Reservations for Park Picnics

Groups of 100 or more picnickers will be allowed to reserve facilities at four Torrance parks after purchasing a city permit under a yearlong pilot program approved by the Torrance City Council on Tuesday.

Torrance residents can reserve the large picnic facilities at Wilson, Columbia, Torrance and El Nido parks up to 120 days in advance of the desired dates. Non-residents may make reservations up to 14 days in advance.

The city will charge a $100 fee to groups of 100 to cover maintenance, staff and administrative costs; the fee will be more for larger groups.

“This is a trial,” Councilman Bill Applegate said of the pilot program, set to begin by the end of the month and continue through September, 1992. “Let’s see how it works and see if there are any bugs in the system.”

Currently, large groups pay no fee for a park permit, other than a refundable cleanup deposit, said Gene Barnett, director of parks and recreation. At least 50% of each park will be reserved for drop-in use by the public, he said.