Hollywood sign gets a big cover-up

Worker covered the sign's 14-metre-high letters with nine tarpaulins that read "Save the Peak" in huge red letters, in an effort to drum up donations.

The project began Thursday night after city engineers had delayed the start to ensure the tarps would stay in place should a huge wind hit.

The cover-up was organized by the Trust for Public Land, an environmental group, which is trying to purchase the 58-hectare plot from a group of property developers.

"We want to raise the visibility of it, so that people will support our campaign to save the peak, to save the land," said trust spokesman Tim Ahern. The trust needs to raise the 11.7 million dollars purchase price by April 14 to complete the deal, and says it already has half the amount.

They plan to keep the covers on until Tuesday.

The sign was originally built in 1932, ironically to advertise a housing development proposed for the site.

/Trend News/