The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-07-18
.EXUM IS ENTHUSED OVER PARK SYSTEM Says Kansas City Does
 Things Right STREETS ARE IDEAL Instead of Few Large Parks the City Has Provided Numerous Small
 Areas Easily Accessible
 to All Inhabitants

While in Kansas City a few days ago, Culpeppcr Exum president of the Board of Commissioners, with Mayer Brown of that city and Superintendent Dunn of the park system, made an inspection Of the city parks and boulevards.
 MT, Exum was amazed, he said. at the wonderful system in Kansas City. which is trying to come up to Boston in parks and boulevaros. MT. Exum is highly en- unused over park properties and in talk ing yesterday about Kansas City he said the Birmingham commission would sure ly formulate plan of park improvements and work carefully to it as suggested by fChairman Kaul of the park commission.
 Tn Kansas City they have acquired 24'- GOO acres for park purposes said Presi- dent Exum. "They are distributed all over the city in innumerable places, and while some of them are rather large sized the general idea has been to get many parks with less acreage.
 'grhey have drafted plan, which would suit Birmingham with few modifca- tions which is highly desirable and one that certainly reflects great credit upon
 
 wading pools, sand pits, tennis courts, ball grounds and such recreation places, and 1t is a dazzling picture to see scores of young girls and boys out playing and getting good fresh air from places pro- vided by the city. The parks are crowd ed all the time and the happy, healthy looking chaps are sufficient evidence that Kansas City has turned the right trick for her future generations. The city when it desires a new park will seek out a congested area where there are no parks or recreation grounds. They will con demn what property they need, it matters not how valuable, and make the adJoin- ing and adjacent property owners pay for it. In some instances they have gone A half mile on a stretch for parks. The commissioners are the ones to say how far the adjoining property is increased in value by the park. In fact, everyone admits that property enhances when a park is located near by.
 "The city then takes that land and builds up a fine park and contentment and happiness for the people result.
 'They have 50 miles of park boulevards, which is an ideal proposition. l have never seen anything so beautiful as the streets of Kansas City, where the street parking has been done. The way they manage that is fine, too. They take a street 100 feet wide and set aside 60 feet of that for traffic. At the curb grass is planted which runs to the sidewalk. In that space are planted two rows of trees made to pay 10 cents per running foot per year to keep the street parking in good shape The result is they have one of the most attractive system of street park improve ments I have ever seen. The streets are made of macadam and nothing more. We can have the same thing here. They oil the street after certain binder is placed upon it and 1t costs about 11a cents per square yard per year to keep 1t oiled. It is perfectly dustless. I have never seen A more magnificent street than they make there. At night they are like endless rib bons. The same thing can be done here The city does this work in Kansas City They save the property owners vast amounts by, this work and they do it eff ciently.
 'AltOSetner blriiiihshaii Saii sos ' inv example from Kansas City in the park work which is to be done here by MT Kaul and his associates. There is noth- ing quite so important as satished peo- ple and I know of no one surer way of satisfying them than by supplying attrac- tive parks. It is a boon to existence, and 1t pays any city to invest money in that way Birmingham need not worry, l think, for I am sure the parks of this city when the general designs are made will be a credit to all'