‘It’s Like Leaving the City Behind’

Re “Spielbergs Keep Brentwood Range Open,” July 9: Anyone who visits Sullivan Canyon for the first time has pretty much the same reaction as our friend did when she came down with her daughter last week: “This is amazing,” she said. “It’s like leaving the city behind.”

Open space is a scarce commodity in L.A.; we tend to think of it as houses waiting to happen. But Steven Spielberg and Kate Capshaw’s donation of the funds needed to purchase Sullivan Canyon guarantees that one of the last public recreation areas on the city’s Westside will remain just that--open and available to people who would like to catch their breath without having to leave town. An hour in the canyon is a restorative.

Sullivan Canyon is a piece of L.A. history saved; the donation is an altruistic gesture. Parents who played in the canyon as kids bring their children there, and now that the property is safe, they can plan on coming again as grandparents.

Karen Stabiner

Santa Monica