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Hooray! Entrance To Controversial Hollywood Sign Trail Set To Reopen
Photo by Robbie via the LAist Featured Photos pool
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After months of being closed, the entrance to a once-popular and controversial trail used by visitors to view the Hollywood Sign will finally reopen.Closed back in March to supposedly install a new gate, the trail became a flashpoint between Beachwood Canyon NIMBYs and everyone else in the world. Residents complained that tourists were clogging up their streets, and waged war by illegally painting curbs red, putting up phony signs, and even convincing Google Maps to lie on their behalf. Finally, the Hollyridge Trail entrance will officially reopen this coming Monday at 5 a.m., the Parks Department tells KPCC.
"It was originally closed because of safety issues," Joe Salaices of the Parks Department told the station. "We had vehicle traffic that was going up into that area, and illegally parking along the street, and really up in the park itself, in the canyon, and causing quite a traffic problem that became a safety issue."
The new gate, which cost the city over $200,000 in total, was supposed to only take five weeks to install but took almost 9 months, assuming it opens on Monday. Supposedly the owners of the private Sunset Ranch Horse Stables wanted the gate to be electronic and allow for vehicles to their site. While the gate was being built, a hired guard who ultimately had no authority turned would-be hikers away. Parking in the neighborhood will now be limited to preferential parking on weekends and holidays.
Tourists and hikers can rejoice that a piece of public land will finally be open for all once again, though you can't please everyone. Former president of the Hollywoodland Homeowners Association and resident Sarajane Schwartz sees no middle ground on this issue, even after all the changes the city has made: "I think they should close it."
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And When You Want To Try Other Ways To See The Hollywood Sign: Three Ways To The Hollywood Sign
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