Corte Madera parks plan outlines costly projects

Corte Madera has advanced an updated parks and recreation master plan for approval.

The planning document will guide potential changes at the town’s parks over the next 10 years. The master plan includes Corte Madera Town Park, the Cove Park, Granada Park, Skunk Hollow Mini-Park, Menke Park, the Higgins Landing former boat launch and other recreation sites.

The Town Council heard presentations on the master plan at a meeting on Tuesday. . The plan will be considered for approval on Nov. 7.

The report offered a series of evaluations on the condition of the town’s parks and cost estimates on fixing them.

Removal and thinning of vegetation, asphalt and bench repair, signage replacement and field rehabilitation, among other work, is suggested for Cove Park. The park features a baseball field, a lacrosse and soccer field and a sand volleyball court.

The proposed estimate for the work is $1.4 million. The bulk of the cost, about $880,000, involves the rehabilitation of the athletic field, which includes grading and other maintenance. Other costs include $191,000 for a covered group picnic area and $200,000 for an outdoor fitness area.

At the Town Park Community Center, estimates for refurbishments and rebuilds range from $9 million to $17 million.

Pickleball courts, athletic field upgrades and bocce courts at Town Park are a high priority, the town said. Residents are also interested in events with food trucks and performances at Menke Park.

The community center improvements might be expanded to include the Pet Club store at 508 Tamalpais Drive, which is within the town-owned Park Madera shopping center, for additional recreation space.

David Ross, a town consultant, described the document as a guide for development.

“All the pieces of this master plan will be developed in their own time and their own fashion,” he said. “This is a framework, not a finished product.”

Some council members questioned whether the scope of the master plan is too wide considering the cost and breadth of the projects. Significant review and the inclusion of the Planning Commission would be required.

“These bigger moves that we’re talking about, is the parks and rec master plan really the right methodology to address those?” Mayor Charles Lee said.

“None of this is set in stone,” said Tim Barry, the parks and recreation director.

Members of the public said they support the upgrades. Clarke Miller, a board member of the Corte Madera Football Club, urged passage of the plan at the next meeting.

“The only way to solve the fields’ existing deficiencies is to invest wisely in a rehabilitation process,” he said.