El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1921-01-08
TIME FOR Ell PASO TO ADOPT A
CITY PLAN AND ADHERE TO IT

FL PASO is going have at least park that VIII set
j. standard not only for this city but FOR the south
west Memorial PARK formerly Castle Heights PARK Is %
be real park Of which shall all be Justly proud IN the
beginning and in which coming generations VIII take N
crossing pleasure.
81 Paso Ike most busy and ambitious American cities
has spent money than gsnerousYla7lshys some
times extravsgantly-0n public Improvements but not
always wisely The great trouble has been ana IS tnat
public officials and the public generally have not 1een aos
10 sense the dominant importance OF haFAg aslA E-H
to work to all public undertakings, and buying the best
expert advice obtanabe in order to have capable guidance
IN constructing for all time.
In nothing is the advice Of skilled learned and szper-
enced SPECIALISTS than PARK WORK ana 1
planning generally City planning and the important sub
division park work. to be considered invariably from
two standpoints equally iHPortaHt frst the economic
standpoint; second the artistic standpoint There must
be service to the community, to make life more convenient
and safer But there must also be service TO the higher
ideals Of beauty else much Of the expenditure fails to
cOmPish what is intended and fails to bring permanent
satisfactiou-
If anybody should ask what is FL Paso's city plan We
should be obliged % answer We have city plan That
the fact now and It always has been there is any
single Tuls Of intelligent city planning according to correct
ideas that have not violated it IS not in any Of the
books. Sometimes 1t has seemed if had gone out
with malice prepense 70 break the primary rules Of inelh
gent city planning and waste money when little appiiea-
ZION Of what called thought would have saved money and
at the same time bought something Of permanent value
The time has when Fl Paso, # the city is to make
itself worthy Of Its heritage and its opportunities must
adopt consistent plan Of pubic Improvement with the
assistance Of the best expert advice Of capable artists and
engineers and work to that plan through the years to come
In such wise every dollar spent would be spent with definite
purpose to develop the plan and should be able to see
the splendid fabric grow.
It impossible now to undo our mistakes for the most
part, but at least we can avoid making others.
Memorial park Of IS acres VII be developed along
correct lines Beginning with topographic survey two
foot contours and careful study Of the ground project has
been devised By expert park engineers that VIII perhaps
que years to complete, but that be Undertaken
at at great expense with that the results
the Tery first year win approve themselves to all
The plan has already been put IN operatou ana con
sdlrabs grading has been done, with view to saving an
natural features Of the site that VIII lend themselves
beauty and developing others Roads and paths have
laid ont along natural Ines sites have been set
for specaI uses appropriate to soldiers memorial and
public resort and playground and the site that now looks
bare and impossible VIII begin to show what intelligent
park work do
Nearly 5000 trees shrubs and Towering plants to be
placed The species selected according to years Of local
experience to insure largest percentage Of successful
paintings, safe against frost and sumner heat Every
variety best suited that particular place taking into
account slopes soil exposures visas, screens, shelters
oolor combinations, winter and sumner foliage hack
grounds, and surprises.
is JOY to look at plan 50 worked out It ndeates
what might have had IN every park in the city BY now
If We had only gone the thing with brains vel as
heels. The Memorial park VII cost perhaps $4,000
$4,000 TO get going right but than that has been
spent any Of downtown onehlock parks; the
difference in wisdom VIII be apparent when Memorial park
few years older. Memorial park VII be the cheapest
PARK we have, and IN many respects the best
There Is wisdom in trying to save money BY fore
going competent advice IN these matters Even the smallest
village win be better, attractive, more comfortable
more convenient more prosperous village If it plans itself
right the start and builds to plan Infinitely
important is It that city which spends 5000 day to
itself should spend small fraction to buy expert
advice II is the cheapest way the best way the only
sensible way.
capable VIII cost perhaps S70Ooo VIXEN get it, We
shah have something that VIII be authoritative and fun