Perth Amboy evening news., 1921-09-14
WHEN CIVIC PRIDE AWAKENs

WHEN CIVIC PRIDE AWAKENS
In the. National Municipal Review we read
that AMI awakened civic pride, induced some.
now nearing completion, need of a sit for a cit,
hall to replace the structure recently destroyed
by fire, and the proposed re-routing of the
street car service in the downtown district, has
resulted in the appointment Of a city planning
commission for Columbus, Ohio, modelled after
similar bodies in other cities"
We also read that 'the city council in Toledo
In struggling to undertake 8 coming of the city
in accordance with the best practices of other
cities" and that mr.. Harland Bartholomew. of
st. Louis, has been in consultation with the
commission and may be placed in charge of the
task of preparing a coming plan"
This Is only an indication WHIT other pro-
gressive cities are doing all over the country.
Mote the expert from st. Louis called in by the
s1ty OF Toledo.
From the Paterson Press-Guardian we learn
the following:
patterson is making real Roadway in the
matter Of outlining a coming ordinance and map
that will prove effective In separating industrial
ana residential districts. There are yet details
to be ironed out to make the zoning restrictions
fair to all interests, but the goal is now we'll IN
sight
1t is we'll to know what other cities are doing
along the line of city planning and coming. 1t
shows us that it is not the simplest thing in the
world. 1t Is not a matter that a few citizens can
perfunctoriIy discuss around a table on two or
three different occasions and then decided that
this shall be one thing and something else an
~ - .z.4G-- - +La oity honnans
to have a lot of residences today does not mean
that the best interest of the city will be served
by setting that section apart for residences for
all time.
Once upon a time the shores of Newark bay
IN Bayonne were lined with handsome resi-
dences. Old commuters will recall when. upon
crossing the Newark Bay bridge, the beautiful
lawns extended down to the waters edge making
enc of the pretty signs Of the journey to New
York. Today all this shore front Is devoted to
industry. Soap factories and chemical works
occupy the sites of lawns and gardens of a few
years ago. Here and there a rather dilapidated
old building that had evidently been a handsome
mansion in it's day. is to be seen in that vicinity
a relic of former greatness. But 1t has all passed
into history. 1t would have been folly for a
planning commission in Bayonne to have per-
functorily set off that section as a residential
section twenty years ago merely because 1t was
used for residential purposes at that time.
City planning is not done for the present, but
for the future. Because it is something that deals
with the future it requires much study an
serious thinking. Men and women with vision,
optomistic as to the future of the city are need
ed to handle this great task and when men and
women Of that calibre are secured they Will
realize their own shortcomings and will at once
avail themselves Of expert advice on the subject.
This is what is being done in other cities and 1t
is what must be done for Perth Amboy If we
are ever to get anywhere.
Just as the city of Columbus Is confronted
with many new Improvements and develop
,nents, so Is Perth Amboy facing big things II
the Immediate future. Will there be an awak'
ened civic pride here as there is in Columbus tt
inspire city planning as city planning should b
carried on, or shall we continue to let these BIZ
things go on all about us. and even within GU
own borders, permitting them to take their owl
course, utterly Indifferent as to what they ma!
mean to the future greatness of the city?