also provide an irrigation plan and could deliver the requested materials by the next meeting.
Playground budgeting: Vendors and councilors debated playground costs and installation. One vendor noted turf typically needs replacement about every 15 years and that installation lead times after ordering could be approximately four months. Council members settled on asking the vendor what a $100,000 package would include as a starting point, with the understanding the overall first-phase estimate might approach $100,000–$150,000 depending on ground work and surfacing.
Next steps: The council approved moving to the second phase of the landscaping design with Prime Landscape Architecture (within the previously approved $13,600 lump-sum budget framework, per discussion) and asked staff to include the consultant’s detailed material and cost backing at the next meeting before committing to procurement.
