On Reflection, Gift’s Lustre Dims : Agoura Hills Gets Free Dilemma

It seemed like a bright idea when Agoura Hills officials voted unanimously to accept 53 free tennis court lights from a Westlake Village tennis club.

Except for the fact that the city doesn’t own any tennis courts to light up.

And except for the fact that City Council members decided to make off with lights from the wrong Westlake Village tennis complex.

The lights, valued at $20,000, were offered by a group of investors who will soon put a medical building at the site of a defunct 12-court tennis club. It was shut and sold earlier this year.

Because Agoura Hills doesn’t own a single tennis court, City Council members decided Tuesday night to store the lights and poles until they decide what to do with them.

The free lights could end up costing Agoura Hills as much as $420,000 if the city decides to build 12 courts to go underneath them, according to experts in the construction of public tennis facilities.

It would cost about $40,000, a lighting specialist hired by the city said, merely to install the lights if the city eventually decides to donate them to Agoura High School, which has nine courts.

Before they do anything, though, city officials will have to find the gift lights.

The council-approved proposal identified them as being at a “club at the intersection of Triunfo Canyon Road and Lindero Canyon Road” in Westlake Village. Not so, a surprised administrator of that club said Wednesday.

“They’re coming here to take our lights? Oh my God, that would be bad trouble,” said Shirley Swanson, bookkeeper for the busy Westlake Tennis and Swim Club. “I’m absolutely sure we’re not giving away our lights.”

Jerry Orefice, a partner in the medical building project, said the correct location is about a mile away, at the intersection of Westlake Boulevard and Agoura Road. That was the location of the former West shore Tennis Club, he said.

“Wouldn’t it be funny if the city sent its crews to the wrong club and took away their lights?” Orefice said.

It wouldn’t be funny to Joe Donofrio, parks and recreation director for Agoura Hills. Donofrio said Wednesday that the man who installed the Westshore lights eight years ago will be hired to take them down for the city.

“I’m confident he knows where they are,” Donofrio said.

“But just to make sure, I’m going to double-check the address with him.”