Evening star., 1941-01-12
Lack of Funds
Worrying
Park Heads
Maintenance Job
Grows, but Money
Is Decreasing
By RUDOLPH KAUFMAN III.

A survey of park expenditures by
the District of Columbia for the
past Is years reveals the District
| spends less for parks than it did in
the late 1920s and early 193Os For
the period 1934l940 a smaller pro-
portion of annual revenue has gone
for parks.
During this latter period 948 acres
of new park land have been thrown
in the lap of the park office and the
Federal Government has contrib
uted S6,984,303 worth of improve
ments, many of them Of a COM
munity and not national charac-
ter which must be maintained with
forces and funds which each year
must be spread thinner and thinner.
Appropriations by the District in
1941 are no exception to this rule.
Neither is the 1912 budget request
for District park appropriations. On
the other hand, the Federal appro-
priation to the local park Office was
increased this year and the 1912
budget requests that it be increased
by $3.50, 100.
Figures Are Cited.
From 1927 to 1888 the Districts
share of park expenses averaged
S1,OO8,87O From 1934-1940 this
share averaged S896,033 Figures
for 1941 and the 1912 budget esti-
mate would change this latter figure
by less than $1,000.
In the period 1934-1940 District
revenues, however, rose a total of So
228758 or an annual average of
S1538,126.
1t has been largely due to the land
purchase activities of the National
Capital Park and Planning Commis-
sion that 948 additional acres of park
land have been made the responsible
ity of the local park Office during
this time. This figure excludes land
purchase outside the District.
Of the $6984,303 of improvements
which have been effected over the
6206 acres of park land now in the
District many have been of the
community type. During the 1884
1910 period no appropriation for de-
velopment work was made from Dis
trict revenues.
Improvements Listed.
Some of these Improvements have
been the replacement of bridlepath
and four bridges in Rock Creek Park,
the restoration of Pierce Mill, the
development of Rawlins Park, the
rehabilitation of small community
parks, the development of Palisades
Playground and the construction of
its fieldhouse, the construction of
swimming pools, police information
lodge in Rock Greek Park, care
/ takers lodge in Rock Greek Park,
plans for the development of various
parks, landscaping of the District
War Memorial. the low-level bridge
across Rock Greek below the Shore
ham Hotel, the development of a
series of Fairgrounds, some of them
under the jurisdiction of the District
Commissioners, with G. G. c. labor,
including Taft, Banneker and Tako-
ma Recreation Centers, Chevy Chase
Playground at the Lafayette Junior
High School, Rose Park Playground
and others; the construction, so far
as it has gone, Of the Fort Dupont
golf course, and number of others.
1t is said by responsible persons, on
the other side, that a substantial
part of maintenance funds ap-
propriated from the District rev.
enues finds its way into the upkeep
of park facilities of a national and
not community character This,
however. would be impossible to
prove statistically.
Increases Turned Down.
Each year park officials have
asked for increases in maintenance
and development funds, and each
year they are refused. They have
pointed out that a serious bottle
neck is being created in the local
park and playground system. The
Park and Planning Commission is
turning over new land to them each
month of the year. Private dona-
tions, Ike the Robert Woods Bliss
! estate, come their way. but no