EDITORIAL PARK THIS PLAN.

THE battle to save Woodridge Park from becoming home for a sewer-construction project shows that government generally takes the path of least resistance, no matter the cost to the public.

The city, wisely planning for its future sewer and water needs, wants to run a new sewage line from Toluca Lake to Glendale and has designated two potential locations for a shaft: the well-used Studio City Park or a Caltrans maintenance yard about 150 yards away.

Hmmm. Close a neighborhood playground and park for four years, or use a nearby maintenance yard that no doubt already has unpleasant smells emanating from it from time to time. Seems like an easy call.

But dealing with another government agency, let alone a state agency, isn't as easy as trampling on the interests of ordinary people, so officials saw destroying the city-owned park as the best solution.

This is an example of everything that is wrong with government. How misguided could officials be to even consider ruining one of the few public city parks because it was the most convenient way to get the basic job done?

Hats off to the children and families who came out Monday to protest this proposal. Only that kind of grass-roots organization can stop the massive bureaucracy from the insanity of bulldozing over the parks - and the rights - of the public.