Perth Amboy evening news., 1921-04-20
PARK HEADF0R
COOPERATION
Work on Park System Pro-
crossing Despite Attitude
of Officials, Says the Supt.
GOES OVER SITUATION
Need for Police Protection is
ShoWn---TeIIS of DeStruc-
tidn of City Property.
GOES OVER SITUATION


preparation for the summer is pro-
crossing satisfactorily in spite of oo-
stacles encountered in the way Of
insufficient funds and lack of CO.
operation on the part of the city
authorities, according to James
Tooker, uperintendent of parks.
In the case of Washington Park
in particular. the work of the COM
mission has been impeded by the
fact that no maps or surveys are
available showing the exact boun-
daries of the city property, Mr..
Tooker says. Repeated requests
have been submitted to the board
of aldermen for maps of the tract
and until these are obtained and de-
finite boundaries established. the
complete development of Washing
ton Park will be delayed. according
to the superintndent. A striking
instance of the inconvenience caused
by the lack of information as to the
tracts under the jurisdiction of the
park commission is brought out by
the case Of the city property at the
corner of Fayette street and New
Brunswick avenue. Believing that
this plot of ground, originally pur-
chased by the city for a police sta
ton, was part of the park system
the commissioners began work on
the area. grading, planting grass
and trees and putting the tract in
good shape generally. After $3.50
had been expended on the work the
park commission was notified that
this piece of ground was not under
their supervision and that work
should be stopped. Cases such as
this cause unnecessary expense and
a waste of time which could very
well be used in other work Of the
commission.
In all the parks men have been
busy cleaning up the refuse accum-
ulated during the winter and put
ting the grounds into shape. New
trees have been planted, the benches
have been repainted and placed in
position and a number of shrubs
have been set out, greatly adding to
the appearance of the parks. In
Caledonia Park especially good
work has been done in clearing the
beach of stones and rubbish cast
up by the waves and it has been
suggested that bath house be con-
structed upon the plot of land ad-
joining the city property. With
the sand beach which has been
made and a bath house near by it
is felt that very good swimming
facilities might be offered to the
people of the city. A bulkhead con-
years ago effectually prevents the
ide from sweeping away the sand
on the beach and as the stones have
been removed the condition of the
beach is steadily improving.
Much trouble mas been caused in
the city park by the lack of police
protection, Mr.. Tooker says, In
Washington Park destruction Of
benches, fountains and other i'm
provements has occurred almost as
soon as these fixtures were installed
while at Bay View Park it is the
custom of young men and boys to
deface the terraces by walking on
them and digging holes and also by
removing benches which have been
fastened in place by the park
workmen. Only short while ago
several boys were arrested and fined
for deliberate destruction of park
property, but it is felt by the COM
mission that the increased police
protection which has been promisd
by Chief of Police Tonnesen will
solve this problem. In view of the
fact that the appropriation for the
park work only amounts to $4,000,
it can be readily seen that this
money should be made to go as far
as possible and duplication OF work
caused by destruction of property
by hoodlums is an unnecessary ex-
pense, the park superintendent
points out.
Another expense which will have
to be met by the commission is the
paving of the sidewalk on High
street which adjoins Caledonia Park.
Notice has been served on the board
that the paving must be done but the
opinion of the members is that addi-
tional funds should be provided by
the city for this work. When t1e
rost of materials and labor is con-
sidered it can be seen that the Aex-
pense incurred in installing over one
hundred yards of sidewalk would
almost cripple the commission finan-
cially for the rest of the year.
Favorable comment has been
caused by the work of the park COM
mission in the pruning of trees of
the city. Begun on January Z, the
work was finished on March 3. and
every tree in the city has been trim
med off to a height of twelve feet
from the ground thus giving ample
clearance for traffic in the streets
and pedestrians carrying umbrellas.
All decayed branches have been re-
moved. doing away with the menace
of falling limbs which has long ex-
listed.