A New Oasis : Recreation: After 15 years of planning, the opening of two sparkling lakes at Hansen Dam gives residents a place to fish, swim and beat the heat.

Glenn Bates was impressed Saturday as he strolled around--shirtless and in shorts--during the grand opening of two new lakes at Hansen Dam Recreation Area.

As a kid in the 1970s, Bates visited the area regularly to fish and swim at the old Holiday Lake, which closed in the early 1980s because silt from the nearby Tujunga Wash filled its waters.

The two new lakes--one for fishing and the other for swimming--are on a bluff not far from the old lake. On Saturday, an estimated 3,000 people celebrated the lakes debut with a free party that featured music, food and local politicians.

Many in the crowd were armed with umbrellas and sun block to shield them from the blazing heat. Temperatures reached 100 degrees, but Bates, who lives in Granada Hills, was prepared with a cold drink and dark shades.

“This looks a lot better than the old lake,” said Bates, who brought along his 3-year-old daughter, Brooklynn. “The old lake was better for fishing because there was more room, but everything else about this is nicer. The swimming lake is much better for kids.”

Alene Walker of Panorama City and her friend, Merle Williams of Sylmar, agreed. They said they spent many weekends swimming and water skiing with their families at Holiday Lake and both plan to frequent the two new lakes.

“There’s no comparison,” Walker said. “This is a lot nicer and much more beautiful.”

Construction of the new lakes, the shoreline and a parking lot for 250 cars was started in December 1997, but the project was in the planning stages for nearly 15 years while funding was sought.

The total cost for the project--designed and constructed by the Army Corps of Engineers--was $15.8 million, which was paid for with city, county and federal funds.

“A lot of planning goes into something like this. You can’t just go in and dig a hole,” said Edward Louie, project manager for the corps. “After a lengthy approval process from Congress, we started specific plans in 1993, then realized we didn’t have the funds so we had to scale back.”

State Sen. Richard Alarcon (D-Sylmar), who took a dip with his 5 1/2-month-old grandson, Raymond, believes the project took so long because it’s in the working class northeast Valley.

“It’s an issue of priority,” Alarcon said. “The Valley as a whole and the northeast Valley always ends up getting the short end of the stick.”

Clad in swimming trunks, Alarcon went into the lake at the conclusion of the official ceremony, which was marked by the release of red, white and blue balloons.

Onlookers--some floating in paddle boats on the fishing lake and others soaking up rays--clapped and cheered.

The oval fishing lake, which is open to paddle boats and rowboats, covers nine acres and has a maximum depth of 18 feet. The lake was initially stocked with 300 catfish and tilapia, and will be restocked as necessary. In the winter, trout will be released into the lake.

The 1.5-acre swimming lake, which resembles a big pool, measures 500 by 150 feet and has a maximum depth of 4 1/2-feet of filtered, chlorinated water.

The lakes are operated by the Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks and will be open from dawn to dusk daily. Fishing and swimming will be free for children, but adults will pay $1.25 to swim and all anglers must have a state fishing license.

“This is absolutely fantastic,” said Dennis O’Sullivan, a Valley native who frequented the old Holiday Lake. “I see more people swimming today than I did as a kid at the old lake. That’s probably because the water wasn’t very good for swimming. You got all itchy sometimes.”

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Hansen Dam Recreation Area

Two new lakes--one for swimming, the other for fishing--opened Saturday in the northwest section of the Hansen Dam Recreation Area, off Foothill Boulevard east of Osborne Street.

* Fishing and swimming will be free for chilren 17 and younger and seniors 65 and older. Adults will be required to pay $1.25 to swim and must have a California license to fish.

* Parking is free and can accommodate 250 cars.

* Lakes will be open daily from dawn until dusk.

* The fishing lake, also open to paddle or rowboats, covers nine acres and has a maximum depth of 18 feet. It is stocked with 300 fish and will be restocked as necessary.

* The 1.5 acre swimming lake looks more like a big pool, and has a maximum depth of four and a half feet of filtered, chlorinated water.