Sports park could break ground in June
By Michelle Knight knight@theacorn.com

Camarillo residents may not have to wait much longer for the sports park at Village at the Park to materialize.

At a special meeting this week, the district's board of directors awarded the contract to create detailed design plans-a major preconstruction step-for the 55acre sports park to MJS Design Group of Newport Beach.

The district had considered awarding the contract at the Nov. 1 meeting but chose to postpone a decision until the newly reactivated Youth Sports Council had time to review the lengthy proposals from MJS and another landscape architectural firm before giving their recommendation.

Staff had recommended at the earlier meeting that the board award the contract to MJS, which bid $484,990 for the project, over Hirsch and Associates of Anaheim at $650,000.

The park district has worked with both firms before-Hirsch built Mission Oaks and Eldred E. Lokker parks, and MJS produced the sports park's conceptual design.

The district isn't required to have the bids submitted as sealed nor is it compelled to award the contract to the lowest bidder, because the contract is for professional services, not public construction work, said Tony Trembley, the district's legal counsel.

The seven-member Youth Sports Council includes the American Youth Soccer Organization, Camarillo Pony Baseball, Camarillo Girls Softball Association, Eagles Soccer Club, the California Real Futbol Club, Camarillo Youth Basketball Association and the Camarillo Cosmos Youth Track Team.

Beginning construction on the sports park before June 30 is part of a larger list of goals the fivemember board of directors set in a workshop last month.

In the public meeting held on an October Saturday with new general manager Dan LaBrado, board members compiled a list of 34 goals important to them. After several rounds of votes, the board narrowed the list down to 15 of the most pressing items. For the complete list, see accompanying article on page 4.

Paul Rockenstein, a board member for over a decade, said it's realistic to believe the district can start all of the projects before the fiscal year ends, because many of the goals aren't new and the projects don't have to be started from scratch.

LaBrado's leadership has also contributed to the air of optimism, he said.

"The general manager is very interested and very anxious to go with these things and make a fresh start. It's like you're jump-starting the agency in a very positive way," Rockenstein said. "I think at this point there's a lot of renewed energy on the part of staff to get these things done, and it's refreshing to me to see this."

The board is expected to set a timeline for the remaining goals at a later date.

In related news, the board approved earlier this month applying for a grant from the California Integrated Waste Management Board for new rubberized surfaces at two park playgrounds.

The grant amount is unknown at this time.

The project would call for the removal of sand at Birchview and Trailside playgrounds and the installation of a rubber material made from recycled tires.

Similar material covers a portion of the playground at Freedom Park

The district wants to upgrade all the parks and plans to use Birchview and Trailside as models. Landscaping work, already begun at several parks, includes removing dead trees, planting new greenery, and improving grass quality and texture as a better playing surface for soccer games.

Directors were also updated on the status of the Pleasant Valley Pool renovation. Construction plans were submitted last week to the city and the county's Environmental Health Division for ap

proval. The job is expected to go out for bids in coming weeks; construction could begin in January.