Evening star., 1943-06-23
IS Million D. T..
RecredtiondI
Plan Approved
Boards 6-Yeur
Program includes II
Yeur-Round Pools


Yesterday approved in principle a
$4,000, 900 recreational improvement
and development program as basis
for a six-year postwar public works
program "or for completion prior to
the cessation of hostilities."
1t calls for IL year-round SWIM
ming pools in various parts of the
city, at cost of more than $3O0,O
each. They will be covered with
glass, with roofs that can be moved
back in the summer.
AS presented to the board by Milo
F, Christensen, the program called
for nine pools, with a total cost of
s2.925,000. Harry S. Wender, board
chairman, relinquished the gavel,
however, to plead for three addi-
tional pools: A white and a colored
pool in the Mid-City section and a
white pool in the Southwest area
adjacent to the Jefferson Junior
High School. :
Tentative Schedule Given.
The tentative proposals call for
construction on three-year basis as
follows: First year, Langston Rec
reation Center, two in Mid-City. and
one at jefferson Junior High School;
second year, Randall Recreational
Center, Fort Reno, Roosevelt and
Taft Recreational Centers. and. third
year, Georgetown Recreational
Center. Congress Heights play
ground, Kelly Miller Recreational
Center and Fort Reno playground.
Areas in the Mld.City will have
to be determined and purchased In
the event that land is not acquired
in time for construction, the order
Of construction would be changed.
The rest of the program calls for
the expenditure of sll.776,750 for
improvement of recreational areas
throughout the city. Speaking of
the large amount OF money involved,
Mr.. Christensen remarked to the
board:
You have to remember that We
have suffered for many, many years
from lack of funds"
Mid-City Needs Cited.
Mr. Wender said the greatest num-
Der of complaints for lack of pools
comes from the Mid-City area, and
cited the number of drownings in
the Potomac River as one reason
for a pool at the jefferson School
site. Mr.. Wender also suggested
changing the construction order, as
presented to the board, declaring:
II I had to 60 before Congress
to Justify these expenditures. could
not with clear conscience say, for
instance, that the Taft Recreational
area should have & pool before RAN
dali. Those areas which are the
worst off should have first considera-
ton"
c. Melvin Sharpe. representa- tive
of the Board of Educa ton. said he
agreed with Mr. Wender and Mr..
Christensen said he was agreeable
to a shift.
Some objections were raised. par
ticularly by Mr.. Sharpe, about the
limited number of hours on which
most of the wading pools are open.
Most of them, it was pointed out,
are open from 10 am. to noon and
2 to 4 pm. Mr.. Christensen said
that no funds were available for
keeping them open longer but that
he would make a survey on the
possibility of opening them later in
the morning and afternoon to cover
the Warmest periods of the day.
Seven-day Openings Urged.
Referring to the fact that most of
them are closed on Sundays, Mr..
Wender said that Sundays are
when they are most badly needed.
I think We should know where we
are deficient in the budget. We
ought to be on seven-day week"
On the recommendation of Mr..
Christensen, the board agreed to
request the Commissioners to assign,
when vacated, the outdoor recrea-
tional properties and building of the
Industrial Home School to the board
for recreational purposes. It was
also agreed to request the National
Capital Parks to assign to the board
for use as Fairgrounds Woodley
Park Playground, near Cortland
street and Devonshire place NV,
and the Kalorama Playground on
Kalorama road at Nineteenth street
NV.
The board agreed to back the
original employe classification re-
port made to the Civil Service Com
mission, after Mr.. Christensen in
formed the board that six classifica-
tions had been altered in the report
as returned to the board from the
commission.
Five Glasses Lowered.
Mr.. christensen explained that
five classifications had been low
cred a grade at an average cut in
pay of $500 a year. and that one
grade had been raised. Those low
cred were the regional directors,
chief of permit and special services
division, chief of personnel and pay
roll, director of buildings and
grounds and director of operations.
Fear was expressed that highly
trained" personnel could not be
expected to stay with the depart
ment if the classihcations were
lowered.
The board was informed that
Mrs. M. A. Hannav. owner of the
property known as the Emery
estate, when asked about the use
Of the property for recreational
properties, said that part Of the
land is being used for victory gar
dens and that she did not desire
any other use made of the land.
Miss Sibyl Baker. assistant SUI
nerintendent of recreation. said
that July 4 programs would be held
in various sections of the city, either
on Saturday. July 3, or on July 4,
and that program would be ar
ranged for the Monument Grounds
Sunday night She said that the
later program would be held at
615 o'clock so as not to conflict
with the Water Gate program of
the National Symphony Orchestra.