Evening star., 1939-06-22
Playground
In kidcity Area
Is Considered
Planning Body May
Pick Site Today; Fund
To Be Available Soon

Indications were today that at long
last the congested mid-city area Of
Washington would get a suitable
recreational area within the next
few months.
The National Capital Park and
Planning Commission opened its
June meeting today with discussion
of plans for acquiring such an area.
Funds will be available for pur-
chase Of the land after July ! and
there was the possibility the COM
mission might decide on a definite
site for the playground today.
The area in question is bounded
by Vermont avenue, Eleventh street,
Massachusetts, avenue, North Capt.
tol street and line drawn east and
west through the southern extremity
of Mcmillan Park.
Civic and social workers for more
than 10 years have campaigned for
some measure of decent recreational
space in this section. The highest
death rate in the city, especially
from tuberculosis, lies in this area.
Here also last year occurred more
than 200 Of the 900-odd child traffic
accidents, for the entire city. 1t is
here also that the slum clearance
program Of the Alley Dwelling Au-
thority has been concentrated.
Only Narrow Fairgrounds.
Only narrow, barren school play
grounds in the entire area with the
exception Of the temporary Howard
Playground for colored children on
Freedmen's Hospital land, and the
small New York avenue playground
for white children.
None Of the schools in the area
has adequate play space for leisure
time use, with the exception OF Dun
bar High School. where Walker Sta
dium is situated
Several sites were to be considered
by the commission today, including
one the acquisition of which would
be the result of condemnation pro-
ceedings on the part of the Alley
Dwelling Authority.
Several other proposed land &C
QUESTIONS for play space were also
considered as well as the commits
sion's l94l land purchase program,
Thomas S. Settle, commission Sec
retary, announced.
Up for consideration were plans
for the extension OF Anacostia
Parkway into Maryland to connect
with parkway to Baltimore. Funds
are already on hand for purchase
OF right Of way as far as Bladens-
burg. Md. and land purchases as
far as the National Agricultural
research center near Berwyn, Nd
have been authorized.
Is This development and a proposed
freeway from Silver Spring. Nd, to
Ellicott City have been considered
at recent meetings by the Special
Highways Committee Of the District
Motor Clubs Advisory Eoard and
keystone Automobile Club officials.
Meeting with both groups, John
Nolen, jr.. director of planning for
the commission, described plans
under way for new developments.
Anacostia Extension First,
The commission did not have the
Silver Spring -Ellicott City freeway
on its schedule for the current
meeting. 1t is reported inclined to
favor consideration first of the Ana
costa extension in view of the fact
land is already being acquired, and
the proposed parkway will have
military Importance because it will
serve the Agricultural Research
Center, Fort Meade and the Naval
Air Station.
Eventual construction of the park
way and freeway are major items
in the Baltimore Washington An
napolis regional plan subscribed to
by planning agencies in the area.