July 4 Festival May Cause Problems, Bernardi Says

Los Angeles City Councilman Ernani Bernardi said Thursday a major Fourth of July weekend festival planned at Hansen Dam Park could pose serious security and traffic-control problems.

Bernardi has scheduled a public meeting May 11 at the Lake View Terrace Recreation Center with promoters of the event, city officials and area residents to discuss his concerns. Promoters have said the three-day festival could draw 25,000 people a day to the park in Lake View Terrace.

Bernardi said he is not out to scuttle the event but wants “to get a good handle on what’s going on. It may be a great event.”

“We want to find out what the cost of this is going to be to the city, how much extra work this will be for the police,” Bernardi said. “This is a major event that could cause serious problems if there isn’t planning.”

The festival--which would include carnival rides, nightly fireworks displays and musical entertainment--is being organized by B & P Group of Los Angeles, which put on the Los Angeles Marathon.

Proceeds from the $3 parking and $5 admission charges would go to the Los Angeles Foundation, which represents 142 charitable organizations, said William A. Burke, president of B & P Group.

Burke received a permit for the event from the city Department of Recreation and Parks on April 11. It is contingent on his ability to provide adequate security, traffic control and liability insurance.

Bernardi, whose district includes a portion of the Hansen Dam area, said he is angry because neither park officials nor event promoters consulted him about the festival until after the permit was issued. He said he is concerned because the event would put added pressure on the city’s police and fire departments, which are always heavily taxed over Fourth of July weekends.

Police said the holiday weekend is especially hazardous in the northeast Valley, where Hansen Dam is located. The area is plagued with the illegal firing of guns and the discharge of fireworks during that holiday period, police said. In addition, gang activity in the area poses the potential for violence at such a major event, said Capt. Valentino Paniccia of Foothill Division.

Paniccia noted, however, that there were no major incidents at last spring’s “Country Scene” musical festival at Hansen Dam, which attracted 150,000 people.

Burke said last month’s trouble-free Los Angeles Marathon is an example of his group’s “excellent track record” in sponsoring city events. He said the city will be paid for services it provides for the festival. He said his group has been discussing the event with various city officials for about eight months.

“We’ve had a series of meetings with recreation and parks officials and police,” Burke said. “If there is someone who is not informed, it is the councilman.”