If the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District were deciding on its own whether to keep or level the five-story radar tower on top of Mount Umunhum, the thing soon would be a pile of concrete dust. Open space is the district’s mission and passion. But the board has pledged to listen to the public on the Mount Um plan — and a meeting this week could be your best chance to influence the choice.

We think the tower should remain as an artifact of the peak’s Cold War history, as an homage to the veterans who manned it and watched for Soviet bombers, and — equally important — as a landmark. The stark white tower sets the peak apart from the rest of the Santa Cruz range, helping us get our bearings as we traverse the sameness of our mostly suburban valley floor.

Many history buffs, veterans and longtime valley residents are determined to preserve the tower, while some open space advocates and others believe it mars more than marks what soon will be a public park. This newspaper has heard from them all, in letters and other comments. But the Midpen board needs to hear directly from people who care. The session Wednesday is 6:30 p.m. at Quinlan Community Center in Cupertino. Be there, or be as square as the monolith known affectionately (or contemptuously, take your pick) as The Cube.

The district has set out three options: keep The Cube, level it or — the classic compromise — keep some of the base as part of an exhibit. This is a case of compromise being the worst option. It’s the mass of the thing, monumental, that makes a statement.

Tearing it down is the cheapest option at $600,000. The compromise will cost $800,000, but for just $200,000 more the tower can be saved. Given that slim margin in the world of park budgets, the compromise makes no sense.

Silicon Valley has so few landmarks — don’t get us started on Hangar One — and has left too few historic buildings in place to give communities a sense of permanence and continuity. We build a shopping center and name it the Pruneyard after what it replaced. San Jose has packed up a number of its historic buildings and moved them to Kelley Park. The result, History Park, is a very cool place, but it’s not like keeping things in context.

The deepest historical context of Mount Um is the Ohlone culture. A cleared mountaintop might be best to honor that — but the Ohlone people are paid homage every time we speak the mountain’s name: Umunhum, which is Ohlone for the hummingbird’s resting place. (Funny, hummers must have made that distinctive sound for all time.)

Our vote is to save The Cube. But your opinion will count. Clear your calendar and show up Wednesday evening.