New Resource Center Opens for Community

In the old days at the Ventura Police Department’s Westside Storefront, volunteer coordinator Sharon Troll did her work at a 6-foot folding table.

“It was fine until the police brought in prisoners. Then we’d have to move all of our things,” said Troll of Ventura.

Those days have passed.

On Saturday, the 900-square-foot West Ventura Community Resource Center was unveiled at 110 N. Olive St. The center, adjacent to the police storefront, gives the volunteer corps more space to do its work.

After an opening ceremony attended by Mayor Jack Tingstrom as well as police officials, Troll met with community members and gave tours of the center, which was planned, plumbed and painted by volunteers.

“The center was built by the community for the community,” said Troll, 54.

The center will be available for use by just about anyone needing space for meetings, classes, even art shows, Troll said.

Currently the room is available at no charge.

The Westside Storefront opened in 1994 after a May evening of random shooting in the area of Olive Street and Harrison Avenue.

“Quite a few rounds were fired. Bullets went flying through an awful lot of windows,” Troll said.

At a subsequent town hall meeting, police told residents that the only way to fight the violence in their neighborhood was to come out of their homes and make their presence known, Troll said.

A community council was formed that month. “Two months later, they opened the storefront,” Troll said.

Dermont Partners of San Diego, which owns the building, is renting the new suite to the community council for $1 for the year, Troll said.

Those interested in donating to the resource center fund, or who want to use the space for an event, can call the Westside Storefront at 648-8133.