Evening star., 1932-10-17
PARKS HELP CURB
CRIME IN CAPITAL
sttractions Keep People In,
'erested to Minimize Idle
Hess, Says Official.

r-:s Yii1, of the National Capital are
not only giving health to the inhabit-
ants of this city and aiding in solving
the problem of spare time, but they are
serving to prevent crime by keeping
people interested in the out of doors,
says Department Of Labor publica-
ton, embracing a study of local parks,
made public yesterday by First Lieut..
F. B. Butler. assistant director of the
Office of Public Buildings and Public
Parks
In the face Of general depression
business in Washington's parks has been
booming, the survey asserts. in the bull
letin entitled Park Recreation Areas in
the United States"
No American city owns such large
number of park properties" says the
Department of Labor bulletin, in deal
ing with the parks Of this city paying
tribute to their extent and beauty"
Attractive Small Places.
Although the many small squares,
circles and ovalS are unSuited for rec
reation use and are costly to maintain,
they add greatly to the attractiveness
Of the CITY," the bulletin continues. In
addition to itj numerous small areas,
the parks of Washington include formal
landscape parks, many of them the site
OF Government building, and several
large properties developed for active
recreational use. Among the facilities
which they provide are 6 golf courses,
% base ball diamonds, IS tennis courts,
ID picnic centers and many miles of
bride trails.
Plans for extending the present
washington park system beyond the
boundaries Of the District have been
worked out, and recent legislation pro.
videS for the financing of the project.
The National Capital Park and Plan
ming Commission, in cooperation with
similar commissions in Virginia and
Maryland, is now acquiring land to be
used as part of the regional park de-
velopment
The projects that are planned in
clude complete recreation system for
the District of Columbia; a park drive
encircling the entire city, to be known
as Fort Drive, as it will connect some 18
Civil War forts; Potomac River Park,
extending as far as Great Falls; the ex-
tension system, and the preservation of
other stream valleys. The proposed re-
gional park system, involving cost OF
nearly $50 600 900, will likely assure for
the Capital region the same position OF
prominence in the park and planning
field that the parks of Washington have
gained for the Nations Capital. Pro-
viding one acre Of park space for every
ia persons, Washington nearly meets
the standard set as adequate by the
National Recreation AsSociatlon-one
acre for every 100 persons. Only 157
cities out Of the total of 898 which re-
ported park acreage to the study have
met the standard.
Help Against Crime.
"The public parks of the National
CAPITAL are not only helping to enrlch
community life through sports, music,
drama, nature study and art but they
are serving to prevent the crime that is
born of idleness. to safeguard children
from street accidents and to build up
morale, good citizenship and health.
The survey invites attention TO the
newest method of utilizing unemployed
for improving the recreational areas
here. It SAYS: "The providing of work
opportunities for large numbers OF re-
lief workers is one of the greatest con-
tributions which parks have made and
are continuing to make in the preSent
depression. In washington portion OF
the funds raised for relief have been
used to hire men for this work. Not
cnlv has this helped 10 relieve unem-
nloyment. but has increased the value
and usefulness of the citys recreational
resources"