Police Plan for Busy Day at Irvine Park

Parks officials and police are preparing for a mammoth crowd in William R. Mason Regional Park on Easter Sunday: In addition to the annual flock of post-church picnickers, they expect tens of thousands of Iranian Americans celebrating an ancient Persian religious holiday that this year also will be observed April 4.

The annual gathering is considered the largest celebration of the holiday Sizdeh-Bedar outside of Iran. Though generally peaceful, the event was marred last year by an alleged racial attack.

This year, park officials are worried not about violence or culture clashes, but simple logistics. The Iranian gathering has drawn more than 30,000 people in the past, and Easter is already one of the park’s busiest days, attracting up to 10,000, according to police.

“We have worked very cooperatively with city of Irvine and with some of the Iranian community’s representatives in trying to . . . make it as safe as possible, even though the event is really too large for the park,” said Tim Miller, director of the county Harbors, Beaches and Parks Division.

In past years, the parks division has charged higher parking fees and sold vendor permits to partially offset police and maintenance costs--about $37,000--for the Iranian event. This year, because the celebration coincides with Easter, one of five holidays on which permits are not sold, no vendors will be allowed.

“It has worked very well in the past, but we cannot do that on a holiday. It’s not fair,” he said. “It would be just enhancing the number of people coming to the park.”

Sizdeh-Bedar is typically held 13 days after the beginning of the Zoroastrian New Year, which begins with the spring equinox. Iranians throughout the world congregate outdoors, because it is considered bad luck to be inside on this day.

Although the holiday is rooted in the ancient Persian religion, it has become a cultural celebration for Iranians of all faiths, said Farrokh Shokooh, board member of the Network of Iranian Professionals of Orange County. He is excited that it coincides with Easter.

“It’s really nice to have two nice gestures of nature and religious programming happening at the same time,” he said. “The community gets to know each other and understand Persian culture.”

He said the convergence of Sizdeh-Bedar and Easter will dispel stereotypes about Iranian Americans, whose numbers are growing. There are more than 15,000 people of Iranian heritage in Irvine, more than 85,000 in Orange County and more than half a million in Southern California, he said.

The parks division will provide 30 portable restrooms, extra trash receptacles and cleanup. For the first time, Irvine police and the county Sheriff’s Department will split law enforcement duties. About 20 to 25 officers will handle traffic and parking, said Sgt. Craig Smith.

To people seeking parking, Smith said, “Good luck.”

Parking is illegal on nearby residential streets, Smith said, but there will be 600 parking spaces at the park, along with parking at nearby schools. Local church lots will be available as well--but only after Easter services are over.

Smith said he doesn’t anticipate any incidents such as last year’s violence. Five white men were assaulted by three adults and two juveniles in what police called a racially motivated attack. The three adults were convicted of misdemeanor charges in December.

“We haven’t seen a pattern of that behavior before--that was an aberration,” Smith said, adding that “99.99% of people who come are there to enjoy the day, mingle with friends and have a good time.”

Miller agreed. “It’s a really good group of people, really family-oriented people coming to celebrate their New Year, coming to enjoy the beauty of the park and celebrate their culture.”

The only other incident that required police intervention was in the early 1990s, when political protesters handed out literature at the event.

“It got kind of boisterous,” Smith said. “Those kind of things can happen, obviously. You have to be very vigilant. Hopefully, our mere presence is enough to discourage problems.”

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Packed Parks

Park authorities recommend that residents avoid Mason Regional Park in Irvine on Easter Sunday, when tens of thousands of Iranian Americans are expected for a Zoroastrian religious celebration.

They suggest the following alternative parks:

* Irvine Regional Park, 1 Irvine Park Road, Orange. (714) 633-8072.

* Laguna Niguel Regional Park, 28241 La Paz Road, Laguna Niguel.(714) 831-2790.

* Mile Square Regional Park, 16801 Euclid Ave., Fountain Valley. (714) 962-5549.

* Craig Regional Park, 3300 State College Blvd., Fullerton. (714) 990-0271.

* Ralph B. Clark Regional Park, 8800 Rosecrans Ave., Buena Park. (714) 670-8045.

* Carbon Canyon Regional Park, 4442 Carbon Canyon Road, Brea. (714) 996-5252.

Roads that may be congested:

* University Drive between I-405 and MacArthur.

* Culver Drive between Campus Drive and Sandburg

* Harvard Avenue between Culver Drive and Michelson Drive.

Source: Orange County Harbors, Beaches and Parks Dept.