OPEN SPACES
The latest news from the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy Vol. 13 No. 1
Working to Protect The Ojai Valley’s Future - Today
Spring 2006
OVLC Celebrates 20 Years of Preserving Open Space in the Ojai Valley time flies! We have to pinch support from the California Coastal Councilman Steve Olsen, and board H ow ourselves to make sure 20 years Conservancy and other municipal members Patsy Eaton Norris, Carl have really passed since the founding of the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy. Back in 1986 the concept of preserving open space in the Ojai Valley was just that, a concept. The early 1980s witnessed local government pulling back from acquiring recreational lands and actually relinquishing some holdings that had served that purpose. Luckily a group of Ojai Valley citizens stepped forward to create an organization that could acquire and manage significant open space for the enjoyment of the public. Brenda Martin, Greg McMillan, Alasdair Coyne, Ellen Hall and Richard Handley invited a broad spectrum of valley residents to join the board of directors and the Land Conservancy grew from that solid base of support. The Conservancy’s first open space achievement came in December, 1990 when the Ojai Valley School board of directors placed permanent open space protection on their two campuses. Then on December 31, 1996, Dr. Joseph Ilvento and his family donated a pristine 80 acre parcel adjacent to Thacher School. Next was the successful $1.2 million campaign to acquire the 58 acre Ojai Meadows Preserve. Cluff Vista Park, the Betty Jane McCurley Preserve on Creek Road, the Ventura River Preserve and the Confluence Preserve followed in quick succession. Each open space campaign required tremendous effort from Conservancy staff, board members and volunteers. But it was the overwhelming generosity of hundreds of donors along with
agencies that made these acquisitions financially possible. To date the Conservancy has permanently protected nearly 2,000 acres of scenic vistas, greenbelts, wetlands, wildlife habitats, 20 miles of recreational trails, 3 1/2 miles of the Ventura River, 4 miles of tributary streams, and over 300 species of plants and animals. Phil Moncharsh was the Conservancy’s president from 1988 1994 and recalls the helpful board members who supported his efforts such as Michael Hermes of the Ojai Valley School, former Ojai Mayor and Councilwoman Nina Shelley,
Huntsinger, John and Ginger Wilson and Michael Shapiro. Phil says he is proud to have been board president in those formative years and to have played a role in getting the Conservancy to where it is today. Phil recalls hoping and dreaming that the Conservancy’s efforts would prove worthwhile in preserving Ojai’s open space for future generations. John Broesamle, who served as Conservancy president from 19971999, says that, “simply put, the Conservancy is the best single hope See OVLC Celebrates 20 years page 2
Cluff Vista Park Wins Top Design Award Ojai’s Cluff Vista Park has won top honors from the American Society of Landscape Architects, Southern California Chapter. The prize is a first place honor award in parks and recreation design. It recognizes the park’s designers, Bostrom & Associates Inc., of Ojai, and Van Atta Associates, of Santa Barbara. “This is a wonderful success story,” said Tom Bostrom, the lead landscape architect of the project. “This award is recognition and affirmation of the vision expressed by the park’s creators.” Partners in developing the park included the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy, the City of Ojai and dozens of private donors, most notably Don and Sheila Cluff, for whom the park is named. The park was funded entirely by community donations, and augmented by public works construction provided by the City of Ojai. “The driving force behind this project was the Land Conservancy and a group of dedicated people including Don and See Cluff Vista Park page 6
One of the beautiful views from Cluff Vista Park