The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-04-02
PL AN STREET EXTENSION
AHEAD, SAYS NOTED EXPERT
JOHN N0LEN, OF BOSTON, GIVES
ADDRESS ON CITY PLANNING
IN GINTER PARK.
THE COST OF DELAY
PROPERTY ADVANCES IN PRICE
AND MAKES IMPROVEMENT
COST MoRE-THREE MAIN
POINTS.

Plan ahead In the development OF
a city, act comprehensively and with
foresight in the matter of street ex-
tension and do not walt until the
city has grown haphazardly was the
message brought to Ginter Park by
John Nolen, of Boston, noted city
plenner. last night.
Mr.. Nolen was heard by a large
audience, many Il whom came from
Richmond. Highland Park and Bar
ton Heights. Ginter Park is plan
ming to spend s125.ooo for town i'm
provements and Mr.. Nolen's lecture
was designed to help the citizens plan
its expenditure. The lecture gave
much advice on the best means of
expanding the money and upon city
planning in general. much of which
is applicable to Richmond at this
time. when it is considering the an
nexation of surrounding territory.
Disposal of New Territory.
That part Of his lecture applying to
Richmond particularly had TO deal
with the desirability and economy of
acquiring ground for Fairgrounds.
builds up and the suitable sections
have become enhanced in price
through the growth OF population,
IAN these things" he said. must
he obtained sooner of later. 1t IN
the part of wisdom to secure them
before the inevitable increase In
price Street widening and extension
and the clearing of property for play
grounds and parks require more and
destruction nF "a g.
city grows"
The exercise of more foresight. the
greatest use OF art and skill and ex
perience. and the adoption of an APP
propriate goal or ideal were the three
points emphasized by MFR. Nolen.
Elaborating these. he said IN part:
Towns and cities grow noiselessly
from one class to the other with
little notice and less preparation
With growth their requirements
change rapidly. but little or nothing
is done in advance to provide for
these changing requirements, Es
peCially is this true Of Industrial do
velopment, of the location Of main
thoroushfares for traffic and trans
portation and the acquisition of lands
for parks. Fairgrounds and other
public purposes.
Have Enough Hindsight.
Instead Of planning ahead. as the
city should in these matters. il in
variably plan behind in the United
States. The foresight of the German
towns, the best governed and the best
built in the world. is instructive
Their plans are nearly always a score
If years in advance OF the actual
requirements and there II definite
and liberal policy for the purchase
of land against future needs.
Again. greater use Of skill and
experience should he employed in the
planning and building Of OUR towns
ard cities Failure 10 employ such
skill is the reason for much of the
ugliness and Inconvenience Of the
American cities OF today.
"A final requirement. is the adop-
ton of an appropriate goal or Ideal
Changes are inevitable. We know
that. And If these changes are Tin
guided they are almost certain not
to do good. The future should not be
taken at haphazard. We should de
terniue. in general way. at least
what we wish to do and then strive
t@ bring II 10 pass, A hove all corr
slstency Us a requirement and some
appropriate and controlling ideal af
development should be adopted. TIE
individual topography and situations
Of. cities. the differences lit climate
social conditions and purposes the
ent communities--these factors and
others should all find opportunity for
natural expression in the city plan,
Cities Behind Hand.
The towns and cities of the Unit
ed States have not yet made many
of these public improvements which
are SO essential to modern life. Their
streets are still INSTRUCTED and rem
dered dangerous, as wen as insight
~, by poles and wires. their school
grounds are often too small; their
Fairgrounds inadequate in size and
number and undeveloped; their water
fronts unattractive and largely in pri-
waite hands: their parks and other
pleasure grounds detached tracts of
land unrelated to one another, Many
OF these towns have not yet solved
the serious problems connected with
railroad approaches and grade cross
ings. They have not acted cnmpre-
hensiveIy with the main thorough
fares for traffic or pleasure driving
or street extension in general They
still suffer in many ways from hap
hazard, piecemeal and shortsighted
nrnrpanreH