Not All in Irvine Amused by Coming Amusement Park : Recreation: City and developer’s plan to give youth safe outlet is met with objections from some residents who fear attraction will lure gangs.

It seemed like the right project at the right time when developers announced plans last month to build a seven-acre amusement park complete with miniature golf courses and bumper-boat rides on property near the San Diego Freeway.

To many at City Hall, the Palace Park plan is ideal, bringing a family-oriented attraction to a city with many children but relatively few places for them to have fun.

But not everyone in Irvine agrees. Some residents who live near the site of the proposed park on Michelson Drive have expressed fears that the amusement park could be a magnet for trouble.

“It seems like this is a public area that could be an attraction for gang violence,” said Bela A. Lengyel, a resident of the nearby University Park village.

Lengyel and a handful of other residents voiced their concerns at a recent City Council meeting. Others have written letters or called council members.

Now, city officials and the attraction’s developer, Camelot Park, are working to allay the concerns.

The developer plans to hold a public meeting to discuss safety sometime early next year, and the Irvine Police Department has vowed to help craft a security plan for the park.

“I think we need to get out there and educate people about this before the fear gets out of perspective,” said Councilwoman Paula Werner. “There is some real fear about this and the whole gang issue. . . . We need to address it.”

The debate over Palace Park comes a year after Irvine experienced its first gang-related drive-by shooting. The incident, which left a high school student and another person wounded, jolted residents, even though the FBI this year ranked Irvine as one of the 10 safest cities in the United States based on its low crime rate.

To some, the shooting symbolized how urban ills that have long afflicted surrounding communities are making their way to Irvine. And they worry that Palace Park will only further tarnish the city’s tranquil image.

“I’m afraid this just invites the gangs into town,” said resident Russell Davis. “These are the kinds of places where you have the rival gangs come together. . . . I don’t see why we need to bring this here.”

Police acknowledged that any attraction aimed at young people has the potential for luring gang members or other youths looking for trouble. But authorities stressed that most crime problems can be avoided if the park is well-managed and designed with security in mind.

“When you have a place that attracts teen-agers, 90% of the kids are good. It’s the other 10% that (might) wreck it,” said Mike Welch, a gang investigator for the Irvine Police Department. “We plan to be proactive. We want to make sure that the kids can enjoy the park.”

Police Chief Charles S. Brobeck said his department plans to work with the developer to design a facility that is well-lit, discourages loitering and keeps pedestrian traffic moving smoothly.

“Most of the problems happen when people are idle,” Welch said. “You want to avoid loitering. There should be no reason for people to be hanging out in the parking lot.”

The park’s developer has expressed an eagerness to work with both police and residents, saying its goal is to build a “wholesome” family attraction.

The upcoming community meeting might be one of the few chances residents have to comment on Palace Park before it opens next spring. The plan does not require City Council or Planning Commission approval because the land is already zoned for commercial recreational use.

Geoffrey Beaumont, a general partner with Camelot Park, said up to six security guards will patrol the park in peak hours, supplementing a staff of about 60 employees.

The park--with its batting cages, 25,000-square-foot arcade and castle-like design--will probably appeal to younger children rather the age group prone to join gangs, Beaumont said. And, unlike regional attractions like Knott’s Berry Farm and Disneyland, Palace Park is expected to draw mostly locals who live within a five- to 10-mile radius of the site.

As they make their case to residents, park and city officials also hope to communicate what they see as the many positive aspects of Palace Park.

Irvine teens have long complained about the dearth of recreational options, in the city, which lacks a major mall or downtown shopping district.

Earlier this year, a task force commissioned by the city and Irvine Unified School District suggested that increasing the number of teen activities might reduce youth violence by giving them a healthy recreational outlet.

Overall, both Werner and gang investigator Welch said, the city has much more to gain than lose by bringing a well-managed amusement park to the city.

“To me, this is going to be an asset to the kids of this community.” Welch said. “It gives them something to do locally.”