South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-06-03
Park Board Statement Defends Plan
For Construction of NatatO7iun1

always ready % throw monkey
wrench in the machinery. those who
are good abs0rbers but never give
anything, those who are always
against what is proposed and always
Oh favor OF something else. South
Bend might now be twice the city %
is both in size and On spirit. Il
might now measure up somewhere
near our ideals. somewhere near
what We wish it was. It's all right
90 boast Of your city. and 90 tell how
wonderful 90 is. and indeed South
Bend IS no mean city" it is true.
hu. you can't go away 20 other large
cities OF the state. yes, and 20 small
or cities even. and come back home
without feeling sick az heart. be-
cause IL lacks 50 many things the
other cities already have or ara pro
viding.
I'm practical application that
means this: Many people have been
brought here recently by our large
factories. The Studebaker factory.
for instance. has brought many
from Detroit and elsewhere. These
are desirable people. They are
strangers among us. What can YOU
offer them 10 keep them here? Blue
sky and green grass? They have
those things at Detroit Good was es ?
They are as good at Detroit. Being
strangers. they will want entertain
ment and heaIthful pursuits. just
such as parks. tennis courts. golf
links afford. They. with thousands
Of others viii want exactly the COM
forts and privileges that properly
conducted parks afford. The pro-
posed Natatorium would be greatly
in demand by them as IL is truly one
OF the things they would most appre-
ciate.
Now permit us 20 make a few
replies 20 some Of the "slings and
arrows" directed toward us. First
20 the Tribune, since II has seen nj
% say some very unnecessary things
One statement was made that the
powers Of the board were so broad
that unless these boards were care
full these powers might be taken
away from thm II is not true that
the Park board has such broad
] powers. It's work was originally
, done by the board Of works. and the
powers OF the two boards are almOs
identical. About the only advantages
/ OF the Park board are contained in
\ the provisions that IL may specify
/ the kind OF paving it wishes 10 hav,
/ fe -.
own appointments, such as super
/ intendent, foreman. etc. AS opposed
1 n this the board OF works has a very
good advantage over the Park board
| I'm this. If 81 per cent OF the residen
\ property owners demonstrate againS
Ian Improvement. the Park board Il
stopped. whereas the hoard Of works
\ can refer IL 10 the council. and witt
their consent, put the improvement
Through. Outside OF these things
there is very little difference. Nov
where are the broad powers?
What other Cities Do.
"The further idea that was evi
IDENTIFY intended 10 be conveyed oil
/ insinuated. was. that there were 9th
er Indiana cities that were opposed
20 the work Of the Park boards
/ Are there? Not a single onei lie
us cite a few cases. Terre Haut'
was, until lately, most backward o
all. Recently they carried a specia
election which enabled them 10 is
sue bonds of their own accord. Thi
has enabled them TO do many thing
for which the city is ringing will
the boards praises, notably the re
cent purchase Of the Demas Demini
Park Of 155 acres. There is n,
park OF such size in South Bend. A
] Gary. Ind. the Park board latel,