Seventy one (71) years ago Earl Haskell represented the M.H. Sherman Company gifting Hollywoodland’s 444.5 acres of open space to the City of Los Angeles. That transaction took place at the December 18, 1944 Board of Playground and Recreation Commissioners meeting in City Hall. This was the largest single donation (other than the original Colonel Griffith land, 3,800 plus acres.) This humble gift was given with little fanfare, with little name recognition and yet it holds some of the most precious, eco sensitive land and wildlife in the entire park system.

So in the season of giving, think about giving back to our community by reinforcing Sherman’s intent and purpose. Do this by helping us preserve the gift; protecting Hollywoodland’s history her sensitive environment, the existing roadway/water easements and encourage ingress and egress to the gift through the only legal opening, Brush Canyon at Canyon Drive. Encourage the city to remove all the destructive accouterments that were added at Canyon Lake/Mulholland Highway that never had approvals or authorizations and encourage the city to respect the Cultural Heritage designations within the gift, the Hollywood(land) sign, the historic walls and the park itself. The gift should be respected and embraced not abused and destroyed.