The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-07-30
Dissatisfaction In
Bunker Hill Section
Cause OF Decision
Protest Over Noise Lack of Patronage Enables Park
Department Officials to Please Residents of
Park Road Section

FTlcCiOn between factions OF resi-
dents in the Bunker Hill section
which resulted In closing Of the
playground there by the park de-
partment has initiated to the ad-
vantage Of residents Of the Park
road section. Removal Of the play
ground equipment to the site Of the
old Park road school is underway
and the Park Department will es-
tablish another city playground at
the corner of Park road and West
Main street Immediately.
Whether this will be permanent
depends on the attendance which
will be observed by officials over the
subsequent period. Residents of the
section have been importuning the
department for playground for the
last several years.
Noise Protested
Closing of the Bunker Hill section
playground was occasioned by pro-
test Of one faction, represented by
the Bunker Hill Improvement Asso-
citation, over noise" and the con-
tention that a playground was not
needed by residents who, In large
part, sent their children to summer
camps and to private schools where
recreational programs are part of
the curricula. The park department
had been contemplating cessation of
recreational programs there for
some time.
This last became particularly true
at a recent meeting of the board of
finance when Alderman President
Patrick M. Perriello made fervid
plea for establishment of more
Fairgrounds by the city. The alder
man, as member Of the board of
finance, made the calling of Super
intendent OF Parks James j. Curtin
before the board on a WPA-park
department project, occasion for his
comment.
Alderman Perriello requested Sup
erintendent Curtin to inform the
board about the playground situa-
ton and asked why there could not
be additional recreation areas In
such localities as Brooklyn, where
the city owns land now not In use.
Equipment Needed
The park department official in
formed the board that hiS depart
ment has been asking for more
equipment over long period and
remarked the inadequacy Of the
Waterbury playground facilities In
comparison with other cities Of the
state. 1t was cited that Hartford and
New Haven have several times as
many Fairgrounds and that the
number Of baseball diamonds fur
nished by Waterbury to serve num-
erous juvenile teams is but small
fraction OF the number Of athletic
fields other cities OF the state SUPER
wise for public recreational pro-
grams.
BY the support given the proposal
of Alderman Perriello on the mat
ter OF increasing playground facil-
tiles here 1t was indicated that sew
eral city boards will undertake some
program for such enlargement Of
Waterbury's recreational areas when
the budget for next year is devised
Presently, the board of finance l.
awaiting first report from Griffen-
hagen g. Associates whose principal
aim In the current survey of city
affairs is to outline a modern and
economical municipal set-up for
subsequent years. with definite pro-
posals as To budgetary requirements
1889 Budget
The matter OF more Fairgrounds
doubtless will be referred to the ac-
countancy firm for consideration in
the 1889 budget, some members OF
the finance board indicated.
The site Of the new Temporary
playground at Park road and West
Main street Is that OF the old Park
road school which was torn down
some time ago. Sanction of the
school department has been obtain
ed by the park department for use
! Of the property for playground.