AHMANSON RANCH NOW PARK, PRESERVE.

Byline: Naush Boghossian Staff Writer

Supporters of the former Ahmanson Ranch gathered Saturday in a clearing surrounded by the oak and wildflower covered hills they helped save, to dedicate the sprawling open space as a permanent public parkland.

After a 15-year struggle against developers, some 450 environmentalists, homeowners and politicians officially dedicated the Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve on the 2,983-acre site.

``People have power and the grass roots came forward to help make this happen,'' said Mary Weisbrock, president of Save Open Space Santa Monica Mountains. She has been credited for being the driving force for the largest parkland purchase in the Los Angeles and Ventura county regions.

The state of California closed escrow on the property between Calabasas and West Hills in November, completing the $150 million purchase from Washington Mutual, which wanted to build 3,000 homes on the land.

California voters passed the Proposition 50 water bond measure that paid for $135 million of the purchase price. The State Coastal Conservancy paid $10 million and the Santa Monica Conservancy $5 million.

It was the collaborative effort that led to their success, activists and political leaders agreed.

``Every elected official, every community organization, every city, every environmental organization opposed this development, and instead of working individually, they came together,'' said State Sen. Sheila Kuehl, D-Los Angeles. ``So it's really the culmination of the dream of a lot of people and a lot of hard work.''

Many of the guests showed up to express their gratitude to all those who fought to save the land.

``The impact on the environment and the humanity would have been severe,'' Westlake Village resident Carol Ghens said. ``I think it shows that, if you do persevere, many times goals can be reached. It is a joy to celebrate.''

The proposed mini-town of more than 3,000 homes, golf courses, open space, commercial and business centers would have added 45,000 vehicle trips in the area per day.

Bell Canyon resident Theresa Murphey has been walking six to 10 miles in the preserve at least twice a week.

``The amount of traffic this would have put on the Ventura Freeway, I couldn't imagine,'' Murphey said. Preserving the untouched land for future generations is their biggest gift, supporters said.

``When you walk around here, do you see another building?'' said Wendy Langhans, director of volunteer services for the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority. ``Where in Los Angeles can you stand in protected parkland and see it the way you would have seen it 300 years ago?''

Naush Boghossian, [phone]

naush.boghossian(at)dailynews.com

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2 photos

Photo:

(1) Jerry and Theresa Murphey examine a map of the new Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve on Saturday, near an old picture from the 1940s showing what the former Ahmanson Ranch looked like under snow.

(2) Children look at displays of animals that live in the former Ahmanson Ranch area, like this bobcat.

Joel P. Lugavere/Special to the Daily News