Downtown L.A. needs public spots

Re “Those Playgrounds in the Sky” [June 16]: My neighbor and I take care of our rooftop/courtyard by watering the plants, laying down Astroturf and installing lights.

I am greatly disturbed by people who are afraid of the streets and want to escape to a roof. With this kind of attitude, L.A. will never develop a multiethnic and mixed-income street life. If these new downtown residents do not appreciate or use the streets, what is the point of living downtown?

All of these new loft developments function like gated communities. It makes you realize that we as downtown residents do not have public space we can use. What if we put hoops at Pershing Square, barbecues and picnic tables at the great City Hall South park? What if we created a civic park at the old Caltrans site with picnic tables, dog park, kiddie pool and nice big trees to read a book under?

Why can’t downtown L.A. have it all -- roof gardens and good public space?

James Rojas

Los Angeles