Recreation center back on council's agenda

Neighborhood concerns about a new recreation center proposed for Forest Cove Park in Agoura Hills will be discussed at a Jan. 28 City Council meeting.

Residents responded with an uproar when the city announced the findings of a yearlong study that identified several potential sites for the new center, including the upper portion of Forest Cove Park. CWA Inc., a SanDiegobased consulting firm, examined the feasibility of 21 locations, including schools, parks and commercial areas within the city.

The possibility of using Forest Cove Park infuriated many residents. Council members have been inundated with letters, e-mails and public testimony at council meetings over the past month.

At the Dec. 10 City Council meeting, more than a dozen Agoura Hills residents gave council members reasons why the new center should not be built at Forest Cove Park.

"You want to take a little bit of paradise and put a blacktop on it," said Al Ferrone. He suggested looking at Agoura High School as a potential site.

Lorraine Crawford's home faces the top of Forest Cove Park. She disagreed with the study that said the upper park section was underutilized. "The top of the park is used for little ones," she said, adding that people routinely have picnics in the park, walk their dogs and play sports.

Valerie Fox said she was dumbfounded that the park was even being considered as a location for the new center. She called Forest Cove the "people's park."

Glenn Crawford said the city already has two areas for "organized activities."

"For another one to be added when two aren't used that much seems silly," Crawford said. "I don't want to see another building. I like trees; I like animals."

Paula Friedman said that before she moved to Agoura Hills from Connecticut she "stalked out the park for three consecutive days." She said a recreation center would "destroy the beauty, safety, peace and tranquility" of the neighborhood.

Peter Holzner said he paid an additional $100,000 for his home to be located next to an open park.

City officials have addressed residents' concerns through the media, letters, e-mails and other means. Last month City Manager Greg Ramirez wrote a guest column for The Acorn stating the study just provided a "baseline" in which to consider the final location and several public meetings would be conducted before a decision was made.

"As the entire city sets out on this journey, the City Council looks forward to getting our community involved with this project," Ramirez wrote. "While the study was part of the plan, so is public input."

The current recreation center is operated in a building on Thousand Oaks Boulevard. Ramirez said it was "significantly undersized" and the lease would expire in 2014 with no option to extend it.

The new recreation center will span 17,500 square feet and cost approximately $6 million to $7 million, city officials said.

To address the growing concerns of residents, Councilmember Harry Schwarz suggested that the council place the recreation center issue on the next City Council agenda. The public, he said, is urged to attend the Jan. 28 City Council meeting at 7 p.m.