Evening star., 1942-07-11
Reynolds Pushes Plan
To Return Car LOT
To Recreation Use
Public Buildings Chief
Hopes to Have Asphalt
Seroped From Polo Field

A plan to scrape the asphalt from
the huge, but almost vacant, Army
and Navy parking lot in Potomac
Park-so that it may be returned
to public recreation service-Will be
backed by William E. Reynolds,
public buildings commissioner.
Mr. Reynolds promise of support
was made after a conference of an
hour and a half yesterday with
Harry Wender, chairman of the
District Recreation Board, and Milo
r. Christensen, District superin-
tendent of recreation.
This was an unexpected turn in
a campaign by recreation leaders
to have projected Public Buildings
Administration dormitories erected
on the white elephant" parking
lot rather than on park land PBA
plans to use.
Will ''Use Influence"
Mr.. Reynolds said technical diff
eulties would prevent shifting the
dormitory site to the 2,606-car park
ing lot on what was formerly the
Polo Field. He offered instead to
use "all his influence" to get the
Federal Government to remove the
6 inches of paving covering the
area, according to Mr.. Wender and
Mr. Christensen, and he told them
yesterday that he would get to
work on it that afternoon.
This morning Mr.. Reynolds ap-
peared confident the scheme can be
worked out, but he expected no an
nouncement until early next week.
After yesterdays conference the
two recreation leaders saw Irving c..
Root, superintendent Of National
Capital Parks, and John Nolen, jr,
director of planning for the Ma
tional Capital Park and Planning
Commission, to discuss plans for
placing such facilities as softball
diamonds, badminton and volley
ball courts and shuttle board areas
on the reclaimed parking lot. Be-
fore it was taken for parking, the
polo field was used Off 10 softball
diamonds. but Mr.. Christensen
said more intensive use would be
made, ,of the land if it is recovered.
Source of Funds Is Problem.
Who would pay for removing the
asphalt, laid five months ago at a
cost of about Sis, 1000, was not clear.
Likely financial sources were the
War and Navy Departments.
They promised to remove the sur
facing and give it back to us when
the war emergency is over" Thomas
Settle, secretary of the National
Capital Park and Planning Com
mission, reported at the time the
Army and Navy took over the area.
Then it was anticipated that their
parking lot would be fully used-but
it never has been, and official sur
veys show it is now used to only 1912
per cent capacity.
Mr. Reynolds appeared optimistic
about reclaiming the asphalt, as well
as the space. He pointed out that
there is a critical shortage of as
phalt. He believes the acres of paw
ing on the empty parking lot could
be reused elsewhere. He said he
would examine prospects of putting
it on PBA projects.
Cost About $4,000.
He estimated it would cost about
5000 to clear and level the land.
Another possibility is that funds
could be obtained from Philip B.
Fleming, Federal Works Administra-
tor. Mr.. Reynolds indicated that in
this case they would come from
Lanham Act appropriations intended
for District recreation facilities.
During yesterdays conference, Mr..
Wender produced statistics on the
proposition of recreation land here
which has been lost to Federal con-
struction since the emergency be-
gan-a period of great population
increase.
Recreatio Leaders Pleased.
The recreation leaders agreed that
they were greatly pleased" with
Commissioner Reynolds "co-opera-
tive attitude" Mr.. Christensen
said he understood the Public Build
ings Commissioner had not yet re-
ceived definite word from the Navy
that it would release its half of the
vast parking lot, but he would &C
ahead with an effort to clear at
least the Army portion.
He said Mr. Reynolds did not seem
worried about the possibility of get
ting Navy agreement, however. A
Navy spokesman recently told The
Star that department would be will
ing to give up its space.