Tomorrow morning at 11, the locked-out and locked-up Culver City Ice Arena, allegedly a mordant mound of danger, is going to be inspected for a fourth time to determine really officially if it is more suitable for closure or skating.
Arena officials and City Hall are in the fourth week of a staredown over a city-ordered shutdown on the grounds the building contains life-threatening chemicals. Almost two weeks ago, City Hall nailed to the front door of the arena a yellow document ordering landlord Michael Karagozian to remediate the allegedly life-threatening conditions. Fix it, the city told Mr. Karagozian, or you will not be allowed to re-open the doors that were closed on Feb. 2 at the end of the most recent lease.
Looking for Logic
Arena officials say they are both baffled and upset because the same Fire Dept. that graded the Ice Arena A-plus for 52 consecutive years, mysteriously and without explanation, one day this month found that the arena was the most perilous property in Culver City, and presumably could blow at any time.
What does that say about the credibility of the Fire Dept. and of City Hall? they ask.
Attorney Nadine Lewis, representing the arena and the Karagozian family, said this afternoon that since even outspoken refrigeration system inspector Bill Clements, now in City Hall’s camp, admits the rink is safe in its present condition for six months, “why is the Ice Arena closed? That does not even make sense.
“All they want to do is threaten Mr. Karagozian and say they are going to sue him for his failure to maintain the property? You can’t hold a property owner to a higher standard than yourself.
“The inspectors of chemicals at the arena are supposed to be highly trained,” Ms. Lewis said. “Upwards of 85 hours. So if they never came in and cited the property until now, how could Mike Karagozian, innocent landowner, go in there with a visual inspection and know anything is wrong?
“Wouldn’t any landowner rely upon the city when the city does its annual inspections to alert the landowner to any problems? I don’t think you can hold a private property owner to a higher standard than the city holds its own inspectors?”
This afternoon’s scoreboard shows that rink partisans, who insist the arena is perfectly safe, are tied with City Hall at 2 to 2 in favorable inspections in the late innings.
One More Try
Friday’s examination was ordered by City Manager John Nachbar. The last one he authorized was witheringly criticized by a Fullerton-based inspector who said the analysis was riddled with inaccuracies, falling well short of minimal industry standards. Only three inspectors have given the four opinions. One bi-opinionated fellow delivered a Yes, It Is Safe conclusion when he was addressing arena people, and a No, It Is Perilous after he had been retained by City Hall, using the identical evidence in both cases. Which is it?
Mr. Nachbar told the newspaper this afternoon that attorneys have advised him not to speak to the media.
So Ms. Lewis had the last word.
“If the city is not acting out of political or monetary motives,” she said, alluding to a seemingly shadow campaign to lure the Kings into the arena family, “and their own experts have stated in writing that the rink is safe, why is it closed?
