THOUSAND OAKS : Indian Center Plans Await County’s OK

A Chumash Indian complex proposed for a Thousand Oaks park will have no adverse impact on the environment, according to a study which has been sent to the County Board of Supervisors for final approval Tuesday.

If the study is approved, the county will finalize architectural drawings and open bidding on the project.

The complex planned for 25 acres in Oakbrook Regional Park would include a 4,200-square-foot visitor center and Chumash museum, a half-mile educational trail and a replica of a Chumash village.

All 423 acres of Oakbrook Regional Park, an area believed to have been frequented by the Chumash, have been closed to the public since the county acquired it in 1981 to preserve the American Indian heritage of the area. Opening the proposed 25-acre complex is not expected to jeopardize the rest of the park, said Ron Blakemore, planning and development manager for Ventura County Recreation Services.

Construction of the Chumash complex will cost about $1 million, Blakemore said.