The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1920-03-08
BEGINNING OF
THE BEGINNING
Development of the Park has Com
menced, but There is an Immense
Lot of Work Yet to Be

Several members of the WOmans
Club having all the same as ordered
the Star to go look at the new park,
we took an hour off Sunday to inspect
what we hope. twenty years from nov,
will be the prettiest spot in Cent al
Florida. It's true it didn't take US an
hour to look over the park, but then
we had to go and come and chew the
rag with several people we met on the
way.
The Star never favored putting the
park in it's present location. which it
thought one Of the least de5ira ble in
town, and hasn't changed It's mind,
but since the work has begun, and so
many of the good women are putting
their hearts into it, it would now be
bad policy to fail to carry it to COM
pletion. There is a great deal to do
yet-in fact, when you see what has
been done and calculate on what there
is to do, you can form only the con-
clusion that the work has just begun
to begin.
The best-looking part of the park
so far is the avenue to it from the
Woman's Clubhouse, which has been
widened from a neglected street,
smoothed out and will soon be hard
ened. There is a good cement walk
along the west side of the street, and
trees have been planted along it. The
park is so far merely cleared field,
with walks and a carriage circle laid
out, trees planted. fountains set up.
All is in the rough, and not only is
there a great deal to do in paving,
smoothing the ground and planting it
to soft, clean grass, but it will be two
or three years before there is shade
enough to make the place pleasant.
The trees in the park and the ave-
nue. to it are too close together, but
this will expedite the shading, and
when the trees begin to crowd each
other they can be thinned out. II the
price of wood continues to increase in
coming years as it has in the past,
the park authorities will be able in
1880 to sell a few trees for what it
will cost to improve the park up to
that time.
We understand that it is the inten-
ton of the authorities to devote all
this tract of city land, of which only
a fraction is so far cleared, to the
park, and of truth the park can't De
a success until the entire swamp is
cleared and filled. The city is using
the lower part of the tract as dump
ing ground, and the neighborhood is
nearly always redolent with the smell
of burning garbage. Most of the sur
rounding sceenry, except to the south,
is made up of factories, warehouses,
shanties, etc.; all necessary, but not
ornamental. We fear that it will be
long time ere the surroundings of the
park will have other than backyard
effect.
There is one place in the vicinity of
the park that could be transformed into
a place of both beauty and utility, but
unfortunately it does not belong to
the city. We refer to the cluster of
rocks on the eastern side with the
spring at their base. This was a
very pretty spot up to a dozen years
ago, but neglect is destroying it's good
looks. We think it possible the gen.
tleman to whom the land belongs
could be induced to trade it to the city
for some other piece of property. With
the brush cleared off. leaving the big
trees, the spring cleaned out and steps
and benches put in the proper places,
it would be very attractive place.
Mreover, a swimming pool could be
put in at the bottom of the little bluff.
The spring would furnish the neces-
sary water. and Ocala children, and
older folks, too, could be supplied
with this long needed luxury.
1t will take much work to COM
plete the park, and at the rate of pro-
gress since it began it will probably
be twenty years before it is complete.
However, when anything is once we'll
started it sometimes accelerates and
it is to be hoped that this will be the
oaSa with tho porl-