New Britain herald., 1926-05-25
NO PREDICTION" OF
CENTRAL PARK

The public of this city will not and should not. allow cutting off of the north and west sides of Cen tral park, the sylvan triangle in the center of the city, in order to make room for automobiles.
 The new traffic plan Of the Chamber of Commerce. the ordi- nance committee Of the Common Council and officials of the police department, which includes this joker" should be amended to eliminate the joker" and not a piece of the park.
 Central park is city property, and no individuals or temporary off, cials have the moral or legal right to turn any part of it from what it is and was intended to be into a lane for private Automobiles.
 As means of solving the down town traffic problem, elimination of part of the park at best would be negligible. The city is not bound to furnish parking space for auto mobiles on park property or streets. This is the business of the owners of such machines.
 In a few years the total of prl- vate automobiles in the city will increase 40 per cent They should not be encouraged to make outdoor garages of park or street property. It cannot be done, anyhow. and the sooner that is realized the better for all concerned.
 There is an abundance of street room on all sides of the Center as 1t is If there is less parking, fewer bus stations, less trolley terminal ing.
 Why, when bright minds take up the subject of increased parking facilities, is 1t that nobody thinks of any other plan where street widening is concerned than the seizure of city property? Isn't it be- cause the elimination Of a park costs less than buying other prop erty?
 Central park must remain just as it "grew up" as it was intended to remain since the time the city developed. Not an inch should be eliminated to accommodate private interests.
 Nobody is giving the city a cent; why should the city he donating room to interests free of charge?
 Central park as it is now consti- tuted is fanked by wider streets than ohtain in some municipalities having more automobiles than are found in New Britain. Tho trouble is not with the park but how the streets surrounding ii have been and are being mtsusod.
 New Britain is fortunate in hav- ing such a beautiful breathing spot in the center of inc city. We do not want to make a daylight gar age out of ii. furnishing space free of charge. T. will be time to do that when private interests turn to that species of rhilau0rophy.
 The park also serves tr.a useful purpose Of dtscouag.ag speed around 1t by enforcing drivers to take 6 corner There already is too much speed for downtown comfor> With part of the park eliminated and a near "straaga,aaay" created autos would make moro of B epced- way Of tho northern boundarios of ,he park than they do at present, and the interests Of pedestrians would suffer by that much.
 There are improvements in aid Of traffic conditions possible throughout inc city, but nothing is done about them because they would cost money. Eliminating a part of the park is regarded as a cheap and easy plan 10 rob the city. The public needs 10 beware. Once slices arc torn rom inc park they will never be returned; and if conditions do not improve -- as un- doubtedly will be the case - the city is minus just that much. The next move would be 10 eliminate the park altogether, Including the monument.