Widow Says RV Park to Stay Open : Ventura: The owner died Tuesday. Friends and family cite stress related to last month’s flooding at his business.

A day after the death of the owner of an RV park that was flooded during last month’s storms, the widow of Arnold Hubbard vowed Wednesday to keep the controversial park open.

Hubbard, 66, died Tuesday of heart failure. Family and friends said his health had been slowly deteriorating since his deluged Ventura Beach RV Resort became the topic of scrutiny and criticism among public officials and local environmentalists.

“The city and the county of Ventura have not heard the last of the Hubbards,” Nancy Hubbard said. “I’m going to continue on with the work he was doing and make sure everything he wanted is accomplished.”

On March 30, the Ventura City Council will decide whether to suspend the park’s operating permit amid safety concerns for the RV park, which is on a river bottom.

City Atty. Peter Bulens has advised the council that it can revoke or alter the permit, but might have to compensate the Hubbards for any lost earnings. The resort partially reopened last week, and about 25 families are now staying in the RV park.

Several Ventura officials expressed sorrow Wednesday over Hubbard’s death. The U.S. flag at the RV park was lowered to half-mast in his honor.

“It’s a big loss for the people of Ventura because Arnold was such an active participator,” Councilman James L. Monahan said. Hubbard served on Ventura’s Citizens Water Advisory Committee and regularly helped the city put on its annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

In addition to the RV park, Hubbard also owned the Village Green Office Park on Sperry Avenue in Ventura.

“He always had the community in mind,” Councilman Jack Tingstrom said. “The city not only lost a dedicated businessman, but a very dear friend. It makes me angry. I knew the stress he was under.”

A graveside service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at Ivy Lawn Memorial Park in Ventura.

Hubbard said her husband died Tuesday afternoon at the couple’s Channel Islands Harbor home, about an hour after he was released from Community Memorial Hospital where he had been undergoing treatment for an irregular heartbeat.

She said Hubbard was hospitalized on Saturday after he was involved in a car accident on Harbor Boulevard while en route home from the St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

“He was suffering from fatigue and was worried about the park,” Nancy Hubbard said. “He fell asleep at the wheel.”

According to a California Highway Patrol report, Hubbard’s car drifted off the side of the road and sideswiped a parked car. The vehicle then swerved, sideswiped a pole and came to a stop in a thicket of bushes.

Hubbard complained of tightness in his chest and had cuts on his face, but he refused to go to the hospital until later Saturday afternoon, said Brad Prows, a CHP public information officer.

Hubbard remained hospitalized for an irregular heartbeat until about 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, when doctors allowed him to return home.

“I brought him home and left about 2 p.m. to get prescriptions filled,” Nancy Hubbard said. “When I came back about 35 minutes later, he was gone. It happened very, very suddenly.”

In addition to his wife, Hubbard is survived by five children, 10 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

“I just feel really bad about this,” said Susan Bielecki, manager of the park. “He had such a nice way about him. He was a tough boss, but a gracious person.”

Mary Schoenfelder, a longtime park resident, added, “I knew he was devastated about what happened here. But I didn’t think it would take its toll like this.”