Marin City sports field eyed for rehabilitation

The Sausalito Marin City School District and the youth sports nonprofit Play Marin could be teaming up to restore a deteriorated athletic field in Marin City.

The district board discussed the potential project in closed session on Feb. 13. It could involve a commitment from Play Marin founder Paul Austin to lead fundraising efforts.

“There’s been a lot of discussion over the past year for us to get to this place,” Austin said.

Austin said the district-owned field near Phillips Drive has been unusable since about 2012 because of safety concerns. He said the grass field surface is rutted and uneven, has no irrigation system and has lacked regular maintenance, Austin said.

“When it’s dry, it has a lot of divots in it and potholes,” he said. “It just needs a lot of care to be brought up to standards like with the rest of the ballfields here in Marin County.”

During the pandemic, Austin purchased an ice rink liner so that kids could at least have a flat surface on which to play soccer and what he called “box lacrosse.” The liner, which has no ice in it, is temporary and only takes up about one-tenth of the field, he said.

“We call it ‘The Box,'” Austin said of the ice rink liner.

The district has a baseball diamond on its Sausalito campus, but it is one of the few TK-8 school districts in Marin that do not have playing fields for sports such as field hockey, lacrosse, soccer, softball, football or track.

“There is significant support for what is described as the ‘Field Project’ in both Marin City and Sausalito communities and for the gap it could fill,” Lauren Walters, the board president, said in an email.

LaResha Huffman, the district’s superintendent, agreed.

“We are thrilled to be exploring the opportunity to collaborate with Play Marin on enhancing and upgrading our field in Marin City,” Huffman said. “The board is dedicated to ensuring all legal requirements are met and that the needs of our students are prioritized throughout the process.”

Some in the district had thought the field might be rehabilitated with part of the $41.6 million Measure P facilities bond approved by voters in 2020. However, costs for the bond’s main project, the new elementary school in Sausalito, escalated over time, and the Marin City field has not been mentioned in recent bond spending discussions.

The restoration cost, estimated four years ago at about $6 million or $7 million, would now be at “about $8 million to $10 million with all the bells and whistles,” Austin said. The extra amenities could include a track around the field, restrooms and a snack shack, he said.

In letters to the school district, several residents said they are ready to support the idea.

“For years, the Marin City ball field was a hub for sports, community engagement and youth development,” Craig Alexander wrote. “However, the field has been unusable for over a decade due to its dire need of upgrades to ensure its safety, functionality and accessibility for all.”

Alexander urged the district to move ahead with a partnership with Play Marin.

“Every day that passes without a renovated field is a lost opportunity for our children to benefit from organized field sports and recreational activities,” he said.

Parents and volunteers Natasha LaBelle and Kieran Culligan voiced similar sentiments in a joint letter they sent to the board of trustees.

“We strongly support moving forward with Play Marin, as they are committed, willing and ready to deliver,” it said. “Please act so that we can give our youth the access they deserve to play, grow and thrive.”