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Simi parks district opens 42 acres to the public
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More from EnvironmentWith plans to include bike paths and horse trails, 42 acres of prime parkland has been opened to the public, connecting the final piece of the open space puzzle in a corner of south Simi Valley.
Long Canyon Parkland, formerly known as the Equestrian Center property, is nestled among several other large open space properties along Long Canyon Road near Wood Ranch Parkway. The Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District recently bought it from the Simi Valley Unified School District for about $883,000.
The land was dedicated last week and hailed as a triumph of the combined efforts of school, parks and city officials who have made a commitment to preserve open space, city officials said.
"We were able to keep this in the community without a single estate home being built there," said Larry Peterson, general manager for the park district.
The parkland features a year-round creek shaded by a forest, with hillsides covered with coastal sage scrub and chaparral.
A variety of trees dot the landscape, including oaks, willows and sycamores, some dating back hundreds of years. The property is also a necessary segment that now connects a system of trails already established in the area.
The park district owns about 165 acres next to the land, called Challenger Park, and an additional 154 acres nearby, all of it open space. The Bridle Path Homeowners Association owns an adjoining 1,700 acres on the east, and the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority owns nearly 1,000 acres to the south and west of the parcel.
Park district employees have cleaned up the property over the past month or so, picking up about 25 tons of garbage and discarding farming equipment, Peterson said.
The purchase was made possible with the help of two grants after the school district released the surplus property for sale.
Peterson said the grants made the purchase a little easier. One was a land and water conservation grant for $170,000, and the other was from the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, which was about $295,000.
The parkland is the last part of a large parcel of land that was acquired by the school district in a settlement with a Wood Ranch builder that went bankrupt before completing a promised school.
There are two parking lots near the location, one at the 208-acre Challenger Park and the other near Wood Ranch Parkway and Long Canyon Road.
Peterson said the park could one day include horse and bike trails.
The school district might also want to use part of it for a nature education program, he said.
Posted by Grady on October 30, 2007 at 5:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Awesome, money well spent. Good job Parks and Rec for making Simi a nicer place.
Posted by karen.sheets on October 30, 2007 at 12:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
42 ACRES? Why can't they just leave Simi alone.
Posted by kyliepoo007 on October 30, 2007 at 1:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)
No kidding Karen.sheets. I grew up in Simi Valley and lived in the Bridle Path area for most of my childhood. Its hard to believe I used to just be able to go for a horseride back in those mountains when there was nothing. It was beautiful, I can say they were the best times in my childhood. I have recently been back to see my old home and places I went and had fun. What a huge dissapointment. They have distroyed the mountains with all the development, now they need 42 more acres to do what with, horse and bike trails. Ummmm hello the horse trails were already there. Where did they go?
Posted by Grady on October 30, 2007 at 3:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Not everyone who owns a horse is a member of the Bridle Path HOA. Some public horse trails would be nice.
Had RSRPD not bought the property, it could have easily gone to homes. I would rather see another park vs new homes anyday.
Posted by karen.sheets on October 31, 2007 at 10:17 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Before you didn't have to be a member of Bridle Path, you could go horse back riding almost anywhere, we were surrounded by mountains. Kyliepoo is right. What a huge disappointment. Let's build a park to horse back ride where we could already horse back ride, naturally! I guess people who just move here don't understand what we used to have. They are the ones that don't mind all the unneccesary buildings and 42 acre parks.
Posted by kyliepoo007 on October 31, 2007 at 12:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Too top it off, wildlife will have no where to go once we take away there homes. No wonder "MOUNTAIN" lions are being spotted in our front and back yards. Wouldn't happen to have to with the fact we are in their front and back yards........So sad.
Posted by socal2wheelsguy on November 1, 2007 at 10:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Good job, Simi Park and Rec. At least some of Simi's land will be saved from the shameful failure of city officials to stop the rampant development that has turned Simi Valley into a replica of the San Fernando Valley.
Posted by Grady on November 1, 2007 at 6:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Karen,
I have seen multiple posts where you have mentioned people just moving here. I have lived here for 35 years.
If there was an option to leave the land vacant that would be great, but it is not an option. If RSRPD did not buy the land from the School District, the school district will sell it to whoever else would be willing to pay the price.
That Kohls center at Tapo Cyn, was slated to be sold to the Park District, but with an original price of 14 million and the lower price pretty close to that, it ended up going to the commercial sector.
I would rather see a built park than any form of houses or condos. At least it is still usable to most people.
I feel Simi has overgrown itself, and just when you think we have no more space, they carve some Hills.
I have seen many things over the years, and will never be dissappointed by another park.
Posted by karen.sheets on November 2, 2007 at 8:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I have lived here for 40 years also. I just don't understand why developers can't leave nice communities alone. Every city has to have the same stores, the same everything, they all look alike. Do you remember when there was orange groves all around. Now there is just nothing but buildings that aren't even being occupied. If people want to build, why didn't they fix up Tapo street that has been vacant for years and an eyesore. When I mention about people moving here, it's overcrowded now. I hardly think it's the safest city anymore, all the crimes are just not published.
Posted by UncleRico on November 3, 2007 at 6:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)
"Every city has to have the same stores, the same everything, they all look alike."
Developers and cities create this bland uniformity because that is what people want. For some unknown reason, people actually get excited about a project in their city with a Bed, Bath & Beyond, a Petsmart, a Target and a Staples. Moorpark is a perfect example. Instead of creating a development at the entrance to their city that was unique and interesting, they went with something whitebread. Big box chains have a place and purpose, but they have taken over and we have not only allowed it, we have encouraged it. Patronize local independents when you can!
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