ORANGE : Park Food Program Relocation Is Topic

A committee of city officials and residents will meet this week to suggest possible relocation spots for a free food program at W.O. Hart Park, a five-day-a-week charity that three weeks ago received its walking papers in the form of a new city ordinance.

Mayor Gene Beyer and Councilman Fred L. Barrera plan to meet Friday morning with Lorna Deshane, organizer of the park-area coalition that has pushed for a shutdown of the 7-year-old food line, and three other community representatives, Beyer said.

The initial meeting of the committee, which will probably grow in size, will begin a “brainstorming effort” to find a new home for Mary McAnena’s privately run food line, which serves hot meals that often draw crowds in excess of 200.

The effort to rid the park along Santiago Creek of “Mary’s Kitchen” led to the ordinance, which limits groups of 25 or more to use of park grounds just once a week, a cap that would dismantle McAnena’s project when it takes effect in October. Residents said their motive was to dissuade the criminal element drawn by the free lunch.

While advocates for the homeless and members of the city’s charity network crowded the City Council’s July 21 meeting to endorse the 89-year-old McAnena’s crusade, the council unanimously sided with the homeowners, who cited crime statistics and recounted specific incidents. Council members gave final approval to the ordinance a week later, but delayed its enforcement for 90 days and promised McAnena and her supporters that the city would seek a new home for their work.

Beyer said Monday that the city’s promise has taken the form of the committee, which may discuss providing city funds as seed money for relocation. He also said he would seek input from the St. Vincent de Paul Society, which has proposed adopting McAnena’s effort.

But Barrera said Monday that the St. Vincent de Paul plan, to move the meal program in February to the society’s facility on the corner of Almond Avenue and Cypress Street, would raise many of the same complaints and confrontations.

“I don’t think we should bring the problem downtown, because again you will have the problem of individual rights,” said Barrera, who added that discussions have been held with Santa Ana Mayor Daniel H. Young about moving the program into his city. “I think this can be done in the right place, and we just need to find where that is.”