Letters: Battling over Silver Lake’s soul

Re “Silver Lake evolution lures newcomers, worries locals,” Nov. 16

I find it amusing that residents now long for some golden old days of Silver Lake.

When we built a house in 1991 two blocks from the corner of Sunset Boulevard and Hyperion Avenue, my partner and I spent every Saturday getting up at 7 a.m. to paint over gang graffiti, pick up trash in the streets and water some of the two-dozen trees we persuaded neighbors to plant.

Our new house overlooked a previously private corner, and we soon discovered we had to shine lights to drive away the cars in which local prostitutes serviced clients.

Do today’s Silver Lake residents really want those days back of deteriorating bungalows, empty storefronts and crime? I doubt it.

Dennis Frahmann

Cambria

I am 81 years old but definitely not an “old fart,” to borrow the ugly term used by a man quoted in Sandy Banks’ column.

I have lived on my hill in Silver Lake since 1960 and raised a family there. Our house was too small, but we loved it and couldn’t leave. The people were friendly, and the cars were small. Most important, we used our garages, and there were still plenty of places to park.

The neighborhood has changed for the better in many ways. Today there are more families with children and strollers, which are what make a neighborhood.

However, as much as I would like to shop in Silver Lake, if you are over 50, there is nothing to buy.

I may be old, but I have no intention of leaving for the Valley, as someone suggested in the article.

Penny Cox

Silver Lake

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