Evening star., 1945-03-22
Planners Study
Roosevelt Island
As a Play Area
Group Also to Hear
Progress Report on
Transport Problem

Plans for further development of
Theodore Roosevelt Island as a rec
reational area and progress report
on mass transportation program
being worked out to serve the North
west Triangle section were up for
consideration today and tomorrow
by the National Capital Park and
Planning Commission.
Harry Thompson, assistant super
intendent of National Capital Parks,
viii submit proposals at the opening
session of the monthly planning
meeting respecting work expected
to be done on Roosevelt Island.
When the island was decided to the
Government some years ago by the
Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Asso-
citation for maintenance as a nat
ural park honoring the former Pres
ident, it was with the stipulation
that no general plan for develop
ment be adopted without the ap-
proval of the Memorial Commission.
The 90-acre island, once the
project of CCC camp, is near Key
Bridge. While plans were not di-
vulged before the meeting, officials
said one of the purposes is to pro-
vide ready access to the island from
Washington.
Playground Name Studied.
The Planning Commission this
morning also will consider a pro-
posal submitted by the District Rec
reation Board to change the name
of the Jamaica Playground, the site
OF which Is now being acquired. It
is located on Church street between
Sixteenth and Fifteenth streets.
Maj. Gen. U. S. Grant, III, chair
man, also will report on the zoning
changes affecting the new George
town University Hospital, now being
built on Reservoir road at the foot
of Thirty ninth street. Congress re-
Gently enacted a bill authorizing a
heighth of ITO feet for the building
The Planning Commission at it's last
meeting had approved plans for the
hospital, subject, however, to its
conforming to coming regulations.
The commission is going on a
field trip during the afternoon and
will visit the Roosevelt Island and
the Georgetown Hospital site, as
we'll as number of other improve
ments about the city.
Other Inspections Planned.
They also will visit the Army Map
Service plant near the Dalecarlia
Reservation, for which a $4,000 900
expansion program has been au-
thorized, and number of recently
developed recreational centers.
These include the Turkey Thicket
on Michigan avenue NE, the Kelly
Miller at Forty ninth street and
Washington place NE. and the
Anacostia Park Center. While in
the Eastern section the planning
officials also will inspect the parade
ground on the site of the proposed
National Stadium.
Sites for a colored elementary
school and white junior high school
also will be inspected on the trip.
These sites have been recommended,
but have not yet been acquired, and
for this rason the locations were not
disclosed.
Tomorrow morning Secretary
Thomas S. Settle will report on the
status of the District of Columbia
Virginia boundary bill, which is
coming up before the House District
Committee at the same time. He
will report also on the Stadium
Commissions progress and the op-
position of the District Commits
sioners to- the proposed acquisition
of the Temple Heights tract at
Florida and Connecticut avenues for
development as a war memorial.