After more than a year of staring at a fenced-off play area, Corte Madera families finally have a reopening date in sight. The Town Council has signed off on about $335,000 to fully replace the aging playground at Town Park, approving both the money and a contract path that will get new equipment ordered and installed next year. The playground has been closed since 2024, when an inspection flagged parts as unsafe, sending parents and kids to other nearby parks while staff finished their design work. With a tight grant deadline looming and two design concepts on the table, councilmembers moved before the holidays to lock in a vendor and a construction window.
The authorization, which lets the director of parks and recreation approve the final redesign and award a construction contract to GameTime, a PlayCore company, for an amount not to exceed $335,000, appeared on the council’s Dec. 16 agenda. The Town of Corte Madera agenda materials lay out the staff recommendation and give staff the go ahead to finalize plans and start procurement.
What the new playground will include
The approved concept keeps things classic but adds some flash. The new setup will feature a main slide, a butterfly-shaped climbing structure, stepping stones and a new spinning and climbing piece, all tied together with fresh surfacing that is accessible and meets current safety standards. Town staff say the project includes removing the old play structure and installing new equipment and surfacing meant to better serve a wide range of ages and abilities. Kids were even brought into the process to weigh in on two early design options, and construction is expected to start in February and run for about three weeks, according to the Marin Independent Journal.
Who will build it and procurement steps
In the council packet, GameTime, listed as “Gametime, A Playcore Company,” is named as the vendor the town intends to use. The agenda item gives the parks and recreation director authority to approve the contract documents and award the construction contract to GameTime in an amount not to exceed $335,000, which lets staff move ahead without coming back for another vote. The recommendation and supporting details are laid out in the Town of Corte Madera materials.
How the town is paying for it
On the financial side, the town is piecing the project together with a mix of grant money and local dollars. In addition to a matching grant of nearly $83,000, staff propose covering the rest with recreation capital funds and recent sales tax receipts. That breakdown includes $180,200 from the recreation capital fund and $150,000 from sales tax revenue to close the gap. The grant program, which is backed by the California Park & Recreation Society and equipment partners, requires Corte Madera to place its equipment order by the last day of 2025 to lock in the award, a deadline that helped drive the council’s December timing, as reported by the Marin Independent Journal. With that funding mix in place, staff say construction should be able to move ahead in February with an installation window of roughly three weeks.
For parents and caregivers who have spent more than a year walking past a closed and fenced playground, the council’s approval signals the finish line is finally coming into view and, once the equipment ships, a relatively quick turnaround. Town staff say the replacement will extend the life of the play area and bring it up to current safety and accessibility standards, and residents can track progress through Parks & Recreation updates and future council packets.
