Solution sought for park misuse

June Casagrande

Kids on a soccer team arrive at their reserved playing field to find

a group of adults determined to continue their rugby game there.

Residents near Lookout Point in Corona del Mar watch as a supposedly

alcohol-free public park turns into what one neighbor calls “a

nightclub.”

Many agree that there’s a problem at the city’s parks and playing

fields, but they disagree on whether a proposed solution going before

the City Council will make a difference.

At their next meeting on July 8, the City Council will consider

hiring two part-time people to patrol the city’s 57 parks and

especially the 38 with playing fields.

These rangers would respond to calls and show up randomly to

assure that park visitors are using the places properly. One of their

biggest jobs would be to make sure that people who paid for

special-event permits or who reserved playing fields aren’t sent

packing by people who showed up first and simply don’t want to budge.

Some say that two part-time rangers could go a long way toward

deterring misuse of city parks and ball fields. Others say they

wouldn’t make a dent.

“They will not be expected to hit every park site every day.

That’s part of the point,” Recreation and Senior Services Director

Marie Knight told the City Council at a study session on the matter

this past Tuesday.

Leaders of a number of community youth sports groups spoke in

favor of the move. Some shared stories of how sports teams from other

areas come to use Newport fields without reservations because the

word is out that the city has no enforcement.

“The other communities know that there’s no enforcement here,”

said Charlie Massengill, Newport Harbor Baseball Club president.

“There’s all sorts of activity going on at Mariners that shouldn’t be

going on.”

But the council is divided on the proposed solution: a self-funded

park patrol of two officers. Mayor Steve Bromberg worried that the

city might encounter problems or even legal liability if the rangers

got into an ugly confrontation with, say, someone illegally using

alcohol. The rangers would be trained by the Police Department and by

the Code Enforcement Division to handle a variety of problems. They

would have radio communications with police for instances that call

for trained officers.

Councilman Tod Ridgeway worried that the two officers wouldn’t

have enough of an effect. But Gary Adams pointed out that the program

is worth a try because youth sports groups have already agreed to pay

a portion of the $52,000-a-year cost. The rest will be paid for with

increased rental and reservation fees.

“They’ve come up with a solution that doesn’t cost anybody but the

users, and the users are willing to pay for it,” Adams said.

The council agreed to pursue the idea further. After staff comes

back with some more information, the council will vote on the matter

in a regular council meeting.

* JUNE CASAGRANDE covers Newport Beach and John Wayne Airport. She

may be reached at (949) 574-4232 or by e-mail at

june.casagrande@latimes.com.