Open Space in Silver Lake

I have lived in Silver Lake, one block west of the reservoir, for more than 30 years (“Keep Off the Grass,” by Christopher Hawthorne, Watch This Space, Feb. 3). I’ve seen traffic increase dramatically in that time. Hawthorne suggests that opening a 3-acre section of meadow would somehow solve our city’s need for more open space. He ignores the fact that there is a fully functioning park at the south end of the reservoir. And Griffith Park, with its 4,000-plus acres, is nearby.

Hawthorne also states that visitors will not be “. . . hiding spray-paint cans under their hoodies.” Graffiti, however, remains a major problem throughout Los Angeles.

The primary charm of Silver Lake is that it has the feeling of a small town in the midst of a major city. Most longtime residents would like to keep it that way.

John S. Nelson

Silver Lake