IRVINE
A group of Irvine residents has begun gathering signatures to prevent University Synagogue from buying the Irvine Ice Arena and converting it into its new home.
On Friday, about 30 people demonstrated in front of the congregation’s current site.
In May, the congregation entered into escrow on the property and expects to close the deal by mid-August. The owner, California Recreation Properties, put the site on Michelson Drive and Harvard Avenue on the market after the arena’s operators failed to make payments on their $24,000-a-month lease for the land.
Those who use the rink plan to take their case to the City Council next week to ask the city to rezone the property to prohibit religious structures at the site.
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