CALABASAS : City Gets Involved in Children’s Activities

Calabasas officials, eager to expand activities for children but hesitant to increase the city’s administrative costs, have decided to oversee a private camp and after-school day-care program.

“Instead of reinventing the wheel, I figure we should work together with the program that already exists,” said Greg Johnson, director of community services. “This way, the city gets involved in quality control and can help the activities grow.”

By mutual consent, the city earlier this month began oversight of Kids Club, which offers summer and winter camps, as well as after-school supervision at Lupin Hill, Chaparral, Bay Laurel and Round Meadow elementary schools.

There will be no significant extra costs to the city, which gets 10% of Kids Club’s gross receipts within the city, Johnson said.

“Kids Club has a great reputation,” he said. “But I’ve heard parents say they like the idea that the city will have an active role in what is going on. It gives the program a little more credibility.”

The after-school program already serves about 350 youngsters, Johnson said, but may be expanded with the recent addition of classroom trailers at Lupin Hill and Round Meadow.

Program supervisors, many of whom are present or former Pepperdine University students, provide sports equipment, crafts, homework assistance, and other services and activities to children whose parents are unable to pick them up from school right away.

“The kids can get outside and play, or they can sit in a quiet place for reading and homework,” Johnson said.

He urged anyone seeking information on after-school programs and camps or other activities to call the Calabasas Community Services Department at (818) 878-4225.