Evening star., 1933-11-26
STANTON CITIZENS
SEEK PLAYGROUND
Accidents Caused by Children
Playing in Streets Cited
by A. H. Gregory.

Since abolishment of the Plaza Play
ground In 1891 to make way for i'm
provement of this tract as part of the
Capitol plaza, the Playground Commit
tee Of the Stanton Park Citizens As
sociation, under Craftsmanship of A. H.
Gregory, has never once relinquished
It's efforts TO have another playground
established in the Northeast section.
In an interview with Mr.. Gregory re-
Gently, it was pointed out that the
Rosedale Playground, located at Seven
teenth and Kramer streets northeast, is
at present the only public playground
in Northeast Washington. This is in
sufficient, he said, for within a radius
of nine blocks square there are approx
mately 5000 children. Mr. Gregory
further stressed the casualties which
have occurred in that section Of chill
dren playing in streets and alleys be-
cause Of the lack of a recreational
center.
Part Of Site Purchased.
Out Of one appropriation by Congress,
he explained, several houses in the
block bounded by Ninth and Tenth, E
and F streets northeast have already
been purchased toward this end. The
buildings are now vacant and merely
await demolition, which, he said, is now
being considered by the Public Works
Board as part of the public works pro-
gram. Such action would employ many
men, and 1t Is with this as an incentive
that the Northeast Playground Com
mittee will renew its fight in Congress
when it convenes in January, he
pointed out.
The Northeast Playground Committee
is an organization having as its aim
centerS for the section it represents. 1t
is composed Of 26 organizations of that
section, including the Stanton Park
Citizens Association.
Through the efforts of this organiZa-
tion 1t is hoped that the National Capt.
tai Park and Planning Commission will
include in its estimate to Congress an
appropriation which will permit pur-
chase Of the remaining property Of the
new playground out of funds from the
1934-35 District budget. II this action
fails, Mr.. Gregory declared, a direct ap-
peal to Congress on the part of the
merged organizations would be made. A
similar plea was made in 1881 and as
result an appropriation large enough
to buy the property already purchased
for the new northeast playground was
obtained.
Heads Playground Committee.
Mr.. Gregory has been playground
chairman of the Stanton Park Citizens
Association since the forming Of the
organization IS years ago. He was
president of the association from 1928
to 1880, inclusive, and is a delegate to
the Federation of Citizens Associations
from the Stanton Park group, along
with Harry N. Stull. For nearly IL
years Mr.. Gregory has been treasurer
of the federation.
Since the improvement Of the Plaza
Playground, which covered the area
bounded by First and Second and D and
F streets northeast, he has been work
ing continuously toward the erection OF
new playground for that section. For
years Mr.. Gregory has been interested
in the welfare of the younger gener-
ations and attends most all of the
younger group athletic events through
out the city. He declared that If Con-
gress does not make the necessary ap-
preparations this year he will continue
his fight relentlessly.