Council approves Magnolia Park plans
By Sylvie Belmond belmond@theacorn.com

Downtown residents will no longer have to cross busy Moorpark Avenue to spend time in their neighborhood park because Magnolia Park is shaping up into a reality.

The City Council, Wednesday, approved the design plans for the half-acre park, which will be situated on the corner of Charles and Magnolia streets, behind the High Street Fire Station.

Magnolia Street will be converted into a culdesac north of the fire station driveway, to make way for the park.

"Magnolia Park is one of the best things happening to the downtown area," said Councilmember Roseann Mikos.

The city is now going to solicit bids for the project, which is expected to cost about $545,000, including street grading.

Once a bid is approved and construction begins, it will take about 40 business days to build the park, according to a staff report.

"Hopefully it will be done by the end of the summer or even sooner," said Hugh Riley, assistant city manager for Moorpark.

Park amenities will include a playground accessible to disabled individuals, with three slides and a climbing wall. An open grassy field, picnic tables, park benches are also slated. The facility will be themed with a central walkway, evergreen trees and vines along the north and west walls of the park perimeter.

The new park should eventually replace the playground area in front of the Civic Center, said Riley. It will be safer for local children who won't have to cross Moorpark Avenue, which is used by many trucks.

City officials may want to redo the parking lot next to the library and the Civic Center in the future, but the council hasn't made any final decisions on this matter yet, he Riley also said.