Last week the Simi Valley City Council named two of their own as the first members of a new committee that will come up with ideas on how to develop the Arroyo Simi into one continuous scenic pathway.

The Arroyo is 10 miles of a flood control channel that travels the length of the city. The narrow belt attracts birds and other wildlife.

"It's definitely a gem in our community that's underutilized," said Steve Sojka, one of the council members on the Arroyo Simi Ad Hoc Committee.

However, establishing a pathway uninterrupted by city streets may require that the Arroyo be lowered in places, such as at Sycamore Drive and Erringer Road, he said.

"To have it done right, I think we need to look at that," Sojka said.

Seven miles of trails along the Arroyo can be used now. But as the land use surrounding it varies from industrial to residential to open space, so does the scenery, changing from the unsightly to the picturesque.

Sojka envisions a serene parklike setting with benches, equestrian trails and jogging paths. Councilmember Barbra Williamson, a longtime supporter of enhancing the Arroyo, shares his vision. However, she doesn't want to see the Arroyo commercialized or turned into a speedway for bicyclists. She also wants to get the business community involved.

"This really needs to be a community effort," she said. "I think that there's a world open to us."

The committee will also include representatives from the Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District and the planning commission. Those agencies are expected to appoint committee members in the coming weeks.

When the ad hoc committee meets, they will use the services of a professional consultant to help with the design.