The City Council liaison of Councilman Barry Brucker and Councilwoman Lili Bosse announced Thursday they will recommend that a holiday ice skating rink is placed on North Crescent Drive in front of City Hall rather than at Beverly Gardens Park.
"This is really good for the community, showing council's sensitivity to neighbors and the quality of life of our residents," Brucker told Patch, adding that construction at the Annenberg Center site on North Crescent Drive will not be impacted while the rink is in operation.
"It puts the rink in the Golden Triangle shopping district, where it belongs," he said. "We hope to have the rink here every year to make our holiday festivities robust."
Brucker and Bosse will announce their recommendation to concerned residents during a special meeting Thursday evening at the previously proposed site in front of the iconic Beverly Hills sign at Beverly Gardens.
The City Council decided at its Nov. 1 formal meeting to table its plan to install the rink at Beverly Gardens until its next formal meeting Nov. 13. A handful of residents who live near the park asserted that the noise, traffic and pollution from the rink would impact their quality of life.
The rink will be open seven days a week for seven weeks, from Nov. 18 through Jan. 6, with closures Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 22) and Christmas Day (Dec. 25). Hours of operation are slated for Monday-Friday 2-8 p.m. and Saturday-Sunday 12-8 p.m.
The contract with the rink operator, Willy Bietak Productions, will cost the city $331,637. Additional costs discussed by city staff include $3,500 for one safety officer and two traffic officers for Nov. 18, 19 and 24.
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