Evening star., 1934-12-02

rt !, the ft OF 's1f, Ws,, o, .r1e,t 9.ee; e,
Uho has suggested tour plans for re-
organization OF the Districts recreation
system.
Standing out in the differences that
have arisen over the report of L. H.
Weir, expert Of the National Recrea-
tion Association to the National Capt.
tai Park and Planning Commission
on Washington's muddled recreational
system, is the need for unification.
Mr.. Weir himself emphasized it in
no uncertain terms. when he declared:
THE chief problem of unification of
service is to secure the maximum use
of land, buildings, personnel and 9TH
er resources"
THE problem of maintenance of
areas and facilities though important
is secondary as in the case of other
problems involved" said he. mo plan
can be recommended which can be
expected to work out satisfactory un-
less there is a real desire for CO.
operation on the part of all those de-
partments and executives involved.
On the other hand, with such active
cooperation any reasonable plan
would succeed
Trend to UnifcatiOn.
The experience of the National
Recreation Association in many cities
is that there is a trend toward this
unifcation of operation and MAIN
tenance. with an executive who directs
recreation operations, thus avoiding
friction, said the author of the now
famous report.
Mr.. Weir made it clear. however,
that uniflcation of operation and
maintenance of recreation facilities
commonly means, and would mean in
Washington, the upkeep of duplicate
maintenance organizations with staff,
equipment, etc, unless the schools
would be willing to have their main
tenance work done by the Parks
ONCE
There is no clear experience to
determine which of these plans would
be better for any given city or for
Washington" said Mr.. Weir. "Ac-
tual experience in a given situation
would seem to be the only sure guide"
The National Capital Park and
Planning Commission secured a high
degree of unity through a Recreation
Co-ordinating Committee composed of
representatives of all the public agen-
cies concerned, the report recites. This
plan was also carried out in the de-
signing Of some of the areas in so far
as the National Capital Park and
Planning Commission functioned in
this field, 1t adds.
Cooperative Relations.
mo close cooperative relations ap-
parently have been established be-
tween the National Capital Parks
Office and the Playground Depart
ment District Commissioners nor
the Playground Department and the
Municipal Architects Office and the
Board of Education in designing
school grounds and buildings" Mr..
Weir wrote in his report.
obviously, if a unified recreation
service were set up there should be
established very close relationships be-
tween this service and those public
agencies responsible for planning and
developing recreation areas and facil-
tiles. All designs of areas should be
studied by the recreation administra
tor as to type of layout and facilities
and also as to the relation of the IA
cilities to each other in the area. The
interior designs of recreation buildings
should also come under his scrutiny
with a view to determining whether
the designs provide the kinds Of in
door facilities desired and also eff
cheney and ease Of administration.
Changes in the interior designs of
school buildings might be made which
would improve their fitness for COM
munity recreation uses without de-
tracing from their primary school
use"
Acquisition OF Areas.
Recalling that the Planning Com
mission has mapped out for the Dis
trict and its environs "a comprehen-
sive plan for the acquisition of areas
to constitute an adequate system OF
parks. Fairgrounds, parkways and
other recreational facilities" Mr. Weir
SIIlplldSlLcU tIldI ILLS Will give LIlc
National Capital. when completed. "a
system Of recreation facilities such as
few cities in America have" There
should be a companion plan for put
ting this land in use, he declared.
only a well planned. comprehen-
sive and unified administrative organ
ization can utilize and supervise the
activities of these various areas and
provide for the citizens of Washing
ton the maximum recreation program
at minimum COST" said he.
I'VE believe that by adoption of
q unified plan for the administration
of its expanding recreational system,
Washington, the Capital City of the
Nation, can serve itself best and can
at the same time set an example to
other cities in the country in in
telligent, adequate and sensible man.
agement of its recerational system"