THE LOW-DOWN ON THE TOWN Impudent, uncensored account By C. Castle

A Bumpy Ride for Fun Zone

Pacific Park, the big fun zone on the pier, may not be going along for the ride.

Or at least that's the rumor that has been circulating ever since Feb. 23, when an appeal by residents led the City Council to curb the planning commission's approval for longer hours.

Now it seems park officials may be balking at signing the agreement the council is expected to certify Tuesday night.

Rumor has it that the council's failure to go along with the longer hours for weekends and some holidays isn't the only sticking point. Park officials also feel the council is spoiling the fun by forcing them to notify neighbors when there is a special event or to pay for police security during extended hours. They also aren't amused that the council won't let them stay open longer hours for Spring and Winter breaks.

So, if the city is going to be a party pooper, maybe the park won't shield neighbors from the dragon. Part of the agreement called for Pacific Park to build a fiberglass cover to spare neigh-boring residents from the shrieks and screams that accompany the dragon ride's every down-ward swing.

Park officials feel that given all these restric-tions, they may not be able to afford to restrain the dragon after all.

If Pacific Park fails to sign the council's plan, the wheel will come full circle back to the start again.