Thirty-four community centers are on the chopping block. They will either be reused by another operator or shut down completely. Five of the centers are in District 6, including Hoover, Hamann Park, Sherman Oaks, Bramhall Park and River Glen Park. The Kirk Community Center on the Willow Glen border also is scheduled for reuse. To the relief of many in the room, Willows Senior Center was spared.

The Feb. 6 meeting at the Sherman Oaks Community Center was the last in a series of district-specific meetings to discuss the issue and inform the residents about anticipated plans for neighborhood community centers.

The next step will be the creation of a task force. This group will review applications from nonprofit agencies, community-based organizations, schools and for-profit businesses that are interested in renting space at the community centers. This review will take into account input from public meetings.

Groups will rent the facilities at fair market value. However, rent may be offset by the value of services provided, depending on the negotiated agreement.

"It's a creative and innovative way to deal with this budgetary crisis," said Maria Hurtado, deputy director of community services for the city. "No other city has done it at this magnitude."

But, Hurtado added, if organizations do not bid on the facilities, they will have to shut down. "This really is the last alternative to closure."

Councilman Ken Yeager said he is optimistic. Ideally, he would like to see nonprofit agencies operate the centers, but hopes other community programs will be included. People are concerned that they will not have access to the facilities, he said.

The irony of the situation is that in November 2000, voters approved Measure P--a $228 million bond to construct and improve parks and recreation facilities. However, none of the $228 million was allotted for operating costs at existing facilities. So, while new community centers are being built throughout the city, others are facing closure due to a clause in Measure P that says the bond money cannot be used for administrative costs.

According to Yeager, that is state law. Bond money can be used only for capital improvements, not operating expenses.

Hurtado described Measure P as "bittersweet, because it gave us money for the construction of new facilities, but no operating money."

So while new centers can go up, the city is cutting back on its staff and consolidating old centers. The city is now trying to identify which centers to concentrate on.

"The goal is to have a hub service delivery strategy in each district," said Hurtado. This means the city is going to focus its reduced services on centers it has identified as hubs.

In District 6, a new community center is being built with Measure P funds at 1000 S. Bascom Ave., which will serve as the hub center for this area. The facility is slated for completion in August 2009.

Doreen Hassan, a Sherman Oaks after-school program director, who works with students who are below standard reading levels, was concerned about her program being cut.

"Where will these students go?" she said.

Randi Kinman, president of Burbank Del Monte Neighborhood Action Committee, was also unhappy with the facility reuse strategy.

"This community has been shortchanged all along as far as having access to community resources. My biggest concern is that we'll continue to lose."

The next step is for the facility reuse task force to put together requests for qualifications and submit them to the city council for approval. Then it will begin selecting operators and working out agreements with the bidders. The process should be completed by October 2006, at which time the new organizations will begin moving into the facilities.