Studio City : Residents Opposed to Fencing Off Park

Local residents are railing against a city project to build a fence around Moorpark Park, saying it will give the park a closed-in feeling, and the money it will cost could be better used elsewhere.

The city Recreation and Parks Department is building an imitation-rail fence around the park, at Laurel Canyon Boulevard and Moorpark Street, to keep children who use the play area from running into the street, park officials said.

But Tony Lucente, president of the Studio City Residents Assn., said he believes the fence will create a safety problem, because it will make the park seem more secluded and a more inviting haven for the transients who already live there.

The $75,000 project also includes entrance gates, replacement of the irrigation system with a water-conserving system, and replacement of the drinking fountain with a graffiti-resistant one.

The money for the project comes from so-called Quimby funds, which results from fees paid by developers for community recreation facilities in the vicinity of their projects.

The Recreation and Parks Department has scheduled a meeting at the park at 9 a.m. Friday to discuss the public’s concerns.