This holiday season, visit a gem close to home




Even if you don’t care to learn zumba, needlepoint or watch a “Hunger Games” movie marathon, there are plenty of good reasons to visit the new City of Agoura Hills Recreation and Event Center that crowns winding Ladyface Court. It’s one of the gems of the city that we can all be thankful for this holiday season.

The center occupies a sleek, attractive building that blends well into its gloriously picturesque setting. The parking lot edges right up to the flanks of the mountain the street is named for—Ladyface Mountain. The structure and its outdoor facilities appear to be built with keen attention to fire safety due to the proximity to brushy wild land.

With its views and thoughtful landscaping, the center’s grounds are a draw for anyone who enjoys the outdoors. A breeze often in play diminishes the freeway noise below. For a rec center located on a steep knoll above a major highway, it is a surprisingly serene site absent the bustling special events or tot-geared festivities. Whether strolling the grounds or picnicking, an old Herman’s Hermits tune may come to mind: “There’s a kind of hush all over the world. . . .”

You can even sit on a rattlesnake here without having to worry. A giant rattlesnakethemed bench offers seating for a premium view of the Simi Hills above Oak Park. This area includes an exhibit featuring sculptures of wildlife that are often seen very locally: the aforementioned rattler, a bobcat, a red-tailed hawk and the elusive cougar. The serenade of live coyotes can sometimes be heard nearby.

A delightful destination to warm up on a cool day is a patio with tables and chairs facing the mountain side. Sunshine pours generously onto the patio, fringed in slender green horsetail with cinquefoil as ground cover. It is mostly wind-sheltered and warm, an ideal site for the abundantly fruit-laden citrus trees planted there: lime, blood orange, grapefruit, mandarin orange and navel orange.

There are lawns flanked by sapling native trees—sycamore, oak, alder, desert willow, and drought-hardy shrubs and plants. The landscaping is not yet mature, and will fill out nicely once established.

Some people have expressed dismay about the difficulty of finding the place. It is at 29900 Ladyface Court, off the stretch of Agoura Road between Kanan Road and Reyes Adobe Road in Agoura Hills.

At the stoplight at Ladyface Court turn toward the mountain, not the freeway. Pass the turnoff on the right for the library/city hall complex. The road begins to climb; the sign for the rec center will be on the left, and a short but steep curving road will lead to the parking lot.

Bravo, and thanks to the City of Agoura Hills for providing its residents with a place for recreation, contemplation and relaxation.



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