Ed Hayduk The Rancho Simi Recreation and Parks District's plan for the expansion of Sinaloa Golf Course involves much more then adding a few additional holes and sand traps.

According to information released during a special public meeting held Monday, the district is planning to add a water park and miniature golf course to the Sinaloa Golf Course by 2011.

The project will address what the district sees as a serious lack of family oriented facilities in the Simi area, said Ed Hayduk, park district assistant general manager.

According to Hayduk, Simi families must commute to Sherman Oaks, Malibu or Ventura to spend the day at a large recreation center.

"These trips aren't necessarily convenient," he said. "Zuma Beach can take an hour to reach is over 30 miles away."

In addition to providing Simi residents of all ages with affordable thrills, district officials hope the project will transform the Sinaloa course into a profitable enterprise.

Rounds of play at the pitchand-putt course, at 980 Madera Road, have steadily decreased over the years. While the driving range brought in around $250,000 when it first opened in 1996, it only made $127,000 this year.

The new activity centers will be built on 13 acres of land adjacent to the current golf course. The land was purchased by the district in two deals, in 1997 and 2004.

Plans include replacing the Sinaloa driving range and removing the lights to address complaints lodged by neighbors.

The plan was put together by a team of four consulting firms. Behr Browers Architecture devised the overall plan with help from Harris Miniature Golf Courses, Timm Golf Services and Aquatic Design Group.

District officials reviewed three proposals and decided on one they felt best addressed community needs. The facility will include a new food concession area, a rebuilt golf course, a water park, miniature golf course and an arcade.

The theme for the center will focus on national parks such as Los Padres, Yosemite, Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon. The miniature course and water park will incorporate features to be seen in the parks, including geysers, waterfalls, caves and pools of bubbling mud.

"We feel the theme will also place an emphasis on preserving our park land," said Francisco Behr, of Behr Browers Architecture.

Buildings will have a California style, single-story ranch design and will incorporate elements of heavy timber and stone. The facilities will include outdoor fireplaces and picnic areas.

"We expect people to stay here longer. They can go enjoy a day at the water park and then come over and have a picnic," Behr said. "Above all things, this is going to be a very fun place."

The current design for the miniature golf course includes three 18-hole courses designed for players of all ages. The course will feature a number of natural elements and will be intersected by watercourses.

"We don't just want to make a simple putt-putt course," said Tony Hunnicutt of Harris Miniature Golf. "There's a fine balance that our courses strive for- -you don't want to frustrate the 6-year-old, but you also want to draw an older crowd."

Plans for the water park include a 25-foot, five-flume slide, a "lazy river" and two separate pools. Land is also being set aside for future water park options.

Aquatic Design Group, the firm heading the water park's design, has created a number of other aquatic centers in the area including Raging Waters in San Dimas and Hurricane Harbor in Valencia.

A number of improvements will be made to Sinaloa Golf Course to encourage additional play.

"Keeping the integrity of this golf course is going to be a good thing for this community," said Steve Timm, a Simi Valley resident and owner of Timm Golf Services.

Renovations will include defining the fairway, enlarging the tee box areas and pruning and relocating plants.

The district plans to directly manage facilities such as the miniature golf course and water park, but would hire concessionaires to manage the food court and arcade.

"Our plan is to have someone run the arcade and food court because we're making half the profit without even having to do any work," Hayduk said.

Based on data accumulated from a new park in the city of Vista and a Los Angelesowned miniature golf course in Sherman Oaks, the district expects to make an annual profit of $1.1 million. The figures taken from the model facilities were recalculated to adjust for inflation and differences in size and location.

The facility is expected to cost from $16.5 million to $19.5 million to construct.

The district has already saved $3.2 million from revenue from the Simi Hills Golf Course, and hopes to earn an additional $3 million more by 2011. In addition, the district plans to raise another $8.2 million through the sale of park land.

When all is said and done, Hayduk said the district hopes it will only have to borrow between $2 million and $5.2 million to complete the expansion.

"It's an expensive project, but it will pay for itself in a few years," Hayduk said. "This facility is a money-maker."

Officials hope to have all permits secured by the end of next year and all plans completed by 2008. Grading, utilities and parking will be finished between July 2009 and June 2010. The water park and miniature golf course are scheduled for completion by the summer of 2011.