Evening star., 1927-03-20
CITY TO RUSH WORK
ONBATH|NG POOLS.
Changes Proposed by Arts
Board Being Adopted
to Assure Speed.

Changes suggested a few days ago
by the Fine Arts Commission IN the
plans for the public bathing pools
provided for by the last Congress are
being made promptly in the of6ce OF
public buildings and parks in order
to get the pools under construction ana
completed at the earliest possible date
While officials cannot predict at this
time how long ii will require to com
>piete the work after the specifications
have been finally approved and CON
tracts awarded, there is a possibility
that the pools may be finished late IN
August. If this could be accomplished
there would remain a brief period OF
warm weather in which to try out
this year the commissions plan OF
building a group of neighborhood
bathing centers rather than a large
central bathing beach.
Cost Raises Question.
Whether it will be desirable to put
these first two pools into operation
If they are not completed until within
a few weeks of the end of Summer is
a question those in charge of public
buildings and parks will decide later,
after they know approximately what
,the date of completion will be.
> Another question to he settled be-
fore the pools are put into service is
whether the cost of maintenance
should be met by a small admission
fee or by asking Congress to make an
annual appropriation.
The appropriation of $3.50, 900 for the
construction of the first two pools
was not intended to cover the expense
of operating them, so that ii the
pools are used for a short time near
the end of the Summer it will nave to
be on an admission charge.
Lieut.. Col. u. $. Grant, Sd, director
OF public buildings and parks, said yes
terIlay he was inclined to believe
small fee should be fixed to cover the
cost of operation, as is done with some
of the other recr eational activities He
said a very moderate rate would be
ample to cover the expenses of oper-
ating the pools, with large numbers
patronizing them.
Hope to Hurry Plans.
The present hope of officials is to
complete the revised specifications,
give bidders adequate time to submit
proposals and award a contract by
the end of May. The available APP
preparation will build one unit for the
white population adjoining the new
Mckinley High School, at Second and
7 streets northeast, and one unit for
colored people near Twenty-fourth and
n streets, adjoining a, colored junior
high school.
The plans of the National Capital
Park and Planning Commission con-
template a series of these units scat
tered in other parts of the District,
and funds will be asked at the next
session of Congress to construct other
units. The Park Commission year
ago decided to recommend the build
ing OF these smaller units throughout
the city in preference to constructing
two large bathing beaches, one for the
white population and another for the
coIored people, on the theory that the
scattered units would be more acces-
sible to the public generally.
Each unit will consist of two pools,
one for swimmers and the other for
children to wade, and a small building
to house lockers and other necessary
facilities The Fine Arts Commission
recommended that the tentative plans
be modified to make the building less
pretentious in appearance, and also