City of Tamarac parks staff presented two preliminary design options for Tamarack Park improvements: a smaller 200-meter track with lighting and safety features estimated at about $3.1 million, and a full 400-meter track option estimated at about $5 million.

Bridal Galindo, director of parks and recreation, said both options include upgraded lighting, fencing, a blue light security system and multipurpose fields; the 400-meter option would require expanded fencing, bleacher placement to one side and reconfiguration to fit within the existing park property line. “This is very preliminary,” Galindo said. Staff presented site renderings and said the 400-meter option would place all bleachers on one side and still be limited to about 1,500 seats because of site constraints.

Staff noted parking and restroom capacity are significant constraints: the current park building likely accommodates far fewer users than a 1,500-seat facility and the existing parking supply would be insufficient for typical track meet demand. Parks staff said typical requirements for larger meets include more restrooms and more parking; parking garage options were discussed as a future possibility but would add substantial cost.

Parks staff also described usage trade-offs: option A (200m) would preserve more field space and allow existing rentals and special events to continue at Tamarack Park, while option B (400m) would likely require moving some special events and field rentals to the sports complex during seasons of heavy use. Staff said the city has about 300 participants in a soccer academy that could be affected and that summer camp currently uses baseball diamonds during summer months.

Staff recommended bringing both options to the commission for discussion and, if the larger option is selected, returning with more detailed lists of amenities, parking and ADA-restroom calculations for compliance and permitting.

No formal decision was taken at the staff workshop; staff characterized the presentation as a conceptual layout to determine feasibility and to collect commission direction.