The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1920-01-08
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THE RESULTS OF "A PARK I
BOARDS FORESIGHT,
BY WILL o. DOOLITTLE, 4
Superintendent of Parks, 4
Minot, N. D. 4

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The park system Of the city of
Minot, N. D., has been only six years
in the making, but the practical re-
suits achieved speak well for the fore
sight and efficiency of the Board of
Park Commissioners, especially those
members who from the first have had
clear vision Of the needs Of the peo-
pie and q determination to provide
every possible facility for their COM
fort, pleasure and recreation.
The slogan has been IAN acre of
parks for every hundred people," not
merely SO much ground purchased and
set aside in neglect, but ample room
for everyone where may be found
Fairgrounds and athletic fields, the
picnic grounds, the beautiful land
scapes, the educational features, the
bathing and boating, the natural
woods and beautiful drives, the tour.
lists camps and other features of a
modern and competently maintained
park system. This vision has become
a reality-for Minot, altho city Of
less than $4,000 people, is we'll in the
| lead in the state on account of the
size and beauty of the park system
and the service which it renders.
The Park Commissioners are work
ing in harmony with the Association
of Commerce and such organizations
as the Rotary Club, Town Criers, Wo-
mems Clubs and City Beautifying
League, in the preparation of COM
prehensive city planning project. The
parks are already well established and
splendidly equipped and will con-
tinue to grow in size and features
There is need, however, for better
street and housing conditions, boule-
wards and roads, public building plan
ming, improved river conditions, and
many other things that will work for
the identifying Of the city. The Park
Board is taking up this general plan
with the same far-seeing vision it had
in the park building.
Minot's largest park contains sc
acres. There are several smaller
parks ranging up to fifteen acres. In
Riverside Park (the largest) are most
of the features to be found in large
city park. It has baseball and foot-
ball fields, tennis courts, skating
ponds picnic groves, beautiful lawns
and shrubbery, good auto roads follow.
ing the banks of the Mouse river, band
and rest pavilions, q tourists camp,
and one Of the best geological exhibi-
tions in the Northwest, exclusive of
the coast cities.
Steps are being taken to make the
tourists camp Of the greatest service
to the travelling public. The proposed
coast to coast 'highway-the Roosevelt
Memorial Highway-passes thru Mi
not and is at present known both as
the Wonderland and Glacier Park
Highway. Provision has been made
for direct route into Minot, passing
by Riverside Park. Here, if the trav-
eler desires to stop, can be found many
of the conveniences of home, with the
added enchantment of camp life. Next
season the tourists camp will be To-
Gated in delightful grove in the park
fuel water, good fireplaces and free
attractions will be close at hand.
Probably the greatest Of these at
fractions is the Minot parks zoo Of
North American animals and birds.
The zoo was begun four years ago,
and the plan for moderate increase
and the maintenance Of healthful con-
ditons is bearing fruit in an educa-
tional exhibition that is credit to the
city and source Of pleasurable sur
prise to visitors. We are looking to
the future, and our plan is for habi-
tat zoo where the occupants excite adj
miration instead of pity because Of
close, unsanitary confinement; where
visitors may learn to know the habits
Of the animals and birds in their wild
state; where condition and upkeep areI
accented instead Of numbers. We be-
lieve the city too small to attempt to
have represented species of many for
eign animals and birds, but we are
strong in the belief that, under our
conditions and with our opportunities,
it is duty to give fair representa-
tion of American fauna, as an educa-
tional and pleasure-giving exhibition.
ASIDE from smaller rustic enclosures
our first attempt at the habitat plan
was in the construction thi sseason of