FAIR'S MOVE TO CASTAIC BLASTED.

Byline: James Nash Staff Writer

Dismayed over the San Fernando Valley Fair's planned move to Castaic Lake, state Sen. Richard Alarcon vowed Wednesday to pressure Gov. Gray Davis to replace the fair board members over their decision to move this year's event from Hansen Dam Park.

The Van Nuys Democrat's threat hit a sore point with the board because only five of its nine seats are filled due to Davis' failure to appoint any members in his more than four years in office.

Davis spokesman Alex Traverso said the governor will make appointments ``fairly soon.'' He would not specify a date, saying Davis is preoccupied with the state budget and other issues.

Fair board President David Honda said the governor's failure to appoint board members has hindered the panel's ability to function. On Wednesday, the board was powerless to make any decisions because only four members were present.

``If this is the way bureaucracy wants to embarrass us and make us fail, they've done a great job,'' he said.

Still, Alarcon scolded members of the Valley Fair Board of Directors for their decision last month to move the June 5-8 fair from Hansen Dam in Lake View Terrace to Castaic Lake, about 25 miles to the northwest.

Alarcon said he would fight to reverse the decision, even if that means holding a scaled-down version of the annual fair this year.

``Don't think that you can pull the wool over the San Fernando Valley's eyes,'' Alarcon told fair board members at their monthly meeting in North Hills. ``Those 25,000 people (who attended last year's event) deserve a fair.''

Fair board members defended their decision, saying attendance has dwindled at Hansen Dam and that the board - which represents areas as far north as Gorman - shouldn't be limited to the San Fernando Valley.

Furthermore, they said, the Hansen Dam site is riddled with problems,including a lack of parking, and bureaucratic roadblocks from the Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks, which manages the site.

``I don't look at it that we're trying to leave the San Fernando Valley, but trying to open it up to other constituents,'' said Honda. ``I see it as a traveling fair, bringing it to other constituents.''

But in the process, the fair board is penalizing San Fernando Valley children who raised livestock to enter in the fair at Hansen Dam, said Paul Hall of the Shadow Hills 4-H Club. Hall said children in the Shadow Hills group entered about 100 animals in last year's fair, but will not participate this year because the rush-hour drive up the Golden State Freeway would be too hard on the children and animals.

``The hardship on the kids will be just tremendous,'' Hall said.

Even though the fair management already has printed brochures showing the Castaic site, Alarcon said it isn't too late to hold the fair at Hansen Dam this year.

Although fair board members did not suggest they would reconsider their decision, they emphasized that the fair could return to the San Fernando Valley next year.