About Town
Manhattan Beach’s controversial sand dune at Sand Dune Park was closed last August. Photo by Andrea Ruse
by Andrea Ruse
March of the Dune
Citizens for Outdoor Recreation and Exercise (CORE) will hold a “Free the Dune” rally Sunday at 2 p.m. to demand the city reopen the controversial sand dune at Sand Dune Park as a workout facility.
The dune was closed by the city last August after a decade of neighbor complaints about heavy traffic through the small neighborhood in which the dune is located. The city has long haggled over how the dune should properly be used and voted at a January City Council meeting to end workouts on the dune.
Proponents of reopening the dune as an exercise facility have maintained that the dune offers a unique workout that cannot be found elsewhere.
“Sand Dune Park is a beloved treasure of our city and an inspiration to outdoor enthusiasts young an old,” said Bill Hory, president of CORE. “We came together and formed CORE and “Free the Dune” when we realized we could not sit idly by and let peaceful exercise literally become a crime in our parks. We are holding this rally to demonstrate voter’s strong support for freeing the dune.”
T-shirts will be made for the event, which is intended to be a peaceful, family-friendly demonstration.
The rally will take place at 26th St. and The Strand.
“Assuming the crowd is peaceful, we may or may not then march to the dune as a symbolic action,” Hory said.
For more information, contact Jake Rome at (310) 429-6693 or visit www.sanddunepark.com.
Free waste disposal
Residents can dump their old batteries, fluorescent light bulbs, TVs, monitors, computers, VCRs, stereos, and cell phones at Northrop Grumman this Saturday at no charge. Unused pharmaceuticals, antifreeze, car batteries, used motor oil, paint and pesticides may also be dropped off.
The disposal service is part of a free countrywide roundup aimed at collecting household hazardous and electronic waste in an eco-friendly manner.
“The improper disposal of household hazardous waste poses a public health threat,” Manhattan Beach Mayor Mitch Ward said. “By participating in these free, convenient roundups, we are able to help do our part to avoid serious pollution problems that could result if these items end up in our landfills or down our storm drains.”
The roundup will be held in the M5 Building Parking Lot of Northrop Grumman at the corner of Aviation Blvd. and Marine Ave. from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Up to 15 gal. or 125 lbs. of household hazardous waste per vehicle will be accepted.
For more information, visit www.888CleanLA.com. ER