"It's a sandy slope"

(Letter to the Editor from Kathryn Gray)

When I was a kid in the 1960s, I loved to slide on waxed cardboard down the dune in Manhattan Beach's Sand Dune Park. My mom, who also grew up in Manhattan Beach, ran free on the dunes in the '30s.

I'm saddened to hear that now the dune may be closed. My grandpa, Ralph Dorsey, Los Angeles' chief traffic engineer, worked tirelessly on the Manhattan Beach City Council and as mayor to expand recreational opportunities. He'd be dismayed to see kids and adults shut out of Sand Dune Park. That's not how Manhattan Beach used to work.

Our family has a house near the top of the dune, and we sympathize with neighbors who are concerned about overuse. Luckily, there's a sensible middle ground: Allow the dune to be shared, with some well-thought-out regulations. Let's keep recreation open to all!

Kathryn Gray
Manhattan Beach