Evening star., 1943-06-23
IS Million D. E..
Recredtiona|
Plan Approved
Boards 6-Yeor
Program Includes II
Yeor-Round Pools

Yeor-Round Pools
The District Recreation Board
yesterday approved in principle a
SIS 100000 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 $500 900
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-
tlonal 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.
ACitdtifc i9Cutuu1e OVen.
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 RecreationaI
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 s11.776.75O 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
nave suffered for many, MANY wears
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
| Tor a pool at the jefferson School
| site. Mr. Wender also suggested
changing the construction-ord as
presented to the board declaring:
| II l had to 60 before Congress
10 justify these expenditures, could
not with a clear conscience saw, for
instance, that the Taft Recreational
area should have pool before Ran
dali. Those areas which are the
worst OIL should have first considera.
ton"
c. Melvin Sharpe. representative
OF the Board of Education. said he
agreed with Mr.. Wender and Mr.
ChrlStlansen said he was agreeable
to shift.
Some objections were raised. par
tlcularly by Mr.. Sharpe, about the
limited number of hours on which
most of the wading pools are open
Most OF them, 1t was pointed out,
are open from 10 am. to noon and
10 pm. Mr.. Christensen said
that no funds were available for
keeping them open longer, but that
ne would make 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, MIR,
| Wender said that SUNDAYS are
When they are most badly needed.
l thlnK we should know where we
| are deilclent in the budget. We
! ought TO be on Seven-dav week"
! On the recommendation of Mr..
Christensen, the board agreed to
request the Commissioners to assign.
When vacated, the outdoor recrea-
tonal properties and building of the
industrial Home School to the board
Tor recreatlonal purposes. 1t was
also agreed to request the National
Capital Parks to assign to the board
Tor use as Fairgrounds Woodlev
/ 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 classifca-
tlons had been altered in the report
as returned to the board from the
! commission.
Five Glasses Lowered.
Mr.. Christensen explained that
five classiflcations had been low
cred 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 II the clasSlflcatlonS were
| lowered.
The board was informed that
Mrs M. A. Hannay, 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
perintendent of recreation, said
that July 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
6:15 o'clock so as not to conflict
with the Water Gate program Of
| tho NotiNro1 Nr,Loefro