AGOURA HILLS YMCA PLANNING BIGGER SITE IN WESTLAKE VILLAGE.

Byline: Teresa Jimenez Daily News Staff Writer

The storefront Triunfo YMCA is expected to expand and feature a swimming pool, playing field and fitness center on a seven-acre Westlake Village site under a plan being considered by the organization.

The expansion would benefit residents of Westlake Village, Agoura Hills and Oak Park, who already use YMCA programs more than their counterparts in Thousand Oaks and Simi Valley, where there are full-scale facilities, said Ronnie Stone, program director for the Triunfo YMCA.

Although the land deal has yet to be completed, Tyler Wright, Triunfo YMCA executive director, will meet with residents to discuss the expansion at Westlake Village City Hall, 4373 Park Terrace Drive, today at 6:30 p.m.

``To be in the position of expanding after only seven years in the area - the support we have is pretty incredible,'' Wright said. ``What I have found is that people are very proud of their communities. They want something in their area.''

The purchase of the property, at Thousand Oaks Boulevard and Lindero Canyon Road in Westlake Village, could take from six months to a year. The center would be completed three years from now if the project progresses as anticipated, Stone said.

In the next few months, YMCA administrators will consider different plans for the site and look into whether community businesses and residents would support the center financially, Wright said.

The YMCA will need donations to build the center, Stone said, and the organization will launch several capital campaigns to raise money for the project.

At this time, the YMCA is considering developing a $3 million facility, with a building occupying three of the seven acres, Wright said.

The center would provide amenities that the community has been demanding, including an aquatic center and a playing field, he said.

Wright cautioned, however, that at this stage the concept is subject to change.

The current facility offers programs such as child care, day camp and youth caravans. But organizers hope to add offerings for adults with the expansion, Stone said.

The Triunfo YMCA has only office and program space at the Agoura Hills location and uses the Agoura High School swimming pool and other local facilities for its day camps and other programs.

Still, the organization has over 2,000 participants throughout the year, more than the number of participants at Thousand Oaks and Simi Valley YMCAs, though those facilities' memberships are higher, Stone said.

The Triunfo YMCA, staffed with 30 to 60 employees depending on the time of year, has a budget of $1.5 million annually. Wright said that is a high figure for a YMCA without a full-service facility.

The proposal will go before the Westlake Village City Council on June 25.