Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-14
COMMUNITY PARKS
SYSTEM PLANNED.
Eliot Outlines Development
Project Before Chamber
of Commerce Group.

Creation of system of major and
minor recreational parks near the high
schools and community centers in
Washington is a development of the
immediate future, Charles w. Eliot, I'd
city planner of the National Capital
Park and Planning Commission. told
the parks and Fairgrounds committee
of the Chamber of Commerce at a
luncheon meeting at the City Club
Yesterday Details of the plan and To-
cation of the recreational centers, Mr..
Eliot said, connot be revealed at this
stage.
Coupled with this outline of the plans
of the Park Commission, Lieut.. Col. U.
S. Grant, Sd, executive officer of the
commission, urged that all the agencies
concerned with the development of
parks, parkways and recreational areas
should so coordinate their work as to
make impossible the conflict of interests
and working at cross purposes that now
exist.
Plan Is Major Parks.
Twenty-Five major parks. of about 20
acres each, would be located near the
senior and Junior high schools under
the plan as outlined by Mr.. Eliot, sup
plemented by smaller parks scattered
throughout the city of about five acres
each. Purchase of the acreage needed
for these recreational centers, Mr.. Eliot
said. will cost about $16,000,000 If all
the land is bought within the next five
years.
He pointed out however, that under
the plan for appropriating $l,000,000
wear for purchase of park and play
ground sites the appreciation in real
estate values will run ahead OF the
money available for purchase. and un-
less larger appropriations are available
for this purpose the purchases Will
cover much more than five years. In
the meantime, he added, many areas
which are desirable for park purposes
may be built upon or rendered unfit for
such purposes. The land considered for
purchase, Mr.. Eliot said, appreciates at
an average rate of 8.8 per cent year.
THE three major features-parks,
parkways and playgrounds-should be
acquired by Washington so the National
Capital may become an example for the
Nation in preservation of its natural
beauties, /" ane said.
Mr. Eliot outlined five major features
of the Cramton bill, now pending IN
Congress. for development of the region
about Washington without cost to the
taxpayers of the District. The first two,
he said, relate to the Potomac, and
would establish parks and parkWayS
along the river from Fort Washington,
Va, to Great Falls. The second would
be the extension of Rock Greek Park,
toward which the National Capital Park
and Planning Commission is working
with the Maryland Planning Commits
sion. The third and fourth would pro-
vide for extension of the Anacostia
parkway north and ultimately to con-
stitllte a parkway running to Baltimore.
The fifth would provide for beautifica-
ton and conversion into parks of the
areas surrounding the small streams
which drain the territory about Wash
ington, such as Four-Mile Run, Cabin
John Greek and other waterways. Mr..
Cramton, he said, is sponsor for
scheme to finance these improvements,
by which 100000 would be advanced
from the Federal Treasury and would
be matched in part by contributions by
the States in which the improvements
would be made. No part of the cost OF
the improvements outside of Washing
ton, he said, will be charged against the
taxpayers of the District of Columbia.
Grant Urges Coordination.
Col. Grant pointed out that govern
mental agencies and ownerShips,
whether District or Federal, now con-
cerned with development of parks, park
ways and Fairgrounds, conflict and
sometimes work at croSs-purposes when
all are seeking the same end-the ulti-
mate development of the National Capt.
tai He said all the agencies which have