Evening star., 1948-05-23
Arlington Votes
$55,000 Fund
For Recreation
Program Includes
46 Fairgrounds
And County Center

Funds for the largest recreation
program in Arlington's history were
appropriated yesterday by the
County Board.
On recommendation of County
Manager A. T. Lundberg, the board
approved s55,ooo for the operation Of
46 Fairgrounds and the Arlington
Recreation Center. OF the total
$35 900 is for the year-round play
ground program, $1,000 is for the
center and $4,000 for administration
and Office.
In recommending the appropria-
ton, Mr.. Lundberg disclosed that a
Department OF Recreation, under g
director, has been established. This
was in line with a request last
December by the Arlington Recrea-
tion Council that the County De-
partment of Park and Playground
Lands be changed to Department OF
Recreation.
Further recommendations Of the
council that the director be given
a definite" Office and necessary
supplies and sufficient Office person
nel.' also were met by yesterdays
action.
Richardson Heads Office.
Mr.. Lundberg said w. A. Richard.
son, who has supervised recreation
for the School Department fol
several years, is head of the new
Office.
Yesterdays action was seen as q
solution to a problem created wher
the County Board recently refused
to appropriate for the 1948-49 budget
requested by the School Board. The
schools body then announced it was
forced to delete a $4,000 recreation
item from its proposed eXpeditures
This meant, the school group pointeo
out, that there would be no summer
playground program, unless the
County Board acted.
Under Mr.. Lundberg's program
the Recreation Department will
operate summer Fairgrounds at 2s
schools, including those at Peyton
Randolph, John Marshall, Charles
Stewart, Glen Carlyn and Wood
mont, which were not open last
season. In addition, eight county
owned plots and eight privately
owned areas will be used for play
grounds. A total of SO attendants
is provided for the play areas.
Programs Outlined.
In the fall the plan calls for
utilization of 10 Fairgrounds after
school and on Saturdays. For the
winter, the fuller use of school,
gymnasiums is planned. The sprina
program will be similar to the ont
to be used in the fall.
Mr.. Richardson Office will be 10.
Gated at the Recreation Center, 370(
Lee highway, in the old Cherrydale
school building which has been usec
for the center for sometime. The
center is a member agency of the
Community Chest.
In other actions yesterday, the
board set June and for public
hearings for an explanation of re-
visions 20 the master zoning plan
G. L. Kinnier, county planning en-
gineer, said E. o. Mills, planning
consultant from st. Louis who di-
rected the preparation of revisions
to the plan, will be in the county
next week and will attend the hear
ings.
Finance Unit Set Up.
On recommendation of Mr.. Lund-
berg, the board voted to establish a
Department of Finance.
A request of the Public Utilities
Commission for authority to repre-
sent the county at State Corporation
Commission hearings on the petition
of the Alexandria, Bancroft &
Washington Transit Co., for fare
increase. was granted by the board
Board Chairman Daniel A. Dugar
requested that the PUG hold pub
lie hearing on the proposed raise
Mr.. Dugan deferred for one week
appointment of a citizen representa-.
tive on the Northern Virginia Re.
gional Planning Commission at the
request of Board Member Basil M
DeLashmutt. The name of Weldon
T. Ellis, former head of the planning
division of the Virginia State budget
Office, has been suggested. Mr.. Ellis
a resident of Arlington, now is with
the Federal Government.
= =