Lang Ranch Park is long overdue

When my family, including my active 13- and 11-year-old boys, moved to Lang Ranch nine years ago, it was fully disclosed that we would get a full-service "community park," with multiple ball fields, a community center, tennis courts, ample parking and a series of other recreational amenities, which hundreds of young families in our portion of Thousand Oaks desperately need.

A community park, as defined by Conejo Recreation and Park District (CRPD), is designed to serve the broader recreation needs of several neighborhoods.

The design is meant to encourage and attract families on a day-to-day basis, as well as provide for larger community events.

Some recreation facilities are equipped for both day and night use. We were never told it would be a smaller "neighborhood park" or anything like that.

One of the major reasons we moved to Lang Ranch was because we were promised a full-service, large community park and recreation center within walking distance of our home. I know that plans for a community park at this site have been in place since 1968.

Please don't turn our community into another San Fernando Valley, making us drive all over Conejo Valley every weekend for our children's sporting events and outdoor activities.

Our children deserve the same type of lifestyle we had growing up. Our kids are entitled to walk to their sporting events at the local community park.

Our region of Thousand Oaks is the most under-served when it comes to parks and recreation.

We're counting on CRPD to let this dream become a reality. Remember that we're all in this for the children.

Think of their future.
Dave Farkas
Thousand Oaks