The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-09
STATEN ISLANDS PARK PLANS.
A System Proposed That Would Include
More Than $500 Acres.

If Staten Islanders have their way the
rough OF Richmond will have a system
of parks, parkways and Fairgrounds pro-
portioned to it's area. As il now stands the
borough is to all intents and purposes with
out parks.
Those who are interesting themselves in
the matter say that about one-tenth of the
area of the island should be parked. Such
a proportion would give rather more than
900 acres. As matter Of fact the hope
is that. sooner or later. the borough may
have little more than 200 acres in play
grounds, and nearly $500 acres in parks.
When the borough is fully peopled it
may be expected to have a population of
at least a million, and ii has sufficient area
for a considerably larger number For a
population Of million park area Of $500
or 300 acres is none too large.
New York, Which has small park area
10 its population, has one acre to 500 in
habitants Boston has one to $50 and San
Francisco one to 1928. New York has rather
more than $500 acres in parks. of which
about sixty acres are in the b rough of
Richmond. If the Staten Islanders can
increase their park area to the amount they
desire New York will have nearly twice as
much land in parks rs any other city Of the
Union.
The proposed park system of the borough
would npportion the park area irregularly
among the five wards. The Second ward
would have the one great park cf the island.
\ long and rather narrow centre strip OF
high ground about 500 acres in area. IL
lies near the centre Of the island short
dist ance west # New Dcro.
The next largest would he South Beach
Park in the Fourth ward. below Fort Wads-
worth. The proposed area is about AGO
acres, much of which ia now marsh land
traversed by tidal streams The proposed
Pleasant Plains Park in the Fifth ward may
have an area of $50 acres. II hes CEN
trally between Journey avenue and the line
Of the Staten Island Rapid Transit Rail-
road The Fifth ward may have another
considerable park between the villages Of
Rcssville and Pleasant Plains, Princes
Bay and Huguenot. II is proposed to in
cllIde in this park an area of about three
hundred acres.
Otter parks and Fairgrounds, varying
in area from less than an acre to l25 acres,
are proposed. and the design is 10 connect
the whole system by means of parkways,
some of which will be entirely new. others
developments Of existing public roads.
Four or five of the proposed parks are
more than fifty acres in area, and others
are from fifteen TO twenty five acres in area.
II lie the wish of the Staten Island Chamber
Of Commerce, which is taking a special in
terest in the proposed park system, that
some Of the best bathing beaches shall be
parked, that several interior lakes shall
be included within parked areas, that points
commanding fine views Of the harbor and
the ocean shall be made into parks, and
that the parkways shall be constructed with
special regard 70 the views they afford.
Buying land for parks in Staten Island
will be expensive. but, "a the projectors
point out. Il will never be less expensive
than it will be in the near future. The
cheapest land in tho island is that most
centrally situated; hence the proposal to
make the one great park in the heart Of the
borough,
Only small parks and parkways are
proposed for the region near New Brighton
and St George, where a large population
and active business have made land rela-
lively high. About two-thirds OF the pro-
posed park area would lie along tho central
ridge Of the island.