2023 City of Thousand Oaks Summer Beach Bus Service June 19 to August 11

City of Thousand Oaks Summer Beach Bus Service Returns For 2023

The City of Thousand Oaks will once again offer the Summer Beach Bus: a regularly scheduled public transit service traveling between Thousand Oaks and Zuma Beach in Malibu. The service runs Monday through Friday from June 19 through August 11 except for July 4.

NEW: 1st through 12th grade and college students will ride for FREE! For others, the round trip fare is $4 ($1 for seniors and persons with disabilities). Cash only.

Two round trips will be available daily Monday through Friday. The Beach Bus departs from two locations -- Borchard Community Center Parking Lot and the Thousand Oaks Teen Center Bus Stop. The Beach Bus drops off and picks up at Zuma Beach parking lot #8.

For exact departure times please refer to the timetable posted at each stop or for more information about the Summer Beach Bus, visit the Thousand Oaks Transit website at www.totransit.org/beachbus. Please note that seating for this program is limited and riders will be boarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Early arrival, at least 15 minutes in advance is encouraged.

Parents and riders may track the bus location in real-time by visiting www.govcbus.com/map.

Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History to Reopen Its Permanent Mineral Exhibit on April 22nd

The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History is reopening its permanent mineral exhibit and once more inviting the public to marvel at astonishing rocks and crystals.

Over 100 specimens handpicked by Dibblee Curator of Earth Science Jonathan Hoffman, Ph.D., are on view in the small hall off the Museum’s central courtyard. Fan favorites like the fluorescent minerals and Emerald-City-like malachite spires have returned, accompanied by new picks from the Museum’s collection. The new permanent exhibit also features three stunning specimens donated to the Museum at the close of last summer’s temporary mineral extravaganza, Rare Earth.

All the specimens are now situated in a new interpretive and design context that puts the emphasis on their geologic origin and surprisingly lively nature. The exhibit takes a cue from the deep time perspective of research by Robert Hazen, Ph.D., and other prominent mineralogists. The title wall leads with the startling fact that the solar system began with only 60 minerals, whereas over 6,000 are known on Earth today, thanks to the dynamic conditions on our planet.

The room’s new vibe leans away from the glass-case-in-a-store feeling of older mineral exhibits. Organic forms and panoramas mask the cases, evoking the fact that minerals come from our planet’s landscapes, not jewelry stores. Dr. Hoffman and the rest of the Museum’s exhibit team hope to instill a greater appreciation not only for minerals, but for the lively natural forces that generate them.

As Hoffman notes, “Minerals are often beautiful, but their origin stories are just as impressive. We hope visitors will appreciate how minerals demonstrate the dynamic nature of chemistry—how minerals form, how they change over time, how organisms interact with them, and the roles they play in our society.”

The mineral exhibit opens April 22 and is included in Museum admission. Members are always admitted free. More information at sbnature.org/minerals

About the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History

Powered by Science. Inspired by Nature. Founded in 1916, the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History inspires a thirst for discovery and a passion for the natural world. The Museum seeks to connect people to nature for the betterment of both, and prides itself on being naturally different. For more information, visit sbnature.org.

First Thursdays Gourmet Food Trucks at Plaza Park in Oxnard

The first Thursday of the month is Gourmet Food Truck Night in Oxnard's Plaza Park, 519 South C Street. Each event brings 8 to 12 of the hottest trucks in the south land. The event runs from 5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. with live music and local vendors. Plenty of free parking on street and in public lots. More information at downtownoxnard.org/first-thursdays.

Upcoming Dates: April 6

Bowlero Looks to Develop a Bowling Alley at the Former Dick's Sporting Goods in Moorpark (OPENED ON 12/8/23)

UPDATE: Lucky Strike Moorpark opened on December 8, 2023.

The City of Moorpark received an application for a Conditional Use Permit from Bowlero in July to develop a bowling alley at the former Dick's Sporting Goods, 706 Los Angeles Avenue (near the Amazon Fresh store). The application is currently undergoing review by the city and its planning commission.

If approved, the project would still need to go through environmental analysis, a public hearing and final approval. Bowlero is the largest bowling alley operator in the world, with 300 centers, including local locations at The Collection at Riverpark in Oxnard and in Woodland Hills.

www.moorparkca.gov/1113/Bowlero

Local area bowling alleys in Ventura County and nearby areas at THIS LINK.

Conejo Recreation and Park District Announces Paige Lane Neighborhood Park is Now Open

Construction of the Conejo Recreation and Park District’s Paige Lane Neighborhood park is now complete and open to the public.

