Twenty-four hours to the deadline and counting until…?
No one within miles of City Hall this afternoon will say that anything is going to happen to the Culver City Ice Arena or its marked denizens a day from now when the city’s vaguely worded deadline notice is – maybe, possibly, who knows? – to take effect.
In nailing the notice to a big, ol’ door that has been the gateway to 52 years of chilly fun for Culver City ice skaters, City Hall shrewdly left itself as much wiggle room as a baby elephant has when sunbathing with a cousin, after midnight, on a soccer pitch.
You don’t have to be the grand nephew of Sherlock Holmes to espy something seemingly inconsistent in the following scenario:
Although City Hall issued sonic boom-level threats to rink officials a week ago if they failed to vanquish the ammonia threat that could wreak dreadful tragedies across whole neighborhoods throughout this same granite planet, the public health threat presumably loses its bite, or goes on holiday, between the traditional weekday working hours of 8 and 5. That must be when ammonia sleeps.
Certified rink personnel this week have been allowed to enter the den of the allegedly imperiled arena to work between 8 ands 5.
However, between 5:01 p.m. and 7:59 a.m. every day, the whole granite planet is endangered, according to the Fire Dept., City Hall, the Police Dept., the City Council or whomever the last person left standing is. He is a cinch to get stuck with the blame for having written the historical, or hysterical, document.
Professional cops and rent-a-cops have stood (or sat) guard outside to make sure – well, no one around City Hall is exactly clear why a uniformed lookout has been posted, except maybe to scare away thrill-seeking little ol’ ladies who might try to bust in.
Lawyers for both sides – or, in the case of Bill (I Am Not Talking to Certain People) Clements, three sides – have been meeting to work out a compromise before the deadline that may be a Little Bit Sickline instead of a truly deadline.
Nadine Lewis, attorney for the arena and the Takahashi family, the new tenants, told the newspaper this afternoon:
“The landlord and tenant are working with the city to develop a timeline to perform the needed repairs to reopen the Culver City Ice Arena.”
Here, in 345 words, is what City Hall pinned to one of the front doors:
YOU ARE HEREBY ORDERED, pursuant to CCMC §9.04.050(A) to immediately vacate the subject premises and all buildings and structures or portions thereon with the EXCEPTION that you may enter onto the subject premises and building or structures thereon from the hours of 8:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday, for the sole purpose of abating the public nuisance conditions causing an imminent dangerous condition in accordance with this Notice and Order as enumerated herein below, and except as the fire watch personnel are authorized to be on the premises for the continuous and systematic surveillance of the refrigeration system and ammonia storage area, in accordance with the “Notice of Imminent Hazard” issued by the City on February 14, 2014.
(1) On or before Friday, February 21, 2014, before 5:00 p.m.:
(a) Secure the services of a certified and licensed contractor/technician/refrigeration system specialist to lawfully install an alternative temporary refrigeration system OR remove and lawfully dispose of the ice, with all required permits, approvals and inspections; AND
(b) Secure the services of a certified and licensed contractor/technician/refrigeration system specialist to lawfully drain and remove all ammonia from the refrigeration system, and lawfully dispose of same, with all required permits, approvals and inspections.
(2) Pursuant to CFC §§ 311, 311.2.2, 903.4, and 903.4.1 maintain the fire sprinkler/suppression system operational at all times.
(3) Until such times items 1(a) and 1(b) are completed, the refrigeration system must be maintained and monitored in accordance with industry standards by a certified and licensed contractor/technician/refrigeration system specialist, maintenance logs shall be prepared and retained on site, and the maintenance and monitoring of said system shall be subject to daily City inspections.
(4) Until such times items 1(a) and 1(b) are completed, ensure that all accounts to the utilities which service the refrigeration system remain current and valid.
YOU ARE ADDITIONALLY HEREBY ORDERED NOT to reoccupy the subject premises and buildings thereon for any reason until the required corrections are completed, and have been inspected and approved by the Fire Marshall, and/or agents thereof.
