Website designed to keep residents informed about park expansion
Interested parties can now visit sinaloapark.com
By Darleen Principe darleen@theacorn.com

Nearly 10 months after expansion plans for the Sinaloa Golf Course were officially announced, the Rancho Simi Recreation and Parks District has launched a website to keep the public informed of the project's details.

Included on the website sinaloapark.com are a full overview of the proposal as well as downloadable copies of city staff reports and the original project presentation. Site users can also sign up to have updates e-mailed to them.

"As part of our community relations efforts, we want to offer an easy way for district residents to get involved in the Sinaloa Park project and have access to information," said assistant general manager Ed Hayduk in an official statement.

In a public meeting in October 2006, Hayduk announced the expansion would include a miniature golf course, water park elements, an arcade, picnic pavilions and an outdoor holiday ice skating area by 2011.

The purpose of the project is to bolster family oriented activities in Simi so that residents don't have to make long commutes to Sherman Oaks or Ventura for recreation, he said.

Still, dozens of Simi residents who live near the Sinaloa Golf Course voiced their opposition to the expansion immediately after listening to the proposal details at last year's meeting- citing traffic jams, loss of open space and out-of-control teens.

Palika Gallagher, one of the residents who turned up at the meeting, said this week that the parks district "didn't do a very good job" of informing residents in the beginning. Though Gallagher is not entirely opposed to the project, he's opposed to the location.

"It seems like they're going to do what they want," Gallagher said.

To help address the concerns of residents, Hayduk told the Simi Valley Acorn this week that the park district recently contracted with Hogle-Ireland Inc., a land-planning and development consulting firm, to implement an extensive community outreach program.

"This will be the most expensive project the district's ever built," Hayduk said. "We're trying to do it right- not to rush things."

The consulting firm will keep in contact with residents on behalf of the parks district and help the district build a solid support base, he said.

"This is to help involve the community so they do have a say," said Lisa Gonchar, spokesperson for Hogle-Ireland.

Gonchar said that residents can participate by voting in electronic polls and attending the meetings that will be announced on the website.

"It's a project for the community," she said. "It's best to have the community's input and involvement from the beginning."