News Flash

🎨 Ojai Day 2025 Poster Competition Starts Now! 🎨

We’re excited to announce the kickoff of this year’s Ojai Day Poster Contest! Artists of all ages are invited to submit their creative vision for Ojai Day 2025.

📌 Theme: "Ojai Unity"This year's theme celebrates the diverse and vibrant ways of life that make our community unique. Show us what unity looks like through your art!

🗓️ Deadline:All submissions must be turned in by noon on September 8th.

📍 Where to Submit:Ojai Parks and Recreation Department510 Park Road, Ojai, CA

📝 How to Enter:Fill out the official application and submit it along with your artwork.

Good luck to all participants—we can’t wait to see your creativity shine and your unique take on what unity means in Ojai! 🌿🖌️

https://www.flipsnack.com/7DAB8ECC5A8/city-of-ojai-recreation-activity-guide-winter-spring-2025/full-view.html

The Ojai Recreation Department (ORD) wishes to highlight one of its amazing volunteers, Austin Evans! If you come to the Recreation Department, you might be fortunate enough to see Evans hard at work making the community center a better place for all to enjoy! 

Evans has been coming to ORD since 1992, when he was just a baby to watch his sister participate in the gymnastics program. Way back then, neither his Mom nor Austin knew he was special needs, though they were soon to learn of this special adventure awaiting. By and by Austin grew into a grade-schooler in the OUSD Special Education classroom, and returned to ORD during holiday breaks and summers, enjoying various programs and classes the Rec Department offered. 

On into junior high, Evans continued Summer Camp (which was one of his favorite programs), because he was so young at heart—swimming field trips to Nordhoff were his favorite. While Mr. Cotsis was the ORD Manager, Evans was a regular in the Social Skills Class; he attended for nearly 15 years! 

Many years later, Evans asked his Mom if he could volunteer at the Recreation Center vacuuming the Game Room. So, in 2023 Evans and his mom asked Miss Vicky if he could become a Volunteer Staff for a couple of hours each week. Vicky introduced Evans to her new ORD Manager, Luis, who also agreed that yes, Evans would be a welcomed addition to their Staff! With his recent endeavor, Evans has a 30-year history with the ORD!

When you come to the Ojai Recreation Department, you may see Evans hard at work and his heartwarming smile. When you do, please feel free to say hi and thank him for his hard work. It's amazing to have people like Evans who make our community a better place to live, work, and recreate and we could not be more thankful to have him on board!

As Ms. Helen Dyer once said, “Volunteerism is the voice of the people put into action. These actions shape and mold the present into a future of which we can all be proud.” We couldn’t be more proud of Austin Evans and his efforts to make our community a better place.

At its January 30, 2024 Special meeting, City Council directed staff to expeditiously work with Ventura County Supervisor Matt LaVere’s Office, the Ventura County Parks & Recreation Department and Ojai community stakeholders to reach an agreement for a proposed plan to implement and repurpose the existing courts at Soule Park allowing for improved and expanded pickleball play. City staff will return at a City Council Meeting next month with preliminary phasing, scope, cost and timeline for the effort.

The City Council’s compromise will also allow for the Ojai City Hall Pickleball Courts to remain open until the Soule Park court renovations are completed.

While the Ojai City Hall courts remain open, the open court hours will be modified to eliminate play on Saturdays and Mondays, as well as Sunday mornings. Pickleball play will be allowed on Sunday afternoons from 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM. In addition, on those weekdays when pickleball play is allowed, the hours will be reduced by 30 minutes, such that the courts will now be closed at 5:30 PM through March 31, 2024 and 6:00 PM through November, 2024.

The Council’s compromise was made in an effort to expedite progress at the Soule Park courts, while simultaneously ramping down use at Ojai City Hall.

Updated Pickleball Courts  Hours of Operation:

Current Hours (April - November)

Tuesday - Friday

8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Sunday

1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Winter Hours (February - March)

Tuesday - Friday

8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Sunday

1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Pickleball play is recommended only with the following equipment: 

Paddles: The OWL paddle

Game Balls: Onix Fuse G2 Outdoor, Pen 40, or the Monarch Gen 2 Outdoor.

Registrations For The 5v5 Soccer Program Now Available!The Ojai Recreation Department is excited to continue its annual partnership with AYSO 147 for the Ojai Valley 5v5 Soccer program! This volunteer-coached program provides the perfect opportunity for soccer players to sharpen their skills and broaden their knowledge of the game! Emphasis is placed on fun, participation, and good sportsmanship.To learn more and register, scan the QR code or visit www.ojaiayso.org

Youth Basketball 🏀 Player Ratings set for Saturday, December 3, 2023, in the John G. Martin Gymnasium at Sarzotti Park.The Youth Basketball Program is right around the corner and we couldn't be more excited!An important element of the season is the Player Evaluations. The evaluation period allows staff to gauge players' skills and abilities to evenly disburse talent to each team. By doing this each team is evenly balanced and provides participants an opportunity to further develop their skills. Most importantly creates an environment where players can have fun playing the game! If a child is unable to attend either evaluation date, parents must call the Recreation Department prior to December 1, 2023.With a high amount of anticipated players, we ask that participants not come early.Player evaluation times for December 2, 2023 are as follows2nd-3rd Grade: Coed at 9:00 am4th-5th Grade: Boys at 10:00 am6th-8th Grade: Boys at 11:00 am4th-5th & 6th-8th Grade: Girls at 11:45 amFor questions, please contact the Ojai Recreation Department at 805-646-5581 ext. 390.

The Youth Basketball Program is right around the corner and we couldn't be more excited!

An important element of the season is the Player Evaluations. The evaluation period allows staff to gauge players skills and abilities to evenly disburse talent to each team. By doing this each team is evenly balance and provides the players to opportunity to further develop their skills, and most importantly creates an environment where they can have fun. 

All players must attend one (1) Player Evaluation at the John G. Martin Gymnasium at Sarzotti Park (510 Park Road). If a child is unable to attend either evaluation date, parents must call the Recreation Department prior to December 2, 2023.

With a high amount of anticipated players, we ask that participants not come early.

Evaluation Times: November 18, 2023 

• Player evaluation times for November 18, 20232nd-3rd Grade: Coed at 9:00 am4th-5th Grade: Boys at 10:00 am6th-8th Grade: Boys at 11:00 am4th-5th & 6th-8th Grade: Girls at 11:45 am
• Player evaluation times for December 2, 2023 (TBD)

For questions, please contact the Ojai Recreation Department at 805-646-5581 ext. 390.

Ojai Day 2023 vendor applications are available! To obtain application, please click on the following link ojaiday.com/vendorapplications or visit the Ojai Recreation Department, located at 510 Park Road.

The application deadline is August 21, 2023. Visit ojaiday.com for more information about the event and be sure to join us for the event on Saturday, October 21, Downtown Ojai on Ojai Avenue!

Since 1985, July is celebrated across the nation as Parks and Recreation Month. The City Of Ojai, together with the National Recreation & Park Association (NPRA) recognizes the power of parks and recreation to promote building strong, vibrant and resilient communities.