Evening star., 1947-01-12
MoreRecredtion
For Arlington
Asked in Report
Bourd Like Thut
In District Urged
By Social Survey

Additional recreation areas and
facilities for Arlington are asked in
the social survey report now under
study by the county.
Those making the survey who said
they found a great amount of
genuine interest" in recreation fa-
cilities, charged that present facili-
ties are not adequate even at 1945
standards.
Sponsored by the Arlington Com
inunity Council, a Community Chest
agency. the survey covered welfare,
corrections, adult education, recrea-
tion and the organization and
structure of social work. A $3,450
Chest grant financed the survey,
which is similar to others made in
the District and surrounding COM
munities.
Council Recreation Section Asked.
Creation of recreation section
in the Community Council with its
first major project" the promo
ton of a County Recreation Board,
like that in the District, is recon-
mended in the report. The recrea-
ton section would have for men,
bers those representatives of agen-
cies and organizations in the county
concerned with recreation plus other
persons who have much interest in
recreation and influence in the
county," would be members.
Immediate needs of the county are
listed as eight more tennis courts,
two more swimming pools, lights on
two to six tennis courts and four
softball fields, two community recre-
alton buildings, many" play areas
for preschool children and one 49,
hole golf course.
AS a long-range proposition, the
survey recommends that plan be
made for acquiring and developing
the recreation areas and facilities,
needed by 1865 to meet the STAN
dards of the National Recreation
Association. The plan should pay
special attention to development of
school areas for recreation purposes.
according to the report.
Areas and Facilities Listed.
The report lists existing recrea-
tion areas and facilities, what would
have been adequate for 1945 and
what should be adequate in 1865, as
follows: -
Fairgrounds and playfields acre
age, 2O3 acres, 300 acres, 485 acres;
recreation park of 100 to 300 acres,
l, 8, 5; softball fields, II, 40 and IS;
baseball fields, 2, 20, 80; tennis
courts, 2, 60. 81; golf holes, none,
a., 72; swimming pools, none, 8, 4;
recreation buildings, none, 6, 10.
Also, service facilities (toilets,
Office, storage, none, 80, 40; field
houses (service facilities, plus lockers
and showers, none, 8, 10; gym
nasi6ms, 5, IL, 20, and auditoriums,
Z, 8, 13.
of commercial recreation places Is
Small These include seven movies,
fosr bowling alleys and lone or
more" pool rooms. A considerable
number" of private recreation facili-
ties is noted, mostly in private hous-
ing projects,
Recreation Board Described.
The County Recreation Board pro-
posal would administer a public
recreation program through county
recreation department. Member
ship would include member of the
County Board, member OF the
School Board and four other citizens
appointed by the County Board.
Pending creation of the perma-
nent group, the report recommends
that the School Board, which ad-
ministers the public recreation pro-
gram at present, appoint a tempo
rary advisory recreation board OF
seven members.
THE present need for recreational
opportunities for all people in any
community is so great that the
services of all kinds of groups con-
cerned with leisure time activities
are required to help meet the total
community needs" the report. de-
clares.
1T is apparent there must be CO.
operative planning and action by
all agencies and groups dealing with
recreation in community in order
to render the finest quality of leis-
ure time service to the maximum
number of children, youths and