Fairfax considers toddler area at Peri Park

A play area for toddlers could be coming to Peri Park in Fairfax.

The Town Council approved provisional plans in a 4-1 vote at its meeting on Thursday.

“It’s important we invest in the children of our town at different age levels,” said Mayor Lisel Blash. “We all tried to come up with a way to ensure that the surface would be safe for children and safe for the environment.”

The council added a requirement that environmentally friendly materials be used. Councilmember Frank Egger, who suggested using organic sod surfacing for the play area, voted no. His proposal, which was supported only by Councilmember Mike Ghiringhelli, was voted down by the council majority.

Peri Park is 17,500-square-feet area at 16 Park Road. The park is shaded by redwoods and includes basketball and bocce courts, a picnic area and a 4,800-square-foot play area. A new playscape was installed at the park in 2021.

The toddler area was proposed to the Parks and Recreation Commission in August by Fairfax parent Rafael Skovron, who said he represented a group of parents seeking to develop a play area for younger children.

Skovron said the group would work to find a material that met the town’s environmental requirements.

“It’s just part of the feedback that we have and I will incorporate into this project,” Skovron said. “I just want you to think about those kids that are under 3 and the parents so they can use the park a little bit more effectively.”

The estimated cost of the project is $9,000 to $11,000, Public Works Director Loren Umbertis said. The cost will be borne by the public through online fundraising, he said. The town will select a contractor through a competitive bidding process, he said.

The play area will be 10 feet by 12 feet and have a 3-foot fence and a gate, Umbertis said. The location will be adjacent to mini picnic tables within the playground and was selected to avoid proximity to potential fall zones from other equipment.

The concept is to provide a safe and enclosed area vacant of play materials for young children, said Maria Baird, the town’s special events and volunteer coordinator. There are already areas designated for children ages 2 to 5 and 5 to 12 years old.

“The idea behind this is to have a space where very young children, some of them not even walking, at basically crawling, could engage and crawl around,” Baird said.

The council provided a series of guidelines intended to bolster safety and environmental goals.

“I can’t support artificial turf,” said Councilmember Barbara Coler. “Even though it sounds simple I think there’s a better way to deal with that.”