To the editor: The op-ed on Kevin de León’s plan to rename Pershing Square reminded me that Biddy Mason Park is a pleasant oasis, a rare sight in this city. It has tables and chairs, and trees for shade, making it a quiet, cool place that offers respite from the sun to sit, read, or have a picnic. It’s a place to let small children run around without fear of them darting into the street.
Biddy's life story is revealed in a series of plaques that include pictures and text. It is well done and tells a touching story. Once read, it makes one seek out more information about her. She donated the land and money to establish the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the first in Los Angeles.
At the end of the park's tree-lined corridor is a small plaza with public art fountains that no longer function. This gem of a park is in need of repair. The designers of Pershing Square could learn from a visit to the site. It demonstrates how to create smaller, secluded spaces, cool with trees, how to tell stories rather than just listing names, and how to incorporate small fountains.
De Leon should focus on repairing the cabling on the 6th Street Bridge rather than renaming Pershing Square.
Cheryl Younger, Los Angeles