The 14 acre neighborhood park development at 901 Paige Lane in Thousand Oaks includes multi-use walkways and looped equestrian trail, Chumash themed playground, fitness equipment nodes, sand volleyball and basketball courts, three shaded picnic areas, single restroom, small parking lot and native and drought tolerant landscaping.

Due to the current drought and the Conejo Recreation and Park District’s continued efforts towards water conservation, the planned three acres of turf areas will not be installed at this time. Turf areas will be prepared with mulch cover and underground irrigation infrastructure for possible future implementation of turf at a later date, depending on forecasted drought conditions. To find out more about the District’s water conservation efforts, please visit www.crpd.org/water.

The project was made possible through a partnership between the Conejo Recreation and Park District and the City of Thousand Oaks. The City provided $1,500,000 grant towards the approximate $4,250,000 project. The Conejo Recreation and Park District provided the balance of the funding and project management.

The park was acquired in 1972 by the Conejo Recreation and Park District and is one of few remaining undeveloped parcels of the District-wide Conejo Creek Park Complex.

To celebrate the opening of the new park facility, the District will hold a ribbon cutting ceremony with crafts, games and light refreshments from 10:00am to 12:30pm on Saturday, October 29, 2022.

Please visit the park page at www.crpd.org/plp for detailed project information and construction photos.

Trailhead Improvement Project at Cheeseboro Canyon September 19, 2022 to Early Summer 2023

The National Park Service has awarded a contract to AMA Diversified Construction Group, a company based out of Torrance, to revitalize the trailhead parking lot at Cheeseboro Canyon in Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (SMMNRA). The project will include site grading; the installation of potable water and storm drainage utilities; new gravel-paved roadways and lots; a pedestrian pathway; and a new vault toilet.

“This project will make a big difference for thousands of hikers, cyclists, and equestrians who recreate in this area year-round,” said Jody Lyle, acting superintendent for SMMNRA. “It will also provide better storm water protection for our Agoura Hills neighbors who live near the trailhead.”

The project is slated to begin on Sept. 19, 2022, with expected completion by early summer next year. Construction will occur four days a week—Monday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. No regular work will be performed on Fridays, weekends, and federal holidays unless there’s a weather delay or unforeseen situation. With fire season right around the corner, park officials will monitor fire weather forecasts and take necessary precautions during red flag days.

The entire area around the existing parking lot (see accompanying map) will be closed during construction. Hikers, cyclists, and equestrians can still access the greater Cheeseboro and Palo Comado trail system via the Lower Cheeseboro Canyon Trail leaving from a temporary parking lot just south of the construction area. Several short trail sections (totaling approximately one mile) will be closed during construction.

This project combines federal dollars with private funds from the National Park Foundation, the Santa Monica Mountains Fund, and the Clifford Holmes estate. Holmes, a property ranch manager for actor Bob Hope, left his estate to this project after he died in the 1980s.

For general questions about the project, contact Ana Beatriz Cholo, the park’s public information officer, at ana_cholo@nps.gov.

Paige Lane Neighborhood Park in Thousand Oaks Anticipated to Open in Early September

In September 2021, the City of Thousand Oaks approved a $1.5 million grant to partially fund development of Conejo Creek Southwest Park, which as the name indicates, is southwest of Conejo Creek Park South. The 14 acre property, acquired in 1972, is bisected by Paige Lane as it travels beneath State Route 23.

The park has been renamed Paige Lane Neighborhood Park and is anticipated by CRPD to open in early September 2022. The new park will feature a Chumash-themed playground, parking lot, restroom, multi-use court/sand volleyball, shaded picnic area, drought-tolerant landscaping, water-efficient irrigation and walking/equestrian paths. The park is also adjacent to the Conejo Creek Bike Path.

Due to the current drought and CRPD’s efforts towards water conservation, the planned three acres of turf area will not be installed at the current time. We will initially see mulch cover and underground irrigation infrastructure for possible turf implementation at a later date, depending on future drought conditions.

Learn more at www.crpd.org/park/paige-lane-neighborhood-park.

Sneak Peak of the Ventura Harbor Carousel Relocated to the Pacific View Mall

Here’s a sneak peak of the vintage Ventura Harbor Carousel that has been relocated to the 2nd floor of the Pacific View shopping mall in Ventura, next to the food court. It's looking pretty good in its new surroundings. Grand opening TBA. Stay tuned for updates at shoppacificview.com.