Ceremony to Open High-Tech Center

Thousand Oaks will enter the elite cadre of “smart communities” today when the first phase of its high-tech Telecommunity Center kicks off with an opening ceremony.

The center, which officially opens at 2 p.m., is at the Civic Arts Plaza’s second level. It is paid for with grants from the California Department of Transportation, and is part of an effort by the state transportation agency to figure out how telecommunications technologies can positively impact communities.

The Telecommunity Center includes a distance learning center for education and special presentations; an office demonstrating the ability of people to work at home with computers and be in contact with others around the world; a model teleconferencing room; a drop-in telecommuting site; and an “exploratorium” to check out computer software and hardware.

Thousand Oaks Mayor Judy Lazar, Supervisor Frank Schillo, Cmdr. Paul K. Benfield of the Port Hueneme Navy base, Marty de los Cobos of the Ventura County Economic Development Assn. and Stan Mantooth of the Ventura County superintendent of schools office are among the dignitaries expected to make remarks.

Among the demonstrations planned are the U.S. Navy’s technology transfer program, which allows on-line access to government research information for business purposes; an exhibit of global business opportunities through telecommunications focusing on the Pacific Rim; and a display of distance learning courses offered by the Consortium for Advanced and Technical Education.

For more information, call the Thousand Oaks Media Services Office at 449-2120.