Tunnel Area Should Be Tagged for Use as a Park

Re “Old Tunnel May Be Tagged as a Landmark,” Sept 15: I am dismayed that you dignify the hoodlums who blight our city with disgusting graffiti by referring to them as “graffiti artists” -- on Page 1 no less -- and by publishing their silly “handles.”

Those jerks are petty criminals who contribute nothing more than ugliness to our city. Would you refer to them as “artists” if the graffiti were on your house?

Dave Pierce

Los Angeles

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When reading the article on the “graffiti artists” at the old Red Car tunnel in downtown, I found myself asking, “Yeah, but what about the soccer players?” The more I read, the less I liked the taggers and the greater sympathy I felt for the moms, kids and especially the soccer guys who play there.

The Toluca Yard is a park, whether anyone wants to call it that or not. And it has been for a long time because there is no other park around. Let’s make it official. Plant some grass, install a couple of drinking fountains, maybe a restaurant or something, have history tours, and then it becomes a cultural asset. We don’t need an apartment house at that historic spot any more than we need the taggers.

Roger Walton

North Hills