Detroit evening times., 1945-06-06
Pacific War VIGOROUSLY Make the PERMANENTLY Bring Our Boys Home PROMPT
Recreation
A Postwar Prerequisite
By ROBERT MOSES

'us Park Commissioner
WE HAVE foreclosed land adjacent
w to boardwalks and beaches and
added this land to the shorefront parks
Finally we have acquired new parks by
assessment and otherwise.
As result New York City today Is
beginning to have something like an ade-
quate recreation system after decades of
neglect, stupidity. exploitation and futile
reports and empty promises.
The pattern may not be perfect. II
may not suit the perfectionists, but with
the coming of spring the new play areas
are full of children and the passive rec
reation places are alive with older people,
No one gets fresh air or healthy exercise
out of the musty plans and pronounce
ments of the ivory tower strategists.
We also have first rate state park
system in New York-one of the best in
the country. The state parks take care
of suburban and rural recreation for those
who can get out of town for vacations or
for days outing as distinguished from
those. who must find their recreation
close to home.
1t has taken us over 20 years to ac-
complish this result.
One of the reasons we have been able
TO accomplish it is because the same peo-
pie have been in charge of the system
during this entire period, and have been
able to carry out consistent policy with
out serious interruption:
We now have among our state park
commissioners the sons of several of the
original commissioners, who are carrying
on the family tradition and are sustaining
an inherited interest in this program.
WE HAVE gone further We are rap
w idly completing detailed plans and
specifications for an expansion of the
park program both in New York City and
New York State
We have taken full advantage of the
war period to make these plans compre-
hensive, adequate, accurate and practical.
They are ready for prompt execution
as soon as the war ends, when priorties
and embargoes are lifted We have funds
IN hand or in sight for the greater part
Of these programs, but we shall require
additional funds to accomplish all that we
have projected
These additional funds we believe will
in the end be obtained from the federal
government, as the demand for postwar
employment increases and as it becomes
obvious that private business alone and
unaided cannot take care of the entire
problem. This is not a made work pro-
gram.
IL is not bOOndoggling or leaf raking.
Ii represents what the people want and
are entitled to, and what returning sery-
icemen will demand.
Our haphazard American cities are
only just beginning to realize the need of
control over irresponsible speculative
builders. Almost every American munich
pality has its cancerous sums. We can
not overcome the tendency toward urban
decentralization and further decay unless
along with decent housing and zoning
control we have plenty of light, air, space
and view.
"E CAN provide in the city much of
w the atmosphere Of the suN'rhS prd
other attractions which the suburbs do
not have, and at the same time we can
establish parkways and expressways, ard
improve travel facilities so that with the
aid of the cheap motorcar, people in cities
can easily get out into the open spaces.
woods, fields and watercourses of the
open country
Most people fail to realize how many
hours in a day on an average people spend
in parks, squares and streets as distin-
gushed from those they spend indoors.
young couple get married, and are
driven out of the city into the suburbs as
soon as they begin to raise family, be-
cause there is no park within reasonably
easy walking distance of the average
crowded city apartment, no place in which
to air a baby or find safe and attractive
play facilities for older children
Adequate provision for recreation is
therefore the first step in urban recovery.
1T is NO LUXURY, no extravaganza, no
hobby of enthusiasts, but an elementary
need which must be satisfied in any COM
munity with pretensions to self respect.
One of the best war memorials which a