Dana Park Proposal

“Dana Park Stirs Questions on Political Monuments” (Dec. 4) omitted to express the view held by many opponents to the nature center project: the absurd contradiction inherent in the destruction of nature in order to better honor it. Please, enough asphalt! Enough concrete! Respect and gentleness toward the few remaining open spaces could be a more lasting monument to County Supervisor Deane Dana’s tenure.

And since the local residents don’t want the park “improvement,” I suggest we channel the $4.4 million to South-Central Los Angeles, where a little greenery and a few trees might be more than welcome.

MARCO ELLIOTT

Harbor City

*

* There have been many nutty schemes involving Friendship Park. One of them sought to create a “Bibleland” up on the hill. It failed because there was no street access at the time, and no public acclaim for the purpose. Then came the idea of erecting a monumental statue of Atlas, shouldering the globe as a greeting to all the ships at sea calling at the local port. It was billed as the “Statue of Liberty” for the West Coast.

Now comes Dana with the goofiest notion yet. He wants to squander $4.4 million of desperately needed public funds on a memorial to his 16 years of shuffling paper. His idea of a memorial is to desecrate the natural setting of the hill with an asphalt topping and a two-story eyesore that absolutely nobody asked for.

Maybe it is time to offer an alternative to all these suggestions. There is an existing structure in Friendship Park which serves a useful purpose for current hikers, bikers, bird watchers and picnickers. It has the most spectacular view in Southern California. All it needs is an appropriate sign designating it as “Deane Dana’s Call of Nature Center.”

HERB SHANNON

San Pedro