Fighting Over Parkland Use

Recently I visited a homeowners’ meeting held in Warner Center to which the general public had been invited. During the meeting I witnessed an unprovoked assault on a small, elderly man by a large, young man. The hostile act was apparently the result of confusion concerning proper use of public parkland in the area. I attempted to intervene and found myself in the middle of a threatening and frightening situation. After the police arrived and calm was restored, a peaceful exchange of questions and answers took place between the concerned parties regarding development of public land.

I suggest that the local elected official, City Councilwoman Joy Picus, hold a few public forum-type meetings dealing with this important issue in order to provide information to the interested general public and to “clear the air” in a democratic and civilized manner. Hopefully, such meetings would dispel and relieve the mounting fears and tensions that lead to hostile and brutal acts such as the one I witnessed.

DORIS L. BRADSHAW

Tarzana