Evening star., 1947-01-23
7 Fairgrounds
Here Enlarged
By Planners
Boord to Study
Move to Extend
Valley Parkway

YSSy aoaNWSy
Two important District play
grounds have been enlarged, the
National Capital Park and Planning
Commission revealed today.
Four acres were added to the
Riggs road playground, near Seventh
street and Ridge road NE, and
three additional lots were tackled on
to the Fort Reno Recreation Center
along Chesapeake street NV.
The purchases were announced by
Norman c. Brown, land purchase
officer. He said contracts for the
land were approved at the COM
missions monthly meeting today.
This leaves only three more acres
to be bought to finish the Riggs
road playground.
Three Lots Purchased.
The three lots bought for the Fort 4
Reno area were in danger Of being
built on shortly. n
Meanwhile, it was revealed that
nearby Maryland's valley park
way system will come step closer
to reality tomorrow.
The Park and Planning Commits.
sion and Fred w. Tuemmler, plan
ming director of the Maryland-Na-
tional Capital Park and Planning
Commission, will take over the
boundaries for one of three park
way extensions permitted under,
Federal law passed last summer.
The three extensions are up thu
valleys of the Paint Branch, Oxor
Run and Little Falls Branch. Which,
one the planners are to talk about
tomorrow was not made public for
fear of speculation by property
owners.
The law passed last summer pro-
vides method of parkway land
buying in which the Federal Gov
eminent advances all the money to
Maryland and Marylanders cover
half the amount with bond issues.
Three New Members.
Maryland parkways, however, are
only one of various subjects to be
discussed by the planning commits
sion at It's monthly meeting today
and tomorrow.
To start with, the commission was
to welcome three members-Clar-
ence C. Zantzinger, prominent Phila-
delphia architect appointed last FRI
day to replace William A. Delano,
and the new chairman Of the Senate
and House District Committees, who
serve as ex officio members of the
group. -
Discussion of land purchases for
Fairgrounds in the District led the
meeting, followed by a review by
commission members of several pro-
posed public land transfers. These
are:
I. Shifting Riggs road playground
from the National Park Service to
the District Commissioners.
2. Shifting the right Of way Of the
Mount Vernon Memorial Parkway,
where it runs through National Air
port, from Civil Aeronautics Admin
istration to the National Park Serv-
ice.
8. District Budget Officer Walter
L. Fowler,s proposal to turn st.
Elizabeth's Hospital over to the Dis
trict.
4. Shifting the Suitland Parkway
from the War Department to the
National Park Service and the
Washington unit of the Baltimore
Washington Parkway District line
to Jessups) from the Public Roads
Administration to the National Park
Service. They would become the
fifth and sixth national parkways in
the country.
Delegation to Be Heard.
This afternoon the commission
was to hear delegation from the
Marshall Heights, Barry Farms and
Hillsdale Civic Associations on the
proposal to use the Barry Farms
and Marshall Heights areas for
housing projects so that mid-city
slums may be cleared under the
city's new slum act.
Later, commission members were
to hear District Highway Director
H. G. Whitehurst explain the city's
latest transportation and highway
plans, made public at the end Of
last year.
National Park Service plans for
a grade separation at Beach drive
and Oregon avenue and a new
bridge over Rock Creek upstream
from Military road were to be re-
viewed. Both bridges will carry
the Fort drive when that belt park
way is completed.
Schedule for Tomorrow.
Besides talking over Maryland
parkway plans tomorrow, the COM
mission will:
Review Engineer Commissioner
Gordan r. Young's six-year city
improvement program to see If new
schools in it are located as near as
possible to Fairgrounds and If they
can be designed for after hours use
as community centers and indoor
Fairgrounds.
Pass on a plan to erect a filling
station at Third and Sheridan
streets NV.
Review National Park Service
plans for developing Kalorama Park.
Discuss what the District-owned
Emery estate ought to be used for.
Take a trip, if time permits, to
kew points earmarked for stream
lining under the latest District
highway plans to be outlined by
Capt. Whitehurst.