Conejo Valley children find a new place to play

JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers A WELL-BALANCED, PERFECT PAIR—Sisters Claire Ollivier, 12, left, and Marie, 10, have fun on new playground equipment at Conejo Community Park in Thousand Oaks. The popular facility is at Dover and Hendrix avenues, and is managed by Conejo Recreation and Park District. While adults may need instructions to use some of the equipment at three new playground areas at Conejo Community Park, children seem to know what to do.

The new $550,000 playground on a hill between the community center and the Botanic Garden replaces horseshoe, shuffleboard and basketball courts. The new play area features ropes, rocks and what looks like a skateboard on a track. Toddler equipment and swings are also available.

The old playground that has been at the park for more than 30 years under mature oak trees will be demolished this month, said Tom Hare, park and planning administrator for Conejo Recreation and Park District.

"We're looking into moving the stagecoach to the Stagecoach Inn to be used as a planter or something and will leave the cannon at the park somewhere," Hare said.

JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers VISITING THE PARK ALWAYS AN ADVENTURE—Daniel Darwin, left, and Justin Sorrell, both 3, climb on new playground equipment at Conejo Community Park in Thousand Oaks. The popular facility is at Dover and Hendrix avenues. But the other equipment will be destroyed.

"I think it's sad. This is a nice place," Paige Howland of Thousand Oaks said.

She and her son Gardner, 2, play at the old playground about three times a week as a social activity. Gardner and other boys recently played on the equipment and with trucks in the sand, unaware they would be among the last children to do so.

"I love coming here so he can play with children his age. I love sitting here under these beautiful, mature oak trees. Then he goes into the stroller, and we walk around the Botanic Gardens," Howland said.

Not far away, Tanya Blanck of Moorpark and her daughter Morgan, 2, explored the new playground with Tanya Inouye of Thousand Oaks and her daughter Abigail, 2.

The girls enjoyed climbing up ramps decorated with brightly colored alphabet letters.

"I like how the baby swings are with the swings for older children so when I bring my 5yearold son to the park, my children can both swing at the same time— nobody's unhappy," Blanck said.

The 27-acre park on Hendrix Avenue was acquired from the county by CRPD in 1972. The playground that is being demolished was put in at the park entrance, separated from the driveway by a short wall. The new playground is considered by park officials to be in a safer place, away from traffic.