Porter Ranch park could be renamed after 'E.T.' movie

PORTER RANCH, Calif. (KABC) -- A proposal to rename a Porter Ranch park featured in the 1982 movie "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" is picking up steam.

Currently named Porter Ridge Park, the park is situated at the northern edge of Porter Ranch.

The proposal asks to change the name to E.T. Park.

The Porter Ranch Neighborhood Council voted to rename the park E.T. Park, honoring the iconic movie.

In a scene from the movie that features the park, the main characters in the movie meet at Porter Ridge Park near a caterpillar fixture during their scramble to help E.T. phone home.

The park was recently renovated. Old playground equipment scrapped for new swings and more, except for the old caterpillar fixture.

"It was important to maintain the caterpillar, which is part of the scene in the movie," said Jason Hector of the Porter Ranch Neighborhood Council.

Hector said voting to rename the park E.T. Park is a no-brainer.

"Everybody calls it E.T. Park," he said.

Hector said along with renovating the park, the conversation about renaming it E.T. Park is picking up momentum.

Now that the neighborhood council has signed off on it, it's up to the City Department of Recreation and Parks Commission to give its final stamp of approval. If that happens, the neighborhood council has ideas to give the park an E.T.-theme.

"One, being a statue of E.T. with a finger pointing up," Hector said.

Once it's all said and done, Hector is hoping E.T. director Steven Spielberg will join the community for a special renaming ceremony.