New-York tribune., 1911-04-21
NO PLAYGROUND IN PARK
commissioner Slower Sets
100000 Idea at Rest.
Money WAS APPROPRIATED
Games to Conclusion No Such
Use of City's Premier Breath
ing Spot Would Be Wise.

cornissioner Stover has set at
.so idea 10 place a 10000 playground
- 9n,,ral Park. when asked yesterday II
)" lid favor such scheme. as he did
~ oso the Park Commissioner said:
- ,1sonle know where l stand on the
matter. s..,s .,..
,,.,,,6 he no such use made Of any
.,,tion Of the park
,os, summer John Purroy Mitchell, Presi-
~ tho Board OF Aldermen; Park Com
.-e,orer Stover and an aldermanic COM
.,,,,oA started movement looking TO the
"'.rdinr Of large playground In Central
p.rk 1t resulted in $1,000" being apPro-
ted for such a purpose. and the money
&c been available ever since.
~, there was a hitch. II came ABOUT
though a whole sale protest by numerous
..s,.ciations and societies against the plan
- take any part Of the park for play
md II was intimated by some of the
.tJer,ner and Mr.. Mitchell that Commls-
.tC,er stover grew lukewarm about the
ter especially when Mayor Gaynor, az
- visiting the proposed site said he was
80, IN favor Of some Of the innovations.
r,s playground plans were not prepared
,, samuel Parsons. jr.. landscape arch>teot
=. The Park Board They were made by
CHARLES ". Leavitt a person outside the
x.rartnent Mr.. Leavitt has only recently
,.cs,ved his money for his services. the
,-o,,rollor having held Up the payment,
which amounted ia $40.
NJ Parsons has always fought any pro-
.,s.5 invasion Of Central Park At the
-. The pIaveround matter was agtated,
,,,ever. he was in California. On his re-
go, he protested that such scheme
.A,,la have been made known 70 him. He
.lso made il emphatic that, in his opinion
,hs mark was no place for playground.
commissioner Stover and MI Parsons did
rot care 20 discuss the scheme on the re
mn o. the landscape architect, and event
,suv Charles Leavitt submitted his plans
r. NJ Stover
In the hustle Of Park Department mat
,.rs The playground scheme took a pack
sat especially so when friction grew 70 an
o. en break. and Commissioner Stover draft
O. mis- now famous reasons FOR the re-
novsl OF Mr.. Parsons
With the coming of spring this year Al
6ernan Joseph Schloss and others who mad
,,rtorted the scheme became restless un-
5er the waiting attitude OF Commissioner
sfeyAr and il was decided 10 ask the Park
Commissioner on which side Of the fence
81. stood. and why. IL ne was still in favor
~ ,le scheme. he did not do something.
ToUowins the restlessness of Alderman
scfloSs whose constituents would nave
randy access 10 the playground and its
vadire and swimming pools, Or. Henry
NoekoVifz. o, the Citizens Union. wrote 70
Mr SfDver To find out what had become OF
Inc scheme Or. Moskowitz. in pointing ont
20 fhe Park Commissioners that II was sole
IN for him 10 decide for or against, also
ss1 r would he most unfortunate 10 mar
,re beauty Of the park with a playground
sr5 hoped the Commissioner would not
favor II.
Added 10 all this was the opinion OF q. B.
Vavnadier. the federal soil expert who
sev in such q scheme the ruin Of all the
lawns near such a playground. especially
n view Of the inadequate police protection
IN the park.
Commissioner Stover said Yesterday that
ire plans were requested for exhibit in the
Nuniciral Art Commission exhibit, but that
fa did not care 70 display them. and that
also l, added. should show his attitude In
the matter.
Should the $4,000 appropriation FOR the
park project be available for use in CON
Junction with the $1,000 already provided
for playground deve .opment Commissioner
s-oyer would have al his disposal $4,000
tia greatest amount available at any one
time for Fairgrounds in the history OF the
city A. j.; is the $4,000 granted by the
Board ol Estimate and Apportionment is
'he largest sum ever at the disposal OF
Pam Commissioner for such purposes