New-York tribune., 1907-07-29
WHAT IS 4 PARKP

The Park Commissioner, Mr.. Herman, raises
the question, What is II park2 one which
causes him no little perplexty, and his answer
TO which, whatever it may be, is scarcely ex-
pected To please everybody (Which" he asks
's OF greater Importance. the playground feat
ure or the park feature?" Apparenty-it Is
gratifying 10 observe it-he limits the use OF
such pleasure ground as Central Park TO one
or both of these alternatives. There are those
who regard n park as pre-eminently Il place to
be covered with buildings. worlds fairs, court
houses or what not, or 10 be cut up for race
tracks Mr.. Herman rightly regards 1t as Il
pleasure ground for the people, but he recog-
nizes the fact that interpretations of that phrase
differ. To some a pleasure ground means Il
place of beautiful scenery green lawns trees
and shrubs, sparkling water, fresh and fragrant
air and sylvan quiet To others II means Il play
ground where no keep or the Grass signs are
10 be Seen and where playing ball, tennis and
golf. tramplng the turf. plucking flowers and
climbing trees may be INDUCED in without let
or hindrance. Both conceptions are reasonable
and their realization is desirable But it is sell
dom that they can both be realized even meas
urably in the same park; that they can be In
Central Park is quite impossible
There are those who cry out against It as a
shame that little child should be forbidden to
romp and roll on the grass Of n park lawn
The child would enjoy IT SO much and 1t would
do the grass no harm and what is the grass in
park for, anyway, but for the enjoyment OF
the people? Yes; but If there were no grass
there only few could enjoy it at all, and il is
perfectly certain that if all comers were permit
ted to use the lawns as they pleased there would
very soon he no more grass on them than there
is along Broadway. At present the lawns af-
ford great pleasure and practical benefit to
thousands who have no desire to do more than
to feast their eyes upon them and TO breathe
the fresh and fragrant air which blows across
them, and they also give some pleasure and
benefit TO those who would like to trample upon
them but forbidden TO do So They give
that is to say, much pleasure to many and some
pleasure to all, and they Will continue to do so
as long as they are kept in their present state
But If they transformed into free play-
grounds they would for short time give much
pleasure to many and thereafter to not so many,
while to a very large number they would give
no pleasure nor proit at all. Between two such
courses, with such results 1t should not be diff
icult to choose
Even where the soil Is rs rich and the sward
as uxuriant as IN Prospect Park 1t Is necessary
TO enforce some restrictions upon the use of
the lawns. On the thin poor soil of Central
Park much greater restrictions are essential
1t would be we'll to give large part OF Central
Park a coating OF rich new soil, for the sake of
trees and shrubs as well as of the grass Even
then 1t would be lmpracticabe to remove all
restrictions No lawns In the world could en-
dure the trampling Of the million feet which
would visit them. And II would be folly to
spend labor and money In the production Of fine
lawns only to have them transformed into grass
less Fairgrounds. For all time, therefore II
would seem that Central Park must remain
chiefly pleasure ground which will minister to
the senses OF sight and smell and sound AS
SUCH with such necessary restrictions, 1t Is and
1t will be worth immeasurably more than ali its
cost
That however, is not to deny the equal desr-
ability Of the providing of pleasure grounds
which shall be essentially Fairgrounds Be
cause one apartment is furnished and used as
q drawing room is no reason why another should
not be furnished and used as a gymnasium. At
present there is q scarcity of public Fairgrounds
accessible to the children and young people OF
New York. There are such grounds in some
of the seml-rural parks and In the suburbs but
these are too far away for multitudes to visit
The result is that children must go without play
or must play in the streets, which is objection
able from all points of view. Some hundreds of
acres of land in judiciously distributed plots
on whi n the youth Of the city might indulge In
any sports they pleased. would be An inestimable