Recreation Centers Orange County

Nearly every day after school, Enrique Ornelas gets into a fight. But these aren't gang rumbles or street brawls. Enrique, 12, throws his punches in the ring at the La Habra Boxing Club. And with each new fight comes a valuable lesson. The sparring, according to the Imperial Middle School seventh-grader, has brought him self-confidence and gets him "off the streets."

It was 9:15 a.m. on a Friday, and the parking lot at the Montanoso Recreation Center in Mission Viejo was jammed. Inside, heads bobbed to the beat of a Jazzercise tape. Legs pumped on the Lifecycles and treadmills. The pool outside churned with morning water aerobics class. The tennis courts were alive with smashes and volleys. Just another day in this South County city.

A feud between residents along Cumberland Road and the owner of Stuart's Rollerworld has gone around curves as steep and circular as any skateboard ramp. For three years, ever since the roller-hockey rink opened at the Super Sports complex at Canal Street and Meats Avenue, the neighbors and owner Stuart Silver have faced off before the City Council, the Orange Unified School Board, the Planning Commission--twice--and the council--again.

In a boost to its efforts to build a new activities center, the Boys & Girls Club of Capistrano Valley received a donation this week and will later receive another that will together total $400,000. "This is the amount of money we need to get this started," said James L. Williams, executive director of the club. "Now we will be able to hire architects and plan fund-raisers." The club has proposed building its new headquarters next to the planned San Juan Capistrano Community Center.

In balmy Orange County, fake snow is a lot more common than the real stuff. Around this time of year, for one thing, it helps the natives get into the holiday spirit. Still, there's something incongruous about skiers shoosh -ing down a plastic slope in Anaheim, not far from the "snow"-covered slopes of Disneyland's Matterhorn.

It was 9:15 a.m. on a Friday, and the parking lot at the Montanoso Recreation Center in Mission Viejo was jammed. Inside, heads bobbed to the beat of a Jazzercise tape. Legs pumped on the Lifecycles and treadmills. The pool outside churned with morning water aerobics class. The tennis courts were alive with smashes and volleys. Just another day in this South County city.

The city's long-awaited community center, a $7-million facility featuring recreational opportunities for all ages, is set to open later this month. A ceremony set for 1 to 4 p.m. July 27 will commemorate the completion of the facility, which has been planned for nearly 20 years.

A planned recreational and youth center in the southwest section of the city has received a $25,000 boost. The City Council this week decided to divert federal community development block grant funds from the rehabilitation of the city's business districts to a low-income area youth center. The center will be housed in a 6,000-square-foot building on a half-acre lot at Newport and Sycamore avenues that the city bought this year.

A drive to furnish the new senior center being built at Moulton Parkway and Aliso Creek Road is scheduled to receive a boost this week when the Laguna Niguel Lions Club will present a check for $1,000 to the center's building fund. The donation is scheduled to be presented to representatives of the Laguna Niguel Senior Citizens Club's fund-raising committee at a Lions Club luncheon Wednesday.

With attendance at the Sierra Recreation Center exceeding expectations, the City Council on Monday will consider keeping it open another six months. The city had planned to close the center in January until summer programs begin. However, with about 20 to 30 people using the center daily for recreation classes and tennis, the council will decide whether to spend $44,000 to keep it open.

Hurt by declining revenue at weekend bingo games, the Los Alamitos Youth Center is looking to other fund-raising sources. Volunteers are trying to raise $65,000 by March 10 for the youth center's athletic and arts programming, calling and visiting past donors. About $16,800 has been pledged. PacBell seeded the campaign with a $6,000 gift.

A feud between residents along Cumberland Road and the owner of Stuart's Rollerworld has gone around curves as steep and circular as any skateboard ramp. For three years, ever since the roller-hockey rink opened at the Super Sports complex at Canal Street and Meats Avenue, the neighbors and owner Stuart Silver have faced off before the City Council, the Orange Unified School Board, the Planning Commission--twice--and the council--again.

With attendance at the Sierra Recreation Center exceeding expectations, the City Council on Monday will consider keeping it open another six months. The city had planned to close the center in January until summer programs begin. However, with about 20 to 30 people using the center daily for recreation classes and tennis, the council will decide whether to spend $44,000 to keep it open.

The city's long-awaited community center, a $7-million facility featuring recreational opportunities for all ages, is set to open later this month. A ceremony set for 1 to 4 p.m. July 27 will commemorate the completion of the facility, which has been planned for nearly 20 years.

A planned recreational and youth center in the southwest section of the city has received a $25,000 boost. The City Council this week decided to divert federal community development block grant funds from the rehabilitation of the city's business districts to a low-income area youth center. The center will be housed in a 6,000-square-foot building on a half-acre lot at Newport and Sycamore avenues that the city bought this year.

Recently approved plans for the city's $18.8-million Civic Center Park may change again to win final approval from cost-conscious City Council members. The community park is planned on a 36-acre parcel stretching from the San Diego Creek Channel to Harvard Avenue north of the Irvine Civic Center.

Hurt by declining revenue at weekend bingo games, the Los Alamitos Youth Center is looking to other fund-raising sources. Volunteers are trying to raise $65,000 by March 10 for the youth center's athletic and arts programming, calling and visiting past donors. About $16,800 has been pledged. PacBell seeded the campaign with a $6,000 gift.

Recently approved plans for the city's $18.8-million Civic Center Park may change again to win final approval from cost-conscious City Council members. The community park is planned on a 36-acre parcel stretching from the San Diego Creek Channel to Harvard Avenue north of the Irvine Civic Center.

After nine months of debating what to do with a building donated to the city by developer Barry Brief, the City Council has approved plans to turn it into a community center for senior citizens and other residents. "This is a wonderful first step for Dana Point," said Marilyn Ditty, executive director of South County Senior Services Inc. "We feel this location lends itself best to the needs of seniors."

The City Council has unanimously approved a plan to open a children's recreation and education center in the empty Laguna Farms market at Moulton Parkway and La Paz Road. The 12,000-square-foot Planet Kids center will offer computers, a music room, an arcade, a sandbox, arts and crafts, and party rooms for children ages 13 or younger. "It sounds like an exciting use of that property," said Councilwoman Melody Carruth.