Evening star., 1949-08-19
Sesqui
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recreation facilities lost to the
Government temporary buildings.
And now that, too, is about to
be lost. he said.
The Recreation Board used
about $80,0G0 in Lanham Act
funds to develop the playing fields
there, Mr. Wender said.
He said that more than $50
teams use the area the year round.
That program would have to be
discontinued during the two or
three years the area would be un-
available for recreation, with no
assurances that it ever will be
turned back. he added.
Orders Study Made.
Permission to use the Armory
site was given to the Sesquicenten-
NAL Commission by the Interior
Departments National Park Serv-
ice. The site is in Anacostia Park,
west of Kingman Lake and run
ming from Benning road to a
point south of East Capitol
street, all on the downtown side
of the Anacostia River.
Mr.. Wender said he had
instructed Milo Christensen
recreation superintendent, to
prepare a study to show how the
city's recreation program would
suffer.
This will be submitted to board
members in a special poll within
the next few days, along with a
resolution protesting the choos-
ing of the site. If the board
members approve the resolution,
the protest will be lodged with
the Interior Department. the Ma
tional Capital Sesquicentennial
Commission and possibly con-
gressional committees.
Calls Selection a Surprise.
MI. Wender also said the selec:.
ton Of the site came as a COM
plete surprise, as the Recreation
Board had never been consulted
even though it operates the year.
around program at the site.
Mr.. Christensen said If the
Armory site is taken away the
sports program Of the city will be
curtailed seriously. since there
will be no place for the teams now
using the facilities there. He said
that even with the Armory field
there still was great need for
more playing fields in the city.
John Nolen, jr., director OF
planning for the National Capital
Park and Planning Commission
said legislation setting up the
Sesquicentennial Commission re-
quired that the site selected must
have the approval of the planning
commission.
The matter has not been before
the planning commission and is
not on the agenda, he stated.
Choosing of Site a Headache.
Mr.. Nolen said he assumed 1t
would come up later. He pointed
out, however, that if Congress des-
| ignated the site, when it appro-
priated the necessary funds for
the celebration, the planning COM
mission would be relieved Of the
Legislative duty Of approving the
site.
Selection of a suitable site for
the celebration has been head
ache for the Sesquicentennial
Commission.
During hearings before House
Appropriations Subcommittee, Car
ter T. Barron, executive vice chair
man of the Sesquicentennial Com
mission, testified the first plans
were to use the Monument
Grounds. Although President Tru-
man liked this plan, the Fine Arts
Commission objected.
The next plan was to use West
Potomac Park but that would have
meant destroying temporary Navy
buildings, Mr.. Barron explained,
and the commission ran into op-
position from the Navy.
Mr.. Barron said he then ran
into Irving c. Root, superin-
tendent Of National Capital Parks
and the Interior Departments
representative on the Recreation
Board, while standