Rec Center Improvements to Begin in 2013

The Woodland Hills Recreation Center at Shoup Park will get a facelift beginning next year if plans the city's design team presented to residents at a community gathering last week go through.

The project, as presented, will include the demolition of an existing gymnasium and administration building, which will be replaced with a new gym/recreation center. The new building would consist of a gym, multipurpose rooms, an office, kitchen and restrooms. The building would be curved to echo the shape of the surrounding hillside and would have windows on both sides.

The project would also include a new outdoor playground for children, seating, planting, landscaping and irrigation.

An existing pool and pool house would remain for now and most likely be addressed in a second redevelopment phase, should one take place.

The total cost of the project comes in at an estimate $8 million. Currently, there are aproximately $6 million allocated for the project, which would cover the estimated cost of construction. The funding comes from money paid to the city by developers, called Quimby funds, to be used strictly to acquire new park land or fund capital improvements at existing recreational and park facilities. Quimby funds get their name from the State Quimby Act (California Government Code 66477) established by the California legislation in 1965.

Planners will request an additional $2 million to cover the design "soft costs" of the project. They anticipate the money will come from Proposition K, or the "LA for Kids Program," funds.

The City anticipates the project will be completed by winter 2014, with the design phase completed by spring of next and the bidding process completed by summer.

Further community meetings will take place as plans progress, though none are scheduled at this time.

See site plans provided by the city to the right.