Evening star., 1942-11-19
otsAcquired
ForConp|etion
Of Hazen Park
Public Given Access
To UndeveIoped Area,
Planners Announce

Completion of the Melvin C. Hazen
Park, leading into Rock Greek Park.
by acquisition of small parcel of
land east of Connecticut avenue was
announced today by the National
Capital Park and Planning Com
at its monthly meeting
The few lots acquired lie between
Tilden and Rodman streets in the
vicinity of the Bureau of Standards.
affording public access to the unde-
veloped Hazen Park, which was
named after the late Commissioner
Hazen, who served the District in
various capacities for nearly 50
years.
officials said the Hazen strip ex-
tending into Rock Greek Park COM
prises about 431a acres and contains
some of the finest trees and scenery
in the entire park. The area east
of Connecticut avenue is close to a
congested apartment neighborhood.
The park will not require much de-
Velopment, it was pointed out, al
though some pedestrian trails will
be built through it. A small stream
running into Rock Greek Park en-.
hances its scenic value.
AnacOstia Park Expanded.
Norman G. Brown, land purchas-
Ing officer Of the commission. also
reported that some acres of ground
mad been acquired as an important
addition to Anacostia Park in the
section near the Shaw lily ponds
which are now owned by the Gov
ernment. The new acquisition, he
said, extends Anacostia Park to the
Maryland line in the Northeast Sec
ton. The new area includes several
improvements all of which lie in the
line of the proposed Anacostia park
way which will connect with a SINH
lar parkway route planned to extend
to Baltimore.
Plans for the development Of the
Baltimore parkway, however, have
been retarded because of the war.
The 3 acres just acquired, it was
pointed out. will prove an important
link when the State of Maryland is
prepared to go ahead with the de-
Velopment of the Baltimore Wash.
lngton parkway.
The commission also approved to-
day condemnation awards cleaning
up a few unacquired lots east of
Connecticut avenue off Thirty-sixth
street NV. which will be used to
extend the Fort Drive encircling the
city.
Program Said Well Advanced.
John A. Nolen, jr. director of plan
ming, reported that the commissions
plans for park and playground de-
velopments are far ahead of its ac-
tual expenditures under the Capper-
Cramton Act Of 1880.
Oh the Sl6,O00000 authorized bv
this act for land acquisitions. he
said, the commission to date has eX-
pended and accounted for approxi-
mately s9,0OO.oOO
At the present rate. Mr.. Nolen
SAID, the commission could easily
spend the remaining $1,000 900 in
one lump if the money were avail
able.
In recent years however the
commission has received only drib-
lets OF money from the Capper-
Cramton Act. Mr.. Nolen pointed
out that the slowing down of the
acquisition program for parks and
Fairgrounds is costly to the Gov
ernment in the end as land values
are steadily increasing.
Suggestions will be received bv the
commission today for the location
of an emergency flood control dixie
In West Potomac Park to protect the
new Navy buildings that were more
or less isolated by high water
month ago.
Studies of the Potomac Park area
are being made in cooperation with
the District engineers Office. Plan
ming officials pointed out that an
emergency dixie was thrown up near
Independence avenue last month,
the night before the flood reached
its crest. This helped the situation
somewhat.
In the belief that another food
OF equal or greater height might
seriously jeopardize the Navy build
ings, the whole question is being
worked out carefully with a view to
possible action.
The question of formulating
master road plan for Rock Creek
Park, under consideration for two
months, again will come before the
tbic a
principles have been formulated as
guide for designing the location of
through highways to facilitate traf-
fic. The idea is to protect the
proper function of the roads as we'll
as the natural beauty of the park.
Tomorrow, the commission ex-
poets to conclude its session by early
afternoon. Problems involving the
war housing program will be con-
sidered and questions dealing with
underground air-raid shelters will
be studied.
Look to Further Steps.
The commission is working in
close harmony with District officials
who made a study of air-rald
shelters, many of which are now be-
ing marked throughout the city for
emergency use. Planning officials
said, however, they are looking
ahead to possible further step"
and it is we'll to take into consid-
Grafton the advisability of provid-
ing for underground shelters. No
locations were suggested.
Mr.. Nolen will report on cooper
alton with the newly established
Motor Vehicle Parking Agency of
which Richard Murphy has been
designated as chairman. To this
District agency is assigned the prob
lem of working out plans for Off
street parking and the establish
ment of parking areas fringing the
central area of Washington. 1t is
a problem in which the Planning
Commission has been long inter-
ested.
Plans will be studied in relation
to the public building program so
that fringe parking areas might
serve as many contested areas as