Calabasas City Council To Discuss Reopening The Community Center

CALABASAS, CA — Both the Agoura Hills and Calabasas city councils will discuss the fate of their shared community center in council meetings Wednesday evening.

The cities are renegotiating the division of labor and costs involved in operating the center amid a major lack of funds and a nearly two year closure of the facility. Calabasas will consider the issue in closed session while Agoura Hills will address the center in the public portion of their meeting.

The Agoura Hills/Calabasas Community Center shut in May 2020 after failing to collect enough revenue to operate the facility. The center saw a major dip in revenue because of the pandemic and competition from local businesses. Despite financial contributions from both cities, the center would not have been able to make bill or salary payments and has been closed ever since.

The closed center has not collected revenue for nearly two years. Meanwhile, the facility will need maintenance and repairs totaling over $1 million to reopen, according to the city of Agoura Hills. Agoura Hills and Calabasas each contributes $50,000 to the center every year, and the center recently received a $166,000 grant from the Regional Park and Open Space District, which won't nearly cover the $1 million price tag.

One proposed solution is to split the division of operations, maintenance, activities and center's governing board makeup 80/20 with Calabasas assuming the majority of responsibilities. As it stands, the division is 50/50. Additionally, Calabasas will consider changing the ratio of costs incurred by each city, according to the city of Agoura Hills.

The city of Calabasas has submitted for funding from Los Angeles County and Agoura Hills will consider writing a letter of support, according to the city of Agoura Hills.

Although Calabasas will consider the issue in closed session, they will publicly announce if any actionable steps were taken.

Use this link to to watch the Agoura Hills council meeting at 6 p.m. Wednesday, and this link to watch the Calabasas council meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday.