New-York tribune., 1908-02-04
FOR MORE PLAYGROUND
Municipal Art Society 4ppoints
Committee to Make Campaign.

The Municipal Art Society has appointed a CUM
mttee Of which Harold A. Caparn. the ianoscapo
architect. of No. 15s Fifth avenue Is chH., ~
obtain more Fairgrounds and school garoehs XVI
the children Of New York
Mr Caparn made the following statement y'
dav regarding the plans Of the committee
New York should have more playgrotnnds, t. and and
this committee has been formed 10 GET ,ne. ed, ax
tnt sd9 70 TRe best managed playground in the city
is probably the De Witt Shnt1r IN. Hudson River
Most Of the on the d ,owsa hs Eas' This
are not S se sn me os the the Park
Department who lac held 9es p, sect cf the
nnu 1eorranizaton The Park Department moreover,
BY the t, nesesSty ens & ss aiof4d to
e for maintenance repairs of buildings constructed
during previous sdmnistra%tInns % y;tbin the scope Of
the Municipal Art Society. as they are not on,y i
os to the be nse and heautf but they
should possess enough decorative features 10 ne
'erhs' The bdngs ID Should be of as good design and
material possible and there should s be Al ieas
grass which should be kent in as good order ., as
Of the Other parks This sf % Wf stns
Park. which contains both Fairgrounds and chill
bic Of uniting Fairgrounds and children's gardens
thus bringing together two Of the healthrues, J,
he mutually helpful.
It has been definitely. decided to advise the ac-
auirement by the city of two plots for playErounds
and school garden purposes whenever n may ee
practicable. One of these is addition on the
north side to John Jay Park, between 18th and 18th
streets, overlooking the East River.
This piece of ground IS fertile and we'll adapted
to chldren's gardens, and has no buildings on it.
The committee also urges the development OF John
Jaw Park with playground and school gardens by
maintaining the present level of land. which has
admirable elevation overlooking the East River.
1t considers the best way Of doing this completely
would he by closing that part of East 18th street
which divides the park in two as was done In
the of West sd street. which formerly passed
through the site of De Witt Clinton Park.
The second piece of ground recommended for ac-
quision is between S7th and 6sth streets end First
and Second avenues. This entire block has only
cheap frame buildings on 1t. 1t is in a neighbor-
hood rapidly increasing In population and con-
Excepting the purely business parts Of the city,
it is advisable that Fairgrounds should not he
more than half mile apart, enabling children to
reach them from all points by easy walk. This
ideal of course, cannot be attained for years
and the present Is bad time to talk of spending
more money on public improvements. But works
this sort planned for the future. and we
look forward to the time when their realization
may be possible.
Like all reformers and like ali really practical
people. we are pursuing ideals. We think It
houses could be compelled to make Fairgrounds on
roofs. Any who doubts the value of play
grounds in a city should make trip the lower
East Side in the summer, not merely taking in all
the small parks. but also the school buildings
where organized play is held He should also study
the achievements of other cities In the way Of
Fairgrounds especially Chicago. whose Fairgrounds
In number, size. efficiency and beauty are consid-
cred to be models for all others.