If Tuesday's presentation by RRM Design Group regarding improvements to the Arroyo Simi (story on page 1), which stretches 10 miles from Corriganville Park to Moorpark, was meant to be a sales pitch . . . we're sold!

The sight of a natural, green, tree-lined corridor complete with arched bridges and bike paths was enough to make the most frugal of residents stir in their seats with excitement.

So simple and yet so effective were some of the proposed improvements that the presentation begged the question: Why didn't somebody think of this sooner?

There's no doubt a workable plan to preserve and beautify "the wash," once the lifeblood of this area's first residents- the Chumash Indians- is long overdue.

Councilmember Steve Sojka, along with city officials and public volunteers who offered input during late-night meetings leading up to Tuesday, ought to be commended for turning ideas into action. Conceding the Arroyo to vandals and vagrants who have long abused the city's most precious natural source of above-ground water is no longer an option.

Now the question is: how do we pay for all this?

Henry Graumlich, manager of special projects with the Calleguas Municipal Water District, said Tuesday that the city could earn state funds for the project if it can show that it qualifies under Proposition 84, or the Clean Water Act, which funds programs for maintaining water quality, flood control and natural resources. A representative with the Ventura County Watershed Protection District, the true owners of the Arroyo, also offered to help.

Let's hope these sources and others can produce results, because local resources- the type of dollar amounts needed to satisfy the cost of RRM's proposed overhaul- just aren't available. And they aren't going to be anytime soon.

The Ad Hoc Committee and RRM Design Group have succeeded in creating a plan to preserve the Arroyo Simi. Now let's see if they can get the necessary funding flowing.