The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-04-17

or meeting in one of the assembly
rooms Of the city hall OF sufferance.
The board needs an Office room where
its records may be kept and its meet.
tngs held. and where. at proper times,
1t may be at home to its constituents.
The time will Don be here. IL it has
not now arrived, when such quarters
must be secured. l do not feel will.
Ing at this time to recommend the
rental of office room. but / present the
whole subject for your consideration.
/. Aside from the necessary york per.
tanning to the preparation Of the parks
lot their summer season, and the ne
cessary work of maintenance. we have
at present but n piece of construc-
o work under way. namely. the in
stallation of an electric lighting sys-
tenn at Lincoln park. Good progress
mas been made on this, as most Of the
wiring in the main building is done,
and the work one the pole line Is we'll
along. An itemized statement Of the
cost of every branch of his work will
he possible ] believe. in time for the
regular May. meeting.
We have reached a period in the de-
velopment Of our work when the &C.
QUESTION OF real estate in large areas
Is no longer needed. or possible. The
appcarancc of Central park is i'm
paired by h jutting down into it Of
the wedge formed by the junction Of
Fourth street. and Fourth avenue. If
the problem presented at this point
We're solved, I believe the real estate
holdings of the board might be con-
sidered complete for a good many
years. In the work Of permanent i'm
proNement. also. we must proceed
slowly. With some improvements at
University park. for which preparation
may be begun this year. we will have
a park system highly creditable in
velopment as far advanced. l am con-
vinced. as are other features Of our
community life. mi as far as the
community is able to afford. I believe
that for a good many years the work
Of the park commission must be in
holding fast what has been gained,
and making further advances a few
exhaust all the funds which We may
legally spend. To 10 much more now
will inevitably result a little later in
in h abandonment. of work under.
taken. and in the deterioration of i'm
provements already made. for We must
not forget that most permanent i'm
provcments. especially Of grounds.
will call for perpetually increased out
lay for maintenance.
~ StiICIII vi All II
expensive character which seems to be
almost imperative is that of securing
right-of-way along the river from
Central park to the foot Of Eighth
avenue. An effort was made some
years ago to do this, hut it was not
successful. I believe that the effort
should be renewed. If thai roadway
could be secured it would give US. in
conjunction with the horseshoe shap-
ed Boulevard avenue. a magnificent
wooded drive from Central right to the
gate of Lincoln park. Another drive,
the value of which was suggested some
time ago by DR.. Healy in a public adj
dress. would onnec Lincoln park
with the university and thence with
Riverside. Probably the time for TAX
ing this up is not opportune. but a re-
keep the subject fresh and the board
ready to take action when the time
and the possibility for action come.
A departure was made last spring
in the appointment of a general SUI
p~erintendent to take personal charge
Of the work In all tho parks, to exer-
else supervision over all other en-
ploEcs. and to act as the agent for the
CARRYING out OF the directions of the
hoard. This has tended to relieve the
members of the board Of much detail
work. n it has given better results
than would otherwise have been pos
sible. With the superintendent living
at Lincoln park. as he now does. still
better results should be perceptible
this season.
Gentlemen Of the commission,
submit these statements. observations
ana recommendations. confident that
they will be received in the spirit in
which they are rendered. that of an
earnest desire to promote the best in
terests of the community through the
agency of the board of which We arc
members. n ] think you most sin
cerely for the %unfailing courtesy with
which YOU have treated me during the
Years in which I have acted as prcsi-
lent Of the board.
Respectfully submitted.
w. P. Davies.