Westlake parks to get upgrades

FRESHEN UP-A project to update Westlake Village parks will include Russell Ranch Park. Westlake Village residents will soon begin to see improvements at their local parks. Last week, the City Council approved an agreement with two design consultants to begin work on the four projectsL. Newman Design Group, a Westlake Village landscape design firm, will design the sports field improvements at Russell Ranch Park.

MIG Inc., based in Fullerton, will create the plans for the remainder of the work at all four parksThree Springs Park will get new playground equipment and trash cans. Russell Ranch will have play area improvements and additional trash cans while Berniece Bennett Park will have its play area remodeled and the basketball court resurfaced.

Canyon Oaks Park, which will also see updates to its play equipment, will acquire more shade trees and garbage cans as well as a disabled-accessible walkway.

The city's fifth facility, Foxfield Park, is fairly new and does not require any work.

Estimated cost for design fees from both consultants is nearly $53,000. Cost for the actual construction is $560,480, including the design fees, according to Assistant City Manager Audrey Brown. Construction is expected to begin in the spring and will be completed by the beginning of summer. .

Several residents requested that the council consider additional work at Canyon Oaks including walking trails, a new drinking fountain, restrooms and a basketball court. They complained that the park is in poor condition and is primarily used as a place for residents to walk their dogs.

"We really want it to be nice for the community, someplace the kids can go so they can have fun and get some exercise," said resident Bill Woods, citing Three Springs Park as a good example. "That park is a real gathering spot. The two basketball courts are always full."

In determining what work would be done, city staff and the city's cultural recreation advisory board conducted workshops during the summer of 2004 to obtain residents' input. The results were presented to the council in April.

"We looked at what most needed upgrading, for safety reasons first, then new enhancements," Brown said.

Berniece Bennett Park is the city's oldest. It was built by the county during the 1960s and became a city facility when Westlake Village incorporated in 1981. Canyon Oaks was built by the city in 1986, followed by Three Springs, constructed in 1989 by the neighborhood's developer. Russell Ranch was also built by a city developer in the 1990s.

Councilmember Robert Slavin acknowledged that although the new plan did not cover everything that needs to be done at the parks, it was a good start.

"Next fiscal year we will look at other improvements and what else needs to be done," Slavin said.

Additional meetings will be held to gather residents' input on any future work, he added.

Woods said he worried that Canyon Oaks will only receive nominal upgrades and will then be forgotten.

"I think we're one of the most responsive cities around," Mayor Sue McSweeney said. "We'll get something nice done there."