A Politically Incorrect Blog About Living in Woodland Hills, California

Exploring The Old & The New – LAFD Fire Station 84 In Woodland Hills

This article is really just an excuse to document the world around us here in Woodland Hills.  Up until September of 2007, Woodland Hills was served by a very small and heavily outdated Fire Station on Canoga Avenue just south of Ventura Blvd, the remains of which are pictured above.  LA DPW Engineering site information about the old Fire Station 84 at 5340 Canoga Avenue:

History
Fire Station 84 is located at 5340 Canoga Ave.  The Station was constructed in 1949 and is approximately 3,230 square feet.  It currently houses a Engine Company staffed by 4 firefighters, and a Paramedic Rescue staffed by 2 Paramedics.  Fire Station 84’s district (eight square miles) is known for having large areas of heavy brush in close proximity to expensive homes.  Warner Center high-rise buildings are also in Fire Station 84’s district. When the station was built, the area was primarily a farming community.

Reason for Project
The fire station was built to house 4 firefighters and is beyond its capacity.  A separate garage houses the Engine and the Rescue Ambulance parks outside on the front apron  The facility can not house the resources needed to meet present and expected growth of the community.  The current site is too small to accommodate expansion to a Regional Fire/Paramedic Station.

Evaluation Of Current Facility
Areas of deficiencies that were noted by Bureau of Engineering survey determined problems with: space, seismic, heating and air conditioning, electrical, plumbing, building code, American Disabilities Act (ADA), fire protection systems, and lack of adequate separate gender facilities.

Additional LAFD blog info about the old facility:

Built in 1949 on Canoga Avenue just south of Ventura Boulevard, the 3,230 square-foot former fire station was truly a fire ‘house’ with an adjacent apparatus building (barn) meant to serve a then largely agricultural community surrounded by rolling hills.

The former Fire Station was designed to house no more than four male firefighters and one limited-role (now antique) fire apparatus. The addition of Firefighter/Paramedics and mixed gender crews in recent years brought the challenge of housing at least 6 men and women per shift in cramped quarters and the need to park the Paramedic Ambulance outdoors.

LAFD blogged about the new facility:

Because the property beneath old Fire Station 84 was too small to support a new or revamped facility, Proposition F of November 2000 now provides an efficient and appealing long-term asset for the community.

Groundbreaking for the new station on Burbank Boulevard took place on September 9, 2004. The $16.1 million facility was first opened for public service on September 18, 2007.

Situated on approximately two acres of land, new Fire Station 84 consists of a 15,250 square foot Station House, a 6,000 square foot Apparatus Storage Facility and a 2,500 square foot Multipurpose Room. The new station was expressly designed to support Department and community needs for decades to come, and is expected to serve as an operational base for the LAFD’s popular Support Service Volunteer Program.

The energy efficient seven-bay facility features an important “drive through” feature that prevents the need to block traffic on Burbank Boulevard when rehousing vehicles.

The ability of Fire Station 84 personnel to host community functions and training events in the new station’s community room will allow Neighborhood Firefighters an even closer and more productive relationship with those they proudly serve.

The new facility was designed by Killefer Flammang Architects, as was a very similar facility in Northridge (Fire Station 87).  They have great images of the facility on their website.

It’s almost amazing that with the development of Warner Center in the 80s and 90s that the old Fire Station 84 lasted as long as it did!  Man,  that place is indeed a relic.

Popularity: 9%

Who Is Ady Gil? Daily News Digs Deeper

As blogged earlier today, an anti-whaling boat paid for with donations made by “Woodland Hills resident” Ady Gil was wrecked in a confrontation in the waters off of Antarctica in the last day or so.  So who is Ady Gil? And why is his name so weird? We may never know the answer to the latter, but as to the former the Daily News writes:

The sleek, high-tech powerboat whose dramatic collision with a Japanese whaler in icy seas dominated news broadcasts Wednesday carried the name of an eco-friendly Woodland Hills man.

Ady Gil, who owns an audio- visual company and builds television studios, said he received numerous e-mails Wednesday morning alerting him that his namesake was involved in an international incident in Antarctic waters.

Photographs show that the bow had been sliced just before his name.

“We were lucky no one was severely injured,” said Gil, who donated $1 million to the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, which named the black trimaran – a three hulled craft – after Gil.

“I loved this boat. It was dear to me and it was there for a purpose,” he said. “We can’t continue using it, but maybe it will bring more awareness to the cause.”

Please vist the Daily News site to read the rest of this meaty article about the incident and Ady Gil himself.

Popularity: 11%

Menchie’s New Woodland Hills Location Is A Great Way To Get Your Froyo Fix

I must admit that on my holiday staycation I hit up the frozen yogurt joy that is Menchie’s (20968 Ventura Blvd) several times.  There are a few great things about this new Menchie’s location.  First, there is ample parking either at the meters on the street (which seem to be relatively available most hours that I’ve been there) or at the ample – dare I say large – parking lot at the rear of the building. These twin buildings were actually well constructed and well thought out.

Menchie’s also has ample seating both inside and outside on the patio for you to enjoy your frozen yogurt concoction.  At Menchie’s you pay by the weight of your frozen yogurt and toppings combination.  From their site:

We’ve got a rotating selection of eclectic frozen yogurt flavors and every topping under the sun. From fresh, locally grown fruits to classic rainbow sprinkles and hot fudge, even we can’t decide what to mix up first. But that’s the best part. We don’t decide, you do!

Mix up as many flavors and toppings as your little heart desires. At Menchie’s, you pay by weight not by topping so you can have as much or as little of everything you want. It’s simple as can be, just mix, weigh, and pay!

So far I’ve enjoyed the cable car chocolate, very vanilla, and peanut butter frozen yogurt flavors.  All of them were awesome.  I’ve also sampled various toppings, including fruity pebbles, snow caps, chocolate chips, rainbow sprinkles, m&ms, caramel, and graham cracker crumbs.  You really can go nuts if you want.  It’s good stuff.

And best of all, it’s very affordable.  I don’t think I’ve ever had a bill over $4.00 for any combination of yogurty goodness.

If you haven’t stopped by yet, put it on your radar for attack during your next need for a sugar fix.  Visit their site for more information about Menchie’s products and the various yogurt flavors and toppings.

Popularity: 2%

Blue Waters Salon & Spa Opens On Ventura Blvd In Woodland Hills

For the past 6 weeks or so, I’ve been passively observing the renovation and build out of the structure at 21312 Ventura Blvd – owned by the Auto Gallery and former site of a flower shop.  The construction was for the Blue Waters Salon & Spa, which opened a couple of weeks ago at the location.  If anyone checks the place out please come back and leave a comment.  They are not open on Sundays and Mondays and their phone number is (818) 340-8400.

There are actually quite a few spas and salons in Woodland Hills.  Nothing wrong with that!

Popularity: 10%

Pottery Barn Topanga Closed, Debranded, Packing Up

As foreshadowed last week, Pottery Barn Topanga (in the Westifeld Topanga Plaza mall) did its last day of business on January 3rd.  I’m not sure what caused this to happen, but it is a tragedy.  Sorry, must go get a tissue.

Popularity: 3%

LA Times Blogs About Allen Edwards Spa Deal In Woodland Hills

LA Times is encouraging you to get pampered at the spa and points out Allen Edwards’ Woodland Hills location’s specials:

Allen Edwards Ongoing through Jan. 31: Woodland Hills salon is discounting select packages, including $50 shampoo and style (regularly $60) and $47 express facial ($55).

20855 Ventura Blvd., Woodland Hills. (818) 887-7330. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday; 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday; 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday; 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.www.allenedwards.com

As Fred Dryer (Hunter from the popular 80s TV series) would say, “Works for me!”

Popularity: 1%

Boat Named For Woodland Hills Businessman And Eco-Terrorism Supporter Ady Gil Wrecked In Whaling Clash

Well, I’m not sure exactly why this is news or not.  Really it’s just a publicity stunt more than anything else.  When you drive a boat in front of a ship, of course it will get wrecked.  Apparently, a local wealthy businessman named Ady Gil donated the money for this boat to be built – to the tune of $1 million.  And since it was destroyed today after only a few months in service, he basically paid for $1 million worth of publicity for the anti-whaling cause.

Read the full article in the Daily News, here’s a blurb:

SYDNEY — A conservation group’s boat had its bow sheared off and was taking on water Wednesday after it was struck by a Japanese whaling ship in the frigid waters off Antarctica, the group said.

The society said its vessel Ady Gil – a high-tech speedboat that resembles a stealth bomber and named after the Woodland Hills businessman who funded it – was hit by the Japanese ship the Shonan Maru near Commonwealth Bay and had about 10 feet (three meters) of its bow knocked off.

Locky Maclean, the first mate of the society’s lead ship, said one crewman from New Zealand appeared to have suffered two cracked ribs, but the others were uninjured. The crew members were safely transferred to the group’s third vessel, though the Ady Gil’s captain remained on board to see what could be salvaged, he said.

Japan’s whaling fleet left in November for its annual hunt in Antarctic waters. Uoya said that for security reasons, details of the fleet’s composition, the number of whales it hopes to take and the number of crew members are not being released to the public.

The Ady Gil is a 78-foot (24-meter) black-painted trimaran made of carbon fiber and Kevlar in a design meant to pierce waves. It was built to challenge the record for the quickest circumnavigation of the globe and can travel faster than 46 mph (75 kph).

Sea Shepherd unveiled the Ady Gil last October saying a California millionaire with the same name had donated most of the money for it. At the time, the group said the boat would be used to intercept and physically block Japanese harpoon vessels.

It should be noted that the article points out that the Ady Gil’s mothership is the “Bob Barker.”  In reality I believe that the whaling is actually pretty insane – I just find it amusing when the environmental groups act as though they can’t believe some bad incident happened.  That’s the reason they are there, isn’t it?

Popularity: 2%

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