The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1911-02-17
THE CITY PARK

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it was proposed that they should sell
it to the city for a park, and this
met with such a ready response that
the sale was finally consumated.
We believe that some people favor
ed the sale because they thought the
park was needed or would be needed
in future, that some favored it be-
cause they wanted to see the debts
of the Fair Association liquidated,
and some because they thought the
city better able to carry the load than
the Fair, and that in any event it
was a good investment, since the
land can be sold at profit at almost
any time unless, perhaps, during a
financial stringency.
It requires the expenditure of con-
siderable money to make a tract of
land into a park, and the only thing
that has been done on the land in
question is to plant some trees and
irrigate them. They stand in rows
and there is no artistic arrangement
such as combined with shrubs and
flowers and well-kept grass lends so
much beauty to the city parks we are
apt to think of when parks are men
toned. The ground is hard and more
or less overgrown with weeds, and it
is this tract that we have at our dis
pOsal.
The value of city park depends
very much upon it's condition and
upon the use that would be made of
it. What would have great value in
one place might be of very little
value in another, and it is consider
alton of these matters to which we
direct the attention of the public.
In large city where population
is dense and most of the people live
in places where there is little or no
sunlight, little or no wind or fresh
air passing through their rooms and
no chance for them to come in con-
tact with plant life and nature, there
is pressing demand for parks within
easy reach of the homes or tene-
ments, where all people, and espe-
cially women and children, can spend
some time each day or evening. To
them it has a commercial value al
most as important as food and eXer-
else, and the more hot weather they
have or the more intense the heat
in summer, the greater is the need
for it. The higher attitudes present
less need of parks than low attitudes,
and the closer the place is to noun
tains the less need there is of the
parks, because of the freshness of the
mountain air and the certainty of the
flow of cool air from the mountains
soon after sunset
A windy country has less need for
parks than sultry climate, and it
comes to the observations of people
here that we have neither the crowd
ed conditions in the homes, the in
tense heat, the sultryness, the isola-
ion from sunlight and plant life, nor
any of the things that demand the
park except as a place to hold pic
mics and perhaps for some Sunday
rest by people who want to walk out
a short distance.
A good test of whether people feel
the need of park is to note that
although we have for many years had
a block of grass and shade at the
Court House, it is rare thing to
see a dozen persons lounging there
on hot summer days.
An effort was made about fifteen
years ago to develop park in the
Elwood Addition, block of
land being given for that purpose
free II the people Of the town would
develop it, and although trees and
grass were started, 1t was such fail
ure that it was no credit to that part
of own, was never used except as a
pasure, and was given back to the
donors.
In the development of the town
many lovers of homes have planted
trees and shrubs and beautified their
places SO that private parks are ev-
erywhere in evidence. and there is
little incentive to people to leave
homes to 60 to a public park. They
are more disposed to invite friends in
to enjoy their own shade and lawn.
People living in the country would
not appreciate the park, for they are
in such close touch with nature that
1t is more welcome change to them
to visit the town and enjoy the pave
mems, he buildings and things of art.
The county commissioners have
caused the removal of the trees in the
court yard 10 they could have the
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