The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-07-18
|CH|MBORAzO HAS
NIGHT PLAYGROUND
Experiment to Provide Evening
Recreation Centre Proves
Big Success.
SWIMMING POOL FOR BOYS
Administrative Board Requests
Howitzers to Permit Use
Of Their Tank.
SWIMMING POOL FOR BOYS

Night recreation work Mt the NUM-
cipal Fairgrounds at Chimborazo Park
puts into practice for the first time in
i'ichinond the new gospel brought to
the city recently by speakers at the
annuai convention OF the Playground
and Recreation Association of America
oi providing wholesome evening diver
r.i oi tne CITY young. ~ n proper
junction of municipal government
The experiment was tried ro, tho
"is' 'ine on the evening OF July 4 II
met win so hearty response that n
mas been continued since and tho an
perintehdent OF Fairgrounds has prac-
ideally decided to incorporate nIpht
recreation work into the regular NAV
ground program. From now on until
the middle OF November the play
grounds at Chimborazo Park will bc
open every week night from Z until
10 o'clock.
For the first nve evenings the at.
tendance was approximately $500. AS
hiSh as zoo people have visited the
playground on single evcAing this
week The purpose is to provide re-
creation not alone for the children and
me young people a special effort Is
made to interest adults and older peo-
pie whose occupations during the dav
leave them only the evenings for diver
sion.
Tho activities are in charge OF three
men and three women from the play
ground force OF the city. Three courts
each are provided for basketball and
volleyball. and other spaces are de-
voted to games of various kinds and
folk dancing. In addition to these ac-
tivities there Is track work and mill
tary instruction for the young mon
The instruction Is being given by a
former officer Of the Richmond Light
Infantry Blues.
For the younger children there Is
the regulation playground apparatus
including seesaws. slides, swings giant
strides and other devices. Young and
old rally to the grounds night after
night evidencins II growing interest
In the new branch OF the city's play
ground work.
The net result of the new departure
speaking in broadcast terms. has been
the removal from the streets and other
more doubtful avenues of amusement
of Il large number of young people
who have taken enthusiastically to the
clean and health giving diversions af-
fordcd by the evening recreation centre
1t is the purpose of the playground
workers OF the city to duplicate the
ChimboraZo experiment In other sec
tons of the city as soon as the means
at their disposal make II possible.
When the weather gets too cold TO
permit outdoor work. the evening re-
creation ACTIVITIES VIII he transferred
to one Of the school buildings The
indoor setting Will permit OF the intro
duction of many new diversions. Resi-
dents In the Church Hill neiShborhood
arc without exception warm in their
Endorsement of the evening work.
superintendent Taylor. of the NUM-
cipal playground system, recommended
yesterday to the Administrative Board
that ii permit the boys of the city to
use the swimming pool in the Howit
Zers' Armory at certain hours of the
day. The armory, which is city prop
crty, contains pool which was con-
structed at cost Of approximately
. $4,000 and which at present serves
less than $50 men. Mr.. Taylor thought
that the Howitzers would be glad to
aid the playground folk by granting
the~use of their pool.
The board referred Mr.. Taylor's sug-
gestion to Captain w. NJ. Myers. of the
Howitzers, with the request that he
allow the boys of the city TO use the
armory swimming pool during certain
hours in the afternoon. under the SUI
rervision and control of the armorer.