Westlake Village, Oaks Christian High celebrate new sports fields student quad

MICHAEL COONS/The Acorn brand new-Peter Dunn, 16, a junior at Oaks Christian High School, throws out the first pitch at the school's new baseball field. Various sports fields will be shared with the city of Westlake Village.

Oaks Christian High School (OCHS) of Westlake Village, last Friday hosted a ribbon cutting and first pitch/kick ceremony on the campus to publicly and officially open the new modern-art influenced student quad and state-of-the art joint-use sports fields with Astro Play synthetic turf.

There to celebrate with OCHS was the Westlake Village City Council; representatives of AYSO, Westlake Baseball Association and the Southern California United Youth Soccer Club; the international designer and one of the architects of the quad, Tomas Osinski and landscape designer Brian Badgett.

For many years, OCHS and Westlake sports organizations have wanted ball fields. Attempts failed to build them on controversial Lot 79, a 40-acre parcel of land along Lindero Canyon Road, north of Hedgewall Drive.

Neighbors opposed the project due to worries about traffic, lighting and noise. Critics said the fields would harm the lifestyles of nearby residents and the city of Westlake Village agreed.

Last November, Westlake Village officials and OCHS representatives met and agreed to build the fields that just opened. The 200,000 square-foot facility includes a full-sized baseball stadium, a softball field and a soccer/football field. The total cost is said to be $1.4 million with OCHS paying $800,000. The city’s lease agreement calls for $600,000 in payments over the next 10 years.

"This is a fantastic day that couldn’t have happened without the fantastic support of the Westlake Village City Council," said OCHS director of development Tom Konjoyan to open the ceremony in the new quad.

The design is to have been world-renowned artist Charles Arnoldi’s personal favor to OCHS co-founder Dallas Price with his use of vivid colors and dramatic modern artistic structures. Angular canopies made of industrial aluminum shine above the quad and a curvilinear structure houses student lockers below.

"Underneath the industrial feeling structures," said OCHS visual art department head Arie Rignalda. It’s a very inviting and warm environment, according to Rignalda.

As for the sports facility, "We’ve waited a long time for these fields," said headmaster Jeff Woodcock, "and it’s finally happened."

Mayor Mark Rutherford was pleased with the accomplishment, he said. "We’re really forging new ground." The only other joint-use facility associated with a private school that Rutherford knew about was in Texas. OCHS students took a break from classes to witness the ceremony and the school band played the theme from "Rocky" just before the festivities. The students, too, were excited about the new facility.

"I think the fields are superb," said OCHS student Ben Adams, 16, and shortstop/center fielder of the baseball team.

OCHS softball coach Pete Ackerman spoke before the first pitch. "After 30 years of coaching, I never thought we’d have fields like this," he said. Of all the baseball fields he’s been to, these are the finest between Dodger Stadium and Pac Bell Park in San Francisco, Ackerman said.

Throwing the first pitch to open the softball field was star pitcher Ashlee Freeman, 16. Receiving the pitch was catcher Shannon Van Vorst.

"I’m so excited about the new season," Freeman said.

Jan Hethcock, OCHS athletic director and girls’ soccer coach, and boys’ coach Sebastian Alvarado spoke gratefully about the new facility before Blake Thompson, 16, kicked a goal (guarded by his brother Chris Thompson, 17). Representing the women’s soccer team was Katie Lorier, 16, and Alysha Hoven, 15, as goalie.

Head OCHS baseball coach Frank Mutz introduced the boys’ baseball diamond. New types of synthetic turf are gaining popularity, he said. And OCHS, Mutz said, already has it.

OCHS pitcher Peter Dunn, 16, threw the first ball from the mound to catcher Carson Ludwig, 16.

Along with OCHS teams to play on the fields are AYSO Region 4 soccer teams, Southern California United Youth Soccer Club and the Westlake Baseball Association. Local youth sports groups interested in using the fields can call Audrey Brown, Westlake Village assistant city manager, at (818) 706-1613.