NEWPORT BEACH Bonita Canyon Sports Park set...

NEWPORT BEACH

Bonita Canyon Sports

Park set to open

The long-awaited opening of the Bonita Canyon Sports Park is

finally in sight. Phase One of the park will open Aug. 24 with a

celebration to mark the opening of the playing fields and other

amenities. The day’s events will include a concert by the Rockit

Scientists. The park was several years behind schedule.

* The 150-unit senior affordable-housing project originally

envisioned for the lower Bayview Landing site has been scaled back in

hopes of winning Coastal Commission approval. The project now

consists of a total of 120 apartments in two buildings. The coastal

commissioners in October will consider whether to award a permit for

the project.

* City Councilman John Heffernan’s hope to create a map of the

city’s cellphone dead zones may be out of reach. Cellular phone

companies have been reluctant to tell city officials where their

service goes dead in Newport Beach.

* Santa Ana Heights resident leaders are hoping to get as much

input as possible on what type of community center neighbors would

like. They must decide between a YMCA-run center with a focus on

fitness and a more traditional community center that probably could

not take advantage of the existing YMCA site.

* 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.