Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-10
BOARD FAVORSPLA
FOR COUNTY PARKS
Outline Approved as Present
ed for Rock Creek, Sligo and
Cabin John Valleys.
BY WILLIAM ]. WHEATLEv,
Stan Correspondent Of The Star.

SILVER SPRING, Md, January TO-
With the idea of establishing as quickly
as possible in the metropolitan district
of Montgomery County large parks and
the installation In them of recreation
facilities for the benefit of the people
in the thickly populated communities.
the Maryland-National Capital Park
and Planning Commission at its meet
ing last night approved the recommen-
dations of irving G. Root, chief engineer
of the commission, for beginning the
work. A comprehensive program was
laid down by Mr.. Root, covering three
separate programs, in the order Of their
urgency. He recommended that Rock
Greek Valley, Sligo Valley and Cabin
John Valley receive the FIRST attention
and detailed estimates OF the money
necessary to carry these projects
through the first stages as provided in
park program No. !.
The commission several weeks ago
called upon Mr.. Root for such recon-
mendationS and at the same time di-
rected its secretary, Thomas Hampton,
to prepare data showing the amount of
bonds which can be issued by the COM
mission under the act creating the
board.
The first program, Mr.. Root told the
commission, includes the most urgently
needed park and recreation facilities to
serve the existing populations OF Glen
Echo, Cabin Jonn, Bethesda, CHEVY
Chase, kensington, Woooside, Silver
Spring and Takoma Park. He pointed
out that as land values in these Sec
tions of the metropolitan district are IN
creaSing rapidly, substantial saving
can be made by the acquisition OF
the required park areas at once.
The second part of the program
merely provides for the extension of
the above system, and Mr.. Root points
out In this respect that such policy
of park land acquisition prior to resi-
dental development would result in en-
largement OF the park system at the
least possible cost.
The third part of the program, for
the most part, includes the provision
OF expensive park features such as
recreation buildings, golf courses and a
complete system OF park drives.
Population Considered.
The ALLEGATION of funds as recon-
mended by Mr.. Root takes into con-
sideration the importance of the prof.
ectS in relation TO the density OF the
population. He recommends that SO
per cent of the total amount OF money
available be expended on Rock Greek
Valley, 80 per cent on the acquisition
and improvement of Sligo Creek Valley,
10 per cent on the acquisition and i'm
provement of Cabin John Valley and
the remaining 10 per cent be spent on
parks dedicated near existing COM
munities.
The first part Of the program, Mr..
Root told the commission, should pro-
vide during the current year park and
yecreational facilities in the three val
'leys named. Rock Creek Valley, he said.
should be acquired and improved with
recreational areas and a continuous
drive from the District Hof Columbia
line to Connecticut avenue. Sligo VAL
ley should be acquired and improved
according to the plan already drawn,
showing development from the Prince
Georges Montgomery County line
through Takoma Park to the Coles
vile road at Seven Oaks. The valley
of Cabin John Run, he continues,
should be acquired and improved north
from the Conduit Road a SUFFICIENT
distance to provide adequate recre-
ational facilities for the present pop
ulation of this locality.
4 In Rock Greek Valley, he estimated
that 1t would require an expenditure of
$50, 1888 for improvement and $5,400
for maintenance, not including the ac-
QUESTION of 1863 acres of land. The
amount necessary, in his opinion, for
the improvement of Sligo Valley would
be $40, 1893, not including the acquisition
of o5.01 acres Of land. He estimates
also $5,400 for maintenance, including
labor. police protection and attendants.
The estimate for these two projects,
he said, include the expense of building
one continuous drive through the entire
length Of the park. He recommended
that these drives should be graded to
final grade and surfaced with cinders
or gravel so that these beautiful park
areas will be made Immediately avail
able to the public. He said that the
improvement of these drives with
permanent pavement and the construc-
ton Of the second roadway provided for
IN the plans are recommended for In
clusion in later programs, or to be
financed from general funds of the
county as these roads will become i'm
portant links in the county highway
Gystem.
In the proposed Rock Greek Park
project the money would be allotted
IS follows: Road grading for width
Of % feet, $14.103.33: road surfacing
for distance of Is feet, $4,000; con-
struction OF two base bail diamonds at
$500 each; on the picnic grounds,
proposed, there would be wading
pool at a cost of 500, shelter, 5000,
and oven, tables, etc, 5000; swimming
pool, $4,000; bride path, 81 $3.50. The
total land area would be 364.3 acres.
The total length Of the road here would
be 2.62 miles.
In Sligo Valley.
In Sligo Valley the total expenditures
would be as follows: Grading q 90
foot road. $l3.793; surfacing of road
for width of 10 feet, $4,000; three
base ball diamonds at $500 each; picnic
grove wading pool, 500; shelter, 5000;
oven. tables, ETC., 5000; two swimming
pools, $4,000; grading and channeling,
$4,000; concrete construction, $500,
and bath house, $4,000.
The second part of the program. he
says. should provide for the acquisition
OF Rock Greek Valley from Connecticut
avenue to the Kensington- Garrett Park
Wisconsin avenue road. This also
should include the acquisition of Sligo
Valley from the Colesville- Baltimore
Highway at Seven Oaks through Chest
nut Ridge, and with a connection to
the Brookeville road north of Wheaton.
The acquisition OF the valley Of Cabin
John Run northward to Bradley Boule-
ward also Is included in this program.
For the Rock Creek part of this pro-
gram he estimates an expenditure of
$53.293.30; including grading 28-foot
road, $l4,933.30; surfacing, 10 feet
wide, $l4,400; two base ball diamonds
at $500 eacS. two picnic grounds at
$500 each, construction of a dam for
lake and incidental clearing, $22, $50
It would provide also for the acquisi-
ton of 1876 acres of land There is
The road through this section would
Ia yr1fIae long