Agoura Getting New Recreation Center

Agoura Hills will be getting a brand new recreational center at a new location. Escrow closed Thursday on a piece of  property located at 29900 Ladyface Court, just above the City Hall and library, according to city officials.

The completion of the new facility will create a true civic center, said Mayor Harry Schwarz. “I’m happy with it and optimistic, because I think it’s really an ideal location,” he said. “I’m optimistic it’s going to become a great place for everything, both recreational and educational services.”

Having a rec center next to city hall and the library will be convenient, not only for the community, but also for the city staff, according Amy Brink, Director of Community Services

“The facilities are going to be very complementary of each other,” said Brink. ”From a services standpoint, I think it will be nice for staff to be close to City Hall.”

That’s not the only reason the spot was chosen. It’s also what the community wanted, said Brink.

According to Brink, the property lease for the on Thousand Oaks Boulevard is set to expire in 2014, so for the past several years, the city has been looking at possible locations for a new one and setting aside money for it.

The city asked for the public’s input, and the residents’ message was heard loud and clear, said Schwarz. “We were looking at different areas and the public did not want it in a park, not anywhere near a neighborhood,” he said. “So we looked for a parcel away from residential areas.”

Added Brink: “The city council listened, and we were able to find this piece of property.” 

Besides the advantageous location, the new recreational center will be both bigger—and better—than the current one, according to Brink. She said the new facility is approximately 15,500 square feet, while the current one is about 3,700 square feet. This significant increase in space will allow the city more programs and an area outside for children, she said

“We can only do so much here,” Brink said of the current building. “We can only offer some programs because of a true lack of space. There’s no outdoor play area for kids when they visit.” 

Children won’t be the only ones that will benefit from the new rec center. There will be programs and events for people of all ages, “from toddlers through seniors,” said Schwarz.

The time frame from escrow-closing to completion may be a long one, said Schwarz. “It could take up to two or three years, maybe even longer, he said. 

According to Schwarz, the city must first hire a consultant to look at the land and the building to figure out the costs and designs, which gives the city the concepts to show to the public when it asks for input during a series of community workshops before the council makes its decisions. Then the construction gets underway, he said.

“It’s not going to be an overnight process,” Schwarz said. “It’s going to take some time. We don’t want to rush it. We want to do it right.”