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West Hills is a district in the San Fernando Valley region of the City of Los Angeles, California.
It is surrounded by the Chatsworth Reservoir in the north, Canoga Park in the east, Woodland Hills in the south, Hidden Hills in the southwest, and the Simi Hills in the west. The postal codes are 91307 and 91304.
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Early history
The area was originally inhabited by Native Americans of the Tongva tribe that lived close to the Los Angeles River, which originates in West Hills from El Escorpion and Bell Creeks. It is believed that a meeting point for the Tongva and Chumash tribes was located at the base of Bell Canyon Park.[1]
Once a part of Canoga Park, West Hills was formed in 1987 after homeowners on the western edge of Canoga Park launched a petition drive a year earlier to form a new community. In an unusual move, the area's city councilwoman Joy Picus polled Canoga Park residents, asking them if they would like to join the new community, to determine West Hills's boundaries[2].
Locations
A former ranch within West Hills has been turned into a park. It is Orcutt Ranch, a former citrus orchard and retreat of William Warren Orcutt. Another ranch close to West Hills is Shadow Ranch Park, featuring a ranch house that dates to the earliest ranching days in the San Fernando Valley.
The post office for West Hills is located near the West Hills Hospital complex on Sherman Way. An impressive sight and good hiking in West Hills can be found in El Escorpion Park. The library serving West Hills is the Platt Branch of the Los Angeles Public Library (although the library is technically located in Woodland Hills).
Temple Judea (West Campus) is located on the corner of Valley Circle Boulevard and Kittridge Street. Shomrei Torah Synagogue is located near Stone Gate Drive and Valley Circle Boulevard.
Chaminade HS is located on Woodlake and Cohasset. It is the local private high school. Many students attending Chaminade come from a ways away: from Chatsworth, Northridge, Simi Valley, Westlake, Granada Hills, Camarillo, and Santa Clarita. Baseball star Dalton Brown, who is projected to be selected in the first few rounds of the 2012 MLB draft, attends Chaminade HS.
Knapp Ranch Park located on Kittridge is a popular place to play pick-up basketball and tennis, as well as skateboarding. Knapp Ranch also hosts numerous little league baseball and flag football games. It was also a popular place to play Frisbee golf in the '70s.
West Hills Baseball is a very popular youth baseball park that has sent natives of West Hills to Major League Baseball. The West Hills Baseball facility has been up and going since 1970. There fields have been known as "Little Dodger Stadium".[citation needed] MLB (Major Leage Baseball) player Jeff Suppan, currently of the Milwaukee Brewers (2008), and MLB player for 14 years (as of 2008), played at West Hills Baseball.
Geography
There are several small tributaries of the Los Angeles River that originate in the Northwest San Fernando Valley. The Los Angeles River itself begins at the confluence of Calabasas Creek and Bell Canyon Creek, and the latter of these runs through West Hills. These and other small creeks supply runoff water to the Los Angeles River, and several are considered year round creeks. Although the creeks are now channeled and run within concrete walls, they do form a significant urban wildlife landscape and contribute to the population of indigenous wildlife left within the San Fernando Valley. Dayton Creek in particular has received attention due to its vicinity to the Santa Susana Field Laboratory, which is under field cleanup due to its fundamental use as a testing center for rocket and missile fuel, nuclear power research, and high technology defense systems. Contaminants include Chromium, Lead, Benzene, and many other components of rocket fuel.
Restaurants
While there are neighboring cites with finer eating establishments, West Hills is predominantly occupied by fast food eateries. In the 1980s there were even news stories on the number of fast food eateries adjacent to the intersection of Platt and Victory. To this day, McDonald's, Pizza Hut, KFC, Taco Bell, Wendy's, Carls Jr., Subway, Ameci Pizza, a donut shop (formerly a Donut Inn), El Pollo Amigo (similar to small Mexican fast-food restaurants but emphasizing its chicken and home-made salsa), Starbucks, Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, and Carl's Jr. featuring the Green Burrito are all within a short walking distance. Other fast food eateries that closed down in the '80s and '90s were Naugles, Tom Sawyer's Fried Chicken, Round Table Pizza, Valley Dogs, Sizzlers, and Rosie's BBQ. Jack in the Box was formerly located one block north at Platt and Vanowen until the late '70s and Foster Freeze at Fallbrook and Victory closed in the mid '80s.
Fallbrook Center (or Fallbrook Square) on Fallbrook Ave. between Victory and Vanowen Avenue is home to Chili's, Coldstone Creamery, Tika Grill, Red Lobster, Hometown Buffet, Stargazer, Stonefire Grill, Baja Fresh, Jamba Juice, Panda Express, Quizno's, and another Starbucks, among other eateries. Trader Joe's market, formerly adjoining the Topanga Mall, has now moved into the Fallbrook Center.
Emergency services
Fire service
Los Angeles Fire Department Station 106 (West Hills) and Station 105 (Woodland Hills) serve the community.
Police service
Los Angeles Police Department operates two police stations that serve West Hills [3]:
- Devonshire Community Police Station serves residents north of Roscoe Boulevard [4].
- West Valley Community Police Station serves residents south of Roscoe Boulevard [5].
Hospitals
The West Hills Hospital and Medical Center, located at Medical Center Dr. near Sherman Way, serves the local community as well as patients from several cities in the Los Angeles and Ventura counties. [3] The West Hills Hospital is particularly renowned for its Surgical Center. Opened in 1996, the Surgical Center performs procedures in specialties such as general and hand surgery (done by The Hand Center of Southern California), gynecology, gastroenterology and orthopedics. [4]. The West Hills Hospital and Medical Center facilities also include a large maternity ward and an oncology unit of the Western Tumor Medical Group.
Schools
Public schools
Most of the area is served by the Los Angeles Unified School District.[5] Small portions are within the Las Virgenes Unified School District.
Los Angeles Unified School District
Public elementary schools serving West Hills include:
- Capistrano Avenue Elementary School
- Hamlin Street Elementary School
- Haynes Street Elementary School
- Justice Street Elementary School
- Pomelo Drive Elementary School
- Welby Way Elementary School
Most West Hills residents attend George Ellery Hale Middle School and El Camino Real High School in Woodland Hills.
Some residents are zoned to Lawrence Middle School and Chatsworth High School in Chatsworth. Some residents are zoned to Columbus Middle School and Canoga Park High School in Canoga Park.
Las Virgenes Unified School District
A small portion of West Hills is zoned to Las Virgenes Unified School District.
Residents are zoned to:
Private schools
- Chaminade College Preparatory (Catholic high school operated by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles)
- Kadima Hebrew Academy (Private Jewish day school)
- Kadima Heschel West Middle School (Private Jewish Middle School)
- New Community Jewish High School (Private Jewish high school)
References
- ^ "Ahmanson Ranch Becomes Private Preserve," Wishtoyo Foundation website. Accessed 10/23/2007.
- ^ Fuentes, G: "Picus Unveils New Map of West Hills, Calls It Final," Los Angeles Times (Valley Edition), October 15, 1987
- ^ [1] West Hills Hospital website. Accessed on December 06, 2007.
- ^ [2]. West Hills Surgical Center website. Accessed on December 06, 2007.
- ^ Eng, D: "Healthy life in West Hills," Los Angeles Times. April 9, 2006
External links
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[[Category:Communities in the San Fernando Vall
