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April 29, 2010 update:
During their regular City Council meeting on April 28, 2010, the
Calabasas City Council directed
the Parks, Recreation and Education Commission to assess the need of
a swimming pool on the west side of Calabasas and if a need exists,
determine where the most appropriate park for it to be placed.
The Acorn
ran both an article and an editorial regarding a proposed
aquatic/water park complex in Calabasas, which was discussed at the
City Council meeting of Feb. 24. The artist’s rendering referenced
and shown in these articles was an initial conceptual design tool
and was not meant in any way to be a final design. The rendering was
a representation of what a generic aquatic complex could look like,
not what it would look like.
The City of Calabasas encourages any resident
interested in the aquatic complex design process to
watch the video of the City Council meeting at the city’s website.
The City Council and staff are committed that any complex built in
Calabasas fit with the natural aesthetics of our community.
The updated
Parks and Recreation Master Plan adopted by City Council in June
2004 calls for increased active recreational facilities in
Calabasas, including an aquatics complex. The master plan process
involved several community meetings, a random sample household
survey and public forums in front of the parks and recreation
commission and City Council. Participation from the community at all
scheduled and noticed meetings, along with completed surveys,
provided invaluable information and exceeded our expectations.
The parks
master plan is a working document and provides a blueprint for many
projects we undertake today. A well-designed aquatics complex would
fulfill a goal of the master plan while providing a much needed
active recreational facility on the west side of the city to
complement the Calabasas Tennis & Swim Center on the east side. The
city stands to benefit as the price to build will be far less now
than when the economy was in better standing. It will also offer
much needed work for contractors and help stimulate the local
economy.
The City
Council and staff could run such a facility as an enterprise fund
similar to that of the Tennis & Swim Center in which membership dues
and program fees cover the operational expenses. An aquatic complex
could also serve to aid our school district that is facing severe
cutbacks and could decide to close down their high school pools as a
cost cutting measure.
In April, the
City Council will review a revised concept design for the potential
aquatic complex, along with an operational analysis. If the council
decides to move forward there will be a thorough process to gather
public opinion on the project and hold public hearings in front of
the parks, recreation and education commission and the City Council.
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