New-York tribune., 1902-03-03
THE OCEAN P4RkW4I.

1t is agreeable to observe that movement
for the completion and Identification of the
Ocean Parkway has been undertaken by the
Brooklyn Municipal Art Society. The work is
one which greatly needs TO be done The cost
of it would not be great. The benefit to the
public would be inestmable. There Is no finer
driveway in the whole metropolitan district
than the Ocean Parkway, and there is none
that has been, in part, more neglected and mis-
used Especially IS this the case with respect
10 its ocean terminus. 1t reminds one of the
Brooklyn Bridge-a splendid structure with in
adequate unsghtIy and altogether contemplate
approaches.
The Prospect Park end of the parkway is in
pretty fair condition. II it needs is for the
vacant lands to be improved with good taste
and according to an harmonious general plan
which it is to be feared will not be done; for
who in building house takes into cOnsidera-
tion it's congruity with neighboring buildings ?
For the greater part of the way to the beach
the drive is in fair condition, though there are
some things to which exception is TO he taken.
Huge advertising hoardings here and there Of
fend the eye and probably violate the law. 1t
is not certain that the trees have always been
as well cared for as they should have been.
And the giving up of n large part of the drive
TO speedway purposes is Of doubtful prOpriety.
while the use of it a professional training
and exercising ground for racehOrses is unques-
tonably improper.
But the chief trouble is at the ocean end.
There the splendid drive comes literally to a
hole in the sand and little else. Once there was
A spacious asphalted concourse extending east
and west. Most of this has been destroyed by
winter storms. That at the east has altogether
vanished, and progress from the parkway in
that direction is absolutely barred unless one
wants 70 wallow through loose sand. At the
west n considerable part of the concourse re-
mains but II is in shocking disrepair. so that
ii is scarcely safe TO travel over it, and it is un-
slightly in the extreme. Moreover the connec-
tion between the parkway and that part of the
cOncourse has been so broken that il is en-
tirey inadequate. Riders and drivers of horses,
bicyclers. automobile drivers and pedestrians
are all crowded together In narrow passage
like sand in the neck OF an hour glass 1t Is a
wonder that many serious accidents have not
occurred there.
What is needed above all else is n restoration
Of the concOurse to its former proportions. That
can easily be done at the west. for the city owns
a large tract Of land there. sufficient to extend
the parkway In full width along the beach to
West Brighton and still have n goodly park left
land that is now lying as Wild and unimproved
as It was a hundred years ago. 1t is to be
ascertained whether any of the city's land Mt
the east Of the parkway is left. II Il IL. and
there Is enough for the purpose, the concourse
should be restored there. too as far as Brighton.
There is an opportunity to make that ocean end
Of the parkway as beautiful as Il is now I'M
slightly. A stronger statement OF the case than
that Ii would not be possible TO make.