San Anselmo approves community center playground project

A preschool at the Isabel Cook Community Center in San Anselmo will receive a new playscape.

The Town Council approved the project at Parkside Preschool in a 3-2 vote on June 25. Councilmembers Steve Burdo, Eileen Burke and Brian Colbert voted in favor of the project, and Tarrell Kullaway and Alexis Fineman voted against.

The town can now issue a request for proposals for the project, which will cost $41,670.39 for playground equipment and between $59,500 and $73,990 for installation.

Mattie O’Grady, recreation program manager, said the new play area is a “very good, feel-good project.”

“We really want to add in some more dynamic and engaging elements,” she said. “We really want to improve the look of it.”

The intention is to bring in a natural style to counter the walls and chain-link fences surrounding the site, O’Grady said.

The area includes fossil designs, a sandbox, play structure and turf mounds. The playground will be expanded from its current boundaries, according to the plan.

Kullaway and Fineman raised concerns about the use of non-sustainable materials. Kullaway said the turf suggested for the project has rubber pellets developed from gasoline and likely does not comply with the town’s environmental goals.

“Is there a way to do this that is more environmentally sound?” she said.

Fineman said she hoped the materials used in the project would have natural elements, instead of just appearing natural.

“It’s kind of a once-in-a-generation investment,” Fineman said.

O’Grady said the cost difference if the material is not used might be dramatic. She said her staff would research the topic and could substitute materials following the release of the RFP.

Burdo said that before he joined the Parks and Recreation Commission, there were discussions about potentially closing the preschool.

“I am glad they ultimately decided to keep it. It is a true gem in our community,” he said.

O’Grady said the preschool is among the most affordable in the Ross Valley. Last year, there were 78 people on the waitlist for the school.

Established by Pat Broadbent at the community center in 1977, Parkside Preschool began as a half-day program and transitioned to a full-time licensed preschool in 1982.

The preschool operated in one classroom and small outdoor area after the closure of the Isabel Cook School in 1975. The outside play area consisted of a downward sloping cement area and a built-in sandbox.

No updates have been made to the outside playground area since 2005, when all-weather surfacing and a used play structure were installed. The school is licensed for up to 45 children and operates Monday through Friday.

The project will be funded through the Recreation Department’s reserve fund.