Evening star., 1946-01-25
Planners Weigh
Protests on New
Tourist Camp
May Decide Today;
30-Acre Lake for
Swimming Considered

Decision by the National Capital
Park and Planning Commission on
the controversial new tourist camp
proposed for East Potomac Park was
expected today.
For two debate-packed hours yes
terday afternoon recreation and
park and planning officials locked
horns on the project, arriving at no
decision. The commission, after
hearing testimony, announced it
would sleep on it" and take some
form of action today.
Location in East Potomac Park of
new and modern tourist camp,
which park officials have determined
is badly needed to replace the out
moded camp now in the park, was
opposed by the District Recreation
Board, the recreation section of the
Council of Social Agencies, and
the Federal Recreation Committee,
which represents Government work.
erS.
Defended by Park Officials.
1t was defended by officials of
the National Park Service and it's
local field Office, the Office of Ma
tlonal Capital Parks.
Opponents sought to prove the
park should be reserved for Govern
ernment Office employees after work.
Ing hours. According to Thomas S.
Settle, planning commission secre-
tary, they pointed to the fact the
park was reserved for the "recrea-
ton of the people" in basic legisla-
ton passed in 1897 and that from
1916 until 1941 there has been gen.
eral agreement that eventually it
would be developed for recreation.
They were said to have pointed
also to the fact that park officials
decided on the park only after the
site they wanted in 194l had been
pre-eri1pted by the Pentagon Build
ing and Arlington Farms.
Mr.. Settle said opponents asked
that the new tourist camp be placed
elsewhere, either on a 40-acre tract
known as Daingerfield Island, a
short distance south of National
Airport, or on land where Arling-
ton Farms now is.
Island Fill Seen Necessary.
Although it is understood the
matter was not taken up at the
meeting, a park official >revealed
yesterday that Daingerfield Island
would not be suitable until it is
brought above food level by hydrau-
lie fill. The land lies from 8 to IL
feet above river level and should
be IA feet above, the same as the
airport, the official said.
If and when fill can be obtained.
he said, the park Office plans to
construct 30-acre swimming lake
on the site with bath houses and a
sand beach.
Recreation Supt. Milo F. Chris
tiansen, told of this project, said
he had not heard of it but he felt
1t would be unwise to stand in the
way of a swimming lake project.
II constructed, he said, it would be-
come one of the finest recreation
facilities in Washington.
Hence, the Arlington Farms site
appeared to head the list of pos
sible alternates to East Potomac
Park as a tourist camp site.
Proximity to Sights Argued.
Park officials at the meeting yes
terday were said by Mr.. Settle to
have defended the East Potomac
tourist camp plan on the ground
youth groups staying there could be
near the Washington Monument,
the White House and other major
points of interest.
In the past, park officials have
said recreation facilities could just
as well be put in West Potomac
Park.
Recreation officials, however, have
claimed that West Potomac would
not provide enough facilities, espe-
cially since the Jefferson Memorial
has Cancelled out ball diamonds and
other play space.
IT the planning commission de-
cides today to favor the East Poto-
mac site for the camp, recreation
officials will seek to block appropria-
tion of 100000, asked in the 1947
budget, to start construction.
Plans for the camp, estimated to
cost about $1,000,0O0, have been
drawn up by Horace w. Peaslee,
Washington architect, at the ex-
penSe of Government Services, Inc.
which operates the present camp
and would oyero+o the nan, o,,o