The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-11-25
WORKING
FOR PARKS
Plans for the. Aala
Square Being
Made.
A PLAYGROUND
AT THOMAS SQUARE
Department of Public Works Re.
ceives the sus-
gsstion.

fSuryeyor Wall of the government
survey department is now at work pre-
barring a plan for the Improvement OF
xAala park. The plans will be submit-'
ted to Mr.. Cooper in charge of the
Public Works office as soon as finished
and after approval by the heads viii
be put under way.
Despite the shortage in ready money
in the office it is the expectation of
Mr.. Cooper that something can be done
Immediately which will give the work
such impetus as will result in attract
ing the attention of the people and will
The park is so badly needed as a rec
reation ground by the people of the
vicinity, that it is the hope of the Pub
lie Works office that it may be leveled
and the walks put down so that the
lawn will be growing during the winter
and there will be something in the way
of a playground for use next summer.
Attention has been drawn to the neg
lected appearance of Thomas Square
and the little use made of this breath
ing spot by the people. Suggestions
have been made to the government that
it would be a much better use of this
tract to turn it into playground, so
that the young people could have the
use of it during the summer. The
Square is approximately $50 by $50 feet,
ard if cleared and made into a lawn
very little surfacing would be needed
to make it as level as are any other
of the Fairgrounds of the city, while
it is so easy of access that there would
be constant use made of it by the boys
and young men who play baseball and
football.
While these plains for recreation
grounds are being made and discussed
IL general the Portuguese residents of
Punchbowl slopes are moving to secure
something of the same kind which
would afford an opportunity for the
children near there to find a place on
which to congregate and thus keep
them off the streets. Each Sunday
afternoon in particular there are gath
erings of boys and young men who play
ball in the streets, the lads being in
constant danger of being run down by
carriages and the noise being distract
ing to the people along the streets
The site which the Portuguese believe
best fitted for their use is the aban-
doned quarry at Hackfeld street and
Lunalilo street, which would afford
plenty of room for the young boys. and
would place them where they would an
noy very few people. 1t is said to be
the intention of the citizens of Punch
bowl slopes to call the matter to the at
tention of the authorities.
The Thomas Square scheme suggest
ed itself to me recently said Mr.
Cooper, when looking over the square
The place is not greatly used by per-
sons in the daytime, and al night it is.
or has been, the gathering place of
| characters who do not improve its rep
utation. In most of the large cities
the idea seems to be the making of rec
reation grounds for children in the
parks, reserying portions of them as
places for those desiring shady re-
treat.
by moving the band stand from its
present position, say towards the up
per portion near Beretania street, the
park could still be used for band con-
certs. Just what would be done with
the big banyans there has not occurred
to me. They are fine specimens and it
is possible they could remain as they
are. Thomas Square would make an
ideal playground, and only the central
portion need be used for that purpose.
The increasing number of school chill
dren in the city makes it apparent to
ME that there is need of such a recre-
alton ground, and Thomas Square is
centrally located. With the opening up
of a street through the Ward place to
the Kewalo section. the children there
would have an opportunity of making
use of it as we'll as those living in Ma
kiki district
"Aala park would also make fine
recreation ground for the district eva
of the Nuuanu stream and I hope some