Debate Over Revitalization of Olvera Street

I read with dismay (June 12) that City Council members Richard Alatorre and Gloria Molina oppose the restoration of the Italian Hall as part of the revitalization of El Pueblo Historic Park.

This significant building is one of the park’s 27 important landmarks. Representing a variety of architectural styles and types, these historic structures are among the most eloquent testaments to our city’s diverse cultural heritage. Together, they form an ensemble of memories commemorating an era that began when the plaza was at the center of a small pueblo located on the edge of the Spanish empire and continued into the 20th Century when the plaza became a focus of industrial activity and a home for various ethnic communities.

But rather than celebrating this valuable legacy, Alatorre and Molina seek to obliterate it. Their opposition to restoring the Italian Hall is an attempt to rewrite history and isolate the park from its multicultural past.

Hopefully, the City Council will reject their narrow, exclusionary approach. By accepting the Recreation and Park Commission’s authorization to restore the Italian Hall, the Council will go a long way in adopting a revitalization plan that will be faithful to the park’s long and complex history.

MICHAEL W. SEVERAL

Los Angeles