New-York tribune., 1911-11-16
.STOVER'S PLANS VETOED.
Park Architect Advises Against
Bowling Green at Battery.
LAY DEFENDS HIS ATTITUDE
Expediency Should Have No
Weight, He Writes to Head OF
Parks and Fairgrounds.

On receipt of communication from Eu-
gene Phlbin. president OF the Parks ana
Fairgrounds Association, asking him what
had become of Park Commissioner Stovers
plan to put a running track and bowling
green I'm Battery Park, Charles ID. Lay
landscape architect Of the Park Board. In
formed Mr.. Philbin that he had advised
against both. Mr. Lay told Mr.. Phllbin
that he had In letter TO the Park Com
missioner advised the latter that the run
ming track and bowling green will be made
quate in themselves and will to a great ex-
tent destroy whatever unity of design the
park has"
Park Commissioner Slower. however, was
just as certain as ever that he would have
his bowling green and he showed letter
from a body Of citizens who were anxious
to begin at once the old game OF bowls.
What do you think of the stand of the
landscape architect?" he was asked.
I'VE will have the bowling green all
right" said the Commissioner with smile
lie added that he had advised Mr.. Lay to
go ahead with his plans of redesigning the
park. "Mr Lay will also have to con-
slider the new subway station to go there
said the Park Commissioner, "as well as
the Barge Office and the new Aquarium
building"
Mr.. Philbins letter said that in former
years his organization had been informed
Of any park charge by Samuel Parsons, jr.,
Mr.. Lays predecessor. To this letter Mr..
Lay made reply, which was in part as fol-
lows:
The plea OF eXpediency, which is always
raised when such an attack on a park is
contemplated, should have no weight IN
this case. New York needs both parks and
Fairgrounds and is amply able TO tax 1t
self for its posterity for them both. The
willingness to make provision for the pres
ent and the future and the public conVlc-
ton that such provision is worth its cost
must be brought about Ey q general educa-
tion of the people by public spirited citi-
Zens.
New York is not alone i'm her ability TO
keep clearly in mind the fact that public
open spaces, when carefully designed for a
particular purpose, are more economically
used for that purpose than for some other
quite different.
Mr. Lay also inclosed his letter to Park
Commissioner Stover which reads as fol-
lows:
The beauty of Battery Park is as every
one knows, much spoiled by the elevated
railway structure, but that can be planted
out with a row Of Lombardy poplars or
Oriental planes. The park as whole
should. I think. be redeslened, because it is
typical example of the style of many
years ago, when amless walks laid out
with twisty curves were considered pictur-
osque. To-day more formal treatment
seems desirable.
/ ask you, therefore. If it would not he
letter to give up for the present the idea
OF building running track and bowling
green I'm one of the park lawns and TO get
up new scheme for the park In which
these features can be given more space
with less injury to the park?
In a rearrangement of the park the space
how wasted north of tho elevated structure
might conce.vably be pat to- good u~'. The
running track and bowling green now pro-
rosed will be inadequate in themselves and
will to a great degree destroy whatever
unity If design TIE nnrk has