AGOURA HILLS : Construction to Start on 10-Acre Park

Construction is scheduled to begin next month in Agoura Hills on a new 10-acre park that includes a regional equestrian facility, city officials said.

The City Council voted Wednesday to award a contract for $618,465 to Terra Cal Construction Inc. for the first phase of the facility. The project could be complete by February.

“I’ve been involved in a few such projects and I’ve never seen such a diverse group of people come together and work so well,” said Jess Thomas, a member of the Old Agoura Homeowners Assn.

The facility will replace a 2.75-acre facility built by the county and taken over by the city when it incorporated in 1982. City officials point out that no general funds will be used and that all costs will be paid through grants.

The first phase, the equestrian center, will be located between Chesebro Road, Colodny Drive and Driver Avenue.

That part of the project was made possible by a $600,000 grant from the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy. Additional funds will come from money raised under the Los Angeles County Park Bond Act.

Funding has also been obtained for a baseball field and a children’s playground, said Audrey Brown, the city’s director of community services. Funds are still being sought for a full-size basketball court and a 1,500-square-foot recreation building.

Thomas, who was on a committee that spearheaded the park-construction effort, said the committee is considering naming a portion of the park after Councilwoman Fran Pavley, who was instrumental in obtaining the conservancy grant.

“It would only be a fitting tribute,” Thomas said.

Under the plans, the equestrian center would be free and open to users from throughout the region. It would be near a portion of the Zuma Ridge Trail, an equestrian trail running through the county.

To acquire land for the new park, the city traded the old park property to Chesebro Development Group for nine acres of land, Brown said. The city already owned one acre at the site.