Sepulveda Basin

Re: “Basin Site Best Arts Park Choice,” Aug. 4, and “Site Spoils Plan for Arts Park,” July 14.

Why is there always a knee-jerk reaction and protestations without foundation when a proposal to put some arts facilities in the Sepulveda Basin comes into view? A sod farm constantly scraping off the top soil? That’s OK. The government wants a facility for the Navy and the Marines? That’s OK. But indicate some acreage for an arts park to be put at the very same elevation, hard by a lovely lake? No way.

The location suggested has not been natural or undisturbed for over half a century. First there was grading to make the basin, later cornfields and other crops. Then it was regraded into berms, some still raw dirt, for Balboa Lake and parking for a few hundred cars. The shallow argument to leave the area pristine does not hold up, as it has not been “natural” within recent memory.

Those of us who do not play baseball, soccer, golf, tennis, or fly model airplanes would like to see and use some arts facilities in the only correct location for them--in a modest corner of the Sepulveda Basin. The arts, not only sports, belong there. Even Yosemite Valley has an arts center--we can too.

SYDNEY Z. LITWACK

Encino