Too Much Success at L.A. Parks

Some Los Angeles residents might still look longingly at better funded schools and libraries in neighboring cities like Beverly Hills and Santa Monica, but the sports and recreational programs at a number of L.A. city parks are enjoying blockbuster success. Too much success, some Angelenos would argue.

Twenty percent of 1,000 first-day applicants for the summer day camp at one Westside park were from outside the city limits. The camp has only 400 slots, leaving many Los Angeles parents whose children did not get in understandably frustrated that they do not have priority over nonresidents.

Their discontent is echoed by those city residents--city taxpayers--who have been crowded out of organized activities at 40 or so of the city’s most desirable parks, including facilities in Cheviot Hills, Encino, Pacific Palisades and Woodland Hills.

That’s why the City Council Wednesday asked the parks department to come up with some solutions. No one is suggesting that nonresidents be barred from Los Angeles parks; that would be illegal and nonproductive. The problem centers on the organized activities at some popular parks, everything from day camps and sports programs for children to adult cooking and painting classes.

One obvious alternative would be to charge nonresidents a higher fee than residents to participate; another would be to allow city residents to register earlier than nonresidents. The details are important, whatever the alternative. The rules must be easy to administer and fair to residents without dampening organized activities at less well subscribed city parks.

The best solution is to improve recreation programs citywide, thus relieving the pressure on the most desirable park programs and accommodating all who would like to participate. Los Angeles has less park space than it ought to but nonetheless has many fine public recreational facilities. The trick is to pass around those winning elements that now draw long lines outside some rec centers.