Gabriel Khanlian moved to Porter Ranch about 15 years ago. Just like many of his neighbors, he thought the small park with a colorful caterpillar climbing bar in his neighborhood was called “E.T. Park,” after the beloved 1982 movie “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.”
But recently he found out the park’s official name was Porter Ridge Park.
“If you ask locals where Porter Ridge Park is, they probably will send you to a different park,” said Khanlian, who is also president of the Porter Ranch Neighborhood Council. “But if you ask them where E.T. Park is, they will direct you to the right place.”
The new moniker has been under discussion for a few years, but hadn’t yet cleared the hurdles of business and government.
All of that is about to change after City Councilman John Lee, who represents communities in the northwest San Fernando Valley, introduced a motion this week, directing the Board of Recreation and Parks Commissioners to rename Porter Ridge Park to E.T. in recognition of Steven Spielberg’s iconic movie.
“In an effort to continue its commitment to celebrating the collective cultural heritage of Los Angeles, the city should take the necessary steps to formally “immortalize” this Recreation and Parks facility, according to Councilman Lee’s motion.
The move became possible after Universal Pictures recently approved the use of “E.T.” as the name for the park.
The park near the intersection of Sesnon Avenue and Reseda Boulevard appeared in a scene where main characters Elliott and Michael drove a van with space alien E.T. to the park, helping him escape the authorities and return home.
Over the years, the area underwent multiple changes after a new playground, swing set and climbing structures have been installed. But community groups and the city made sure the caterpillar structure featured in the movie remained untouched.
Khanlian said he hoped there would be a monument representing the movie.
In December, the Porter Ranch neighborhood council voted in support of the renaming.
Many Porter Ranch residents who grew up in the area remember the times when movie scenes were filmed in front of their homes, on the streets and sidewalks.
“A lot of people have been waiting for the park to be renamed,” Khanlian said.
Once the motion is passed by the Los Angles City Council, he added, it would take about four or five months to prepare signs and make the new name official.
Once the renaming process is over, Khanlian said, he hoped director Spielberg and the original cast will join residents for an official renaming ceremony.
The movie tells the now familiar take of a gentle alien who befriends awkward suburban boy Elliott, who keeps the creature hidden until government agents swoop in.
The movie, which is about to celebrate its 40th anniversary, was made on a budget of $10 million — and promptly earned more than that during its first weekend of release in the summer of 1982. The movie went on to make nearly $800 million worldwide and become one of filmdom’s most popular titles in home video and streaming formats.
The film was one of the most successful in Spielberg’s legendary filmography, which includes such classics as “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” “Jaws” and Close Encounters of the Third Kind.”
Spielberg appears to be poised to earn his eighth Academy Award nomination for best director his latest release, the remake of the groundbreaking music “West Side Story.” Spielberg has 17 Oscar nominations, including three wins, and honored with the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award in 1987.