Officials dedicate center at The Oaks
By John Loesing newstip@theacorn.com

FORMAL WELCOME- City Councilmember Barry Groveman introduces the new $4.2million community center at The Oaks development in Calabasas with builder Lou Malone, left, and Councilmember Jon Wolfson, at his side. JOHN LOESING/Acorn Newspapers

The new Malone Park and Community Center was dedicated Sun., Nov. 4 at The Oaks of Calabasas, a collection of multi-million-dollar homes in the scenic mountains at the sound end of Parkway Calabasas.

New Millennium Homes, a private developer under the leadership of Lou Malone, acquired the 557home project in 1997 after the original builder, Baldwin Company, went bankrupt.

With the acquisition, New Millennium also inherited a 1991 agreement between Baldwin and the Las Virgines Unified School District to provide eight acres of land within the private community for a new elementary school.

But a majority of Oaks residents and city officials became concerned about the liability, traffic and safety issues that might arise if a public school were to be situated within a gated development.

In a December 2004 compromise forged by councilmember Barry Groveman, the Calabasas City Council entered into an agreement with the school district and New Millennium to find another location for the school.

Meanwhile, New Millennium received city approval to use half the former school site at The Oaks for additional luxury homes. The remaining four acres of the site were given to the homeowner association to build an 8,500squarefoot community center.

The $4.2million center includes two tennis courts and two pools. Each homeowner was assessed $7,500 to build it.

HOA board members and city officials dedicated the facility last weekend as more than 200 homeowners looked on.

"They said five years ago it couldn't be done," said Robert Pope, homeowner association president. "It was a win-win for everybody."

As part of the community center agreement, New Millennium contributed $8 million into a trust fund that the city and school district could use for the construction of a school elsewhere in Calabasas.

Although discussions continue between city and school officials, no new site has been announced..

"The current agreement provides that if the district determines a new school is not needed, the funds are split equally between the school district and the city," said Donald Zimring, superintendent of schools.