City investigates possible park
exploitation
Private operators are apparently reserving the city’s
public park facilities for youth groups and then renting them for
profit to adults.
“˜”˜The kids are being pushed off because the adults
are making money off it. I want it stopped,”
Councilwoman Jan Perry said.
Recreation and Parks Department chief Jon Kirk Mukri said he was
investigating whether unscrupulous operators could be exploiting
the parks to run a lucrative business. He wants city permits
rewritten to make it clear the practice is illegal.
“˜”˜They are now charging a couple of hundred
(dollars). We don’t support this. It’s
immoral,” Mukri said.
The city has 387 public parks with 128 lighted baseball fields,
76 multipurpose fields and 62 soccer fields.
“˜”˜Everything is out of control,” said
Raul Macias, who operates a youth soccer program for poor children
in northeast Los Angeles and says that many fields seem perpetually
occupied by adults. “˜”˜Our communities have gang
activities because they don’t have something to distract
their energy. Why? Because the fields are busy.”
Permits to use city fields are issued either by the local park
or the city’s sports section. Youth groups are charged about
$5 per hour for soccer fields, less if they do their own
maintenance. Adults pay $26 per hour.
Reports from Bruin wire services.