Ribbon cutting ceremony introduces new lakefront

GORGEOUS GREENBELT— With the placid lake behind them and a cloudless sky overhead, members of the Westlake Village City Council and representatives from the Westlake Lake Management Association commemorated the completion of the lakefront greenbelt project with the recent ribbon cutting ceremony.

The 300-foot stretch of lakefront property on Westlake Lake along Triunfo Canyon Road was one of nearly 30 beautification projects the city is working on to help spruce up the tony East County burg.

City officials said they started work on the master plan in 2002. Citywide beautification, which began last year, will cost over $1.1 million, City Manager Ray Taylor said.

According to Taylor, the city spent around a $1 million last year, most of which went toward the city’s new entrance monuments. Additional projects included new bus stops and additional trees lining the city’s streets.

Because the “wish list” of projects is lengthy, Taylor said the city council will continue to address the city’s most pressing needs, taking each project one at a time.

Started in mid-October and completed in late-December of last year, the lakefront project— part of the city’s master plan— cost nearly $210,000, according to city officials. This pristine stretch of lakefront property along Triunfo Canyon Road is the result of a recent city beautification program. The project is part of an extensive push to improve many public areas in the city.

The greenbelt was designed by Lee Newman and Associates. KCI Environmental Landscaping handled the project’s irrigation and landscaping.

The renovation came about after the lake’s dredging project in 2003 because the pumps and various equipment used for the dredging destroyed much of the grass and landscape on the newly restored strip of land.

The area’s overhaul was a joint project between the city and the Westlake Lake Management Association, a nonprofit organization, and the homeowners association which maintains the lake.

Mayor Mark Rutherford said the city council has been working with homeowners associations to collaborate on beautification projects throughout the city. Rutherford believes the lakefront project benefited from the joint cooperation.

“This is something the entire city can experience and enjoy,” Rutherford said moments before cutting the ribbon.

The lakefront property, owned by the Westlake Lake Management Association, now features a meandering sidewalk, 40 new trees, a manicured lawn and additional landscaping.

The site also features an area for residents to look out over the water, complete with a knee-high stone wall and a commemorative plaque.