The herald., 1896-12-01
PASADENA PARKS

|
projects have been started In Pasadena
suggestion has more chance for success
than its predecessors. One place sus-
gested is land in the beautiful open oak
! groves near the Wilson and Shorb
| places Some locations there could be
made superb park. If large enough
area could be afforded to reach down 10
| the natural lake between Pasadena and
Alhambra this beautiful colony would
doubtless join Pasadena in such park
| enterprise.
The water the lovely drives in the
canyons that cut through the ridge
above the lake and the grand oak
groves there. and the views of the half
tropic valley. walled by its snowy peaks
might be made park that it would be
hard, indeed. to surpass.
Another charming park location is the
verdure- -clad banks of the Arroyo Seco
directly west of Pasadena. This loca-
tion for park has always been favor
lite one with that ardent acolyte of ma
ture, Mrs. Jennie c. Carr. Mrs. Carr,
believe, suggested the arroyo for park
from her first coming to Pasadena. 1t
is at that point a natural park now.
Had Mrs. Carrs suggestion been follow
ed when it was first made, instead of
using the arroyo trees for wood and di-
viding the picturesque gorge into wood
lots, the splendid old oaks, sycamores
and alders and the holly and graceful
California wild grape vines would now
form an inimitable park. These origi-
nal thckets extended considerably be-
~ hvl loa
With this location very little else can
be done than to devote it to park. A
few road improvements, foot paths,
bicycle ways and much Of this arroyo
will be park now.
One small park near the city center
and on the car line would enable those
without transportation to enjoy sunny
outing amongst the flowers and trees
without too long a walk or at excessive
cost. Still if park fund is raised it
ought not to be dissipated over a num-
ber of parks. The amount suggested is
one hundred thousand dollars. If such
a sum was wisely spent on any location
about Pasadena it would make an at
tractive park. The natural advantages
are so great that such park might be-
come one of the celebrated sights of
Southern California. Yet one hundred
thousand dollars we'll spent can go very
fast in park work. 1t is none too much
money for the initiation of one hand
some park. Pasadena will be well off if
it can escape sectional town jealousies
and put it's money into one fine park, or
at most into one large and one small
one. Pasadena is celebrated residence
town, and is more and more becoming
a great tourist resort. The tourist crop
is a very valuable one. Resorts in Eu-
rope and the desirable locations on our
own Atlantic coast. from Maine 70
Florida. appreciate this fact.
Everywhere one finds the most careful
study made of how to attract and hold
the tourist. Money is lavishly but re-
muneratively spent to interest or to
amuse this class. People away from
home, friends and occupation very gen
orally feel forlorn and lost in even the
most beautiful places. We Californians
should not forget this. We have
much to do in the line of providing di-
version and pastimes to our guests,
not only winter but summer guests, to
equal many of our rivals. Rose festi
walls, tournaments, fiestas, etc, are all
advantageous; so are parks, drives and
music. The fairs and the art exhibi-
ton Of, Pasadena show what can be
done in other directions. Southern Cali
fornia is by no means asleep in this
But with larger growth comes larger
duty and larger opportunity. No com
munity can stand still. The greater
city grows the more it must do not alone
to continue its progress but to prevent
decay and death. Pasadena has come
to the point when it must make park
Success attend 1t.
ABBOT KINNEY,
Major McKinley's personal friends are