El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1920-08-04

INQUIRIES continue to come in as to the status Of the
proposed large central park and playground which has
been projected The plan involves the purchase Of several
hundred BY the city to the east OF the high school
and including part Of the mountain and extensive area
Of rolling and level land, al In compact block The
plan is good one, and VIII be carried out If the people
show that they want it.
The proposed central park and playground is really
CENTRAL VII be easily accessible from every part Of the
city BY electric lines and good streets It is necessary
development Of the scenic park and scenic drive which are
make the and mountain useful for the recreation Of
the people There VIII be IN the proposed central
park for ali the larger recreatonal facilities OF great CITY
The present city administration has committed itself to
The purchase Of the park site conditional on the taxpayers
approving the purchase next winter when the new budget
valuations and tax rate VIII be under consideration. If a
bond issue Is found necessary it VIII be submitted to the
vote Of the people The city administration IS favorable
but the taxpayers must provide the funds.
The park site is for many reasons the best that IS now
available OF that will ever IN al probability, become avail
able for such purpose Nowhere else can so large body
Of land SO centrally situated be bought In block at
terms so reasonable To let the opportunity slip by
would be great wrong to the people who live here now,
but greater wrong citizens Of the future We who
live here and direct the ctys desnies possess the
power block forever this any other desirable improve
ment plan And also possess the power to insure the
future city in the possession Of public asset valuable
beyond all price.
The central park plan is suspended until next fa but
IS alive the necessary options IN hand, and plans
are making to use the park when It is acquired.
The main thing at present is to acquire title to the site
It not necessary to figure spending large at
first improvement work As time goes by and the city
grows needs VIII be met they develop. There Is no
limit to what can be done with such magnificent park
site as this VIII be; but its full utilization nay properly
be left to later years Our first duty and great oppor
tunty is to acquire the site and dedicate to the people
forever for their pleasure.
Much smaller cities than have long recognized the
need Of extensive recreation grounds and have made costly
provision for them which however they regard profit
able investment and not expense The little city OF
Brookne Mass spent $4,000 for its playground spent
more to equip it. and spends $1,000 year to maintain
It Fitchburg, Mass spends 5000 year on its play
grounds.
Newton Mass, a small residence city, spends $4,000
year On its Fairgrounds for supervision, maintenance and
equipment So vel do its citizens appreciate the value OF
Fairgrounds that last year public spirited citizens donated
new playground worth S125,Oo0 to the city.
East Orange n J. another small residence city, recently
spent $4,000 on playground equipment and votes $500
per year upeep but the mayor reports that this item
Of expense is the only thing taxpayers never complain
about Orange, N. J, has put $4,000 into playground
equipment; Poughkeepse N. y $4,000; Fresno Cal
si75oo; Waltha Mass, 5000; Kenosha, WISE $1,000;
and 50 the story Eoes-ths small cities doing IN
proportion than many larger places Ike Fl Paso The an
nual maintenance costs Of many thousands Of dollars are
cheerfuly met.
There are worthy Improvement projects ahead