On a brisk sunny morning in MacArthur Park recently, children played on a jungle gym as an open-air drug market operated nearby. Beside the park’s lake — which has witnessed more than a few bodies pulled from its murky depths — vendors prepared stuffed arepas for hungry patrons.
For years, the famed park has served as an urban oasis for thousands of Westlake residents hemmed in by concrete and asphalt. At the same time, however, the city has battled waves of gang violence, drug trafficking and growing homelessness.
Now, amid a city campaign to reduce crime in the neighborhood, officials have announced plans to erect a $2.3-million fence around the park — a proposal that has ignited debate within City Hall and among residents over the best way to keep the 35-acre green space accessible and safe for everyone…