Gay Festival Alternative Falls Apart : Organizers Revert to Original Plan for Santa Ana Park

Plans to move a gay-pride festival and parade out of a Santa Ana residential neighborhood and into the city’s Civic Center Plaza fell apart Wednesday, and the event may now be held at its original site, Centennial Park.

Janet Avery, president of Orange County Cultural Pride, charged that the leader of a fundamentalist Christian group never wanted the proposed compromise and instead pressured City Manager David N. Ream to reverse his decision to allow the group to use the plaza.

The Rev. Lou Sheldon, leader of the Anaheim-based California Coalition for Traditional Values, denied pressuring Ream but said his group will oppose the gay-pride event “right to the end.” He contends that efforts and money to organize the event are coming from outside the county and said the event is “being forced down the throats of residents. Our life and culture are at stake.”

Ream said that because of Sheldon’s continued public opposition, it appeared that nothing would be accomplished by moving the event to the civic center. So he suggested that gay-pride leaders stick to their initial plan for a two-day festival in September in Centennial Park. The schedule includes a film festival, historic displays, live entertainment, food and merchandise booths and a dance pavilion.

Avery said her group has approval to hold the event in Centennial Park and that is where it will be held.

“One can only assume that Rev. Sheldon was not seeking solutions to the issues he thrust upon the city administration,” Avery said. “One could only assume that he wants to fan the fires of this controversy for his own personal satisfaction and glory.”

Avery said Ream notified her Wednesday afternoon that the group should stay with the original park site.

Plans for the event were first announced in February. Conservative Christian leaders and neighborhood residents responded with complaints, contending that the gay group should not be allowed to hold the event in a family-oriented park.

Sheldon opposed allowing the event at Centennial Park because the property sits in the middle of a residential area. He said the civic center is an appropriate place because it is an enclosed area and children would not be able to view the activities.

But when Sheldon learned that the festival includes a gay-pride parade on downtown streets, he replied angrily: “I want to tell you this. If they parade on the public streets around the plaza, there will be thousands of people there protesting.”

Months ago, the city’s Recreation and Community Services Agency issued approval for a gathering at Centennial Park, and Avery said organizers will soon pay the required $15,000 in city permit fees. “I will not participate in any more negotiations,” Avery insisted. “The event will be held at Centennial Park on Sept. 9 and 10.”