Evening star., 1927-05-12
PLANNERS FAVOR
PARKS At FORTS
Proposal to Preserve Hunt
and Washington Sites I'M
presses Delegates.

The proposal to preserve Forts
Washington and Hunt for park and
historic purposes when the War De-
partment abandons them was looked
upon with favor by the experts who
attended the three-day conference on
city planning problems, which ended
yesterday.
The city planners. coming from
every section of the United States, had
an opportunity to view the possibili-
ties OF using these old forts in beautf-
flying the river approach to the Ma
tional Capital when they took boat
ride down the Potomac yesterday aft
ernoon on the U. S. s. Porpoise.
They We're impressed particularly by
the vision Fort Washington presents
from midstream. with its lofty ele
walton picturesquely shrouded in foli-
age and fine old trees. John Nolen.
president of the City Planning Con-
ference, expressed the hope last night
that the plan to save this fort will
be realized.
Mai. Carey III. Brown, executive as
sistant to the National Capital Park
and Planning Commission, said the
delegates generally thought the pro-
posal to save the old forts as addi-
tions to the park system of the Fed
eral city was a desirable one.
Action on Sites Deferred.
While Congress has not taken
| definite steps looking to their transfer
| to the Park. Commission, Forts Wash
| ington and Hunt are safe forsthe time
| being, since the. War Department has
deferred temporarily its plans for
| disposing of them. Efforts to have
them made available for park devel-
opment will be renewed whenever the
government is ready to dispose of
them as military posts.
Before the City Planning Confer
ence disbanded last night Charles w
Eliot, city planner of the National
Capital Park and Planning Commiss-
sion, conferred with leaders on the
advisability Of clarifying the last
plank in the comprehensive platform
approved by the conference for the
guidance Of all American cities in
regulating the subdivision of large
| tracts OF property. The plank in the
platform referred to by Mr.. Eliot read
as follows:
THE general requirements for pub
lie parks and recreationai spaces
and sites of public buildings should be
included in the master plan. When a
land and the authorities have desig.
| mated in 1t such a principal public
park, recreational space or public
building site as part of the master
| plan. the municipality should take
prompt steps to acquire such land, or,
failing SO to do, should act upon the
plat, so that the owner can make use
| of his property. The subdividers
should be encouraged to provide
small private recreational parks"
Might Hasten Decisions.
Mr.. Eliot said he thought this sec.
tion might put a planning commission
in the position of having to decide in
some cases whether 1t is going to buy
a particular park site far in advance
of the time when 1t would be possible
or desirable to make the acquisition.
He said those with whom he talked in
dicated willingness to give further
study to this portion of the program
during the coming year.
There were few other suggestions
made by delegates for further study
in connection with these recommenda-
tions relating to subdividing property.
The conference voted yesterday after
noon to continue the committee which
| prepared the platform, so that further
| thought can be given to the entire
| program.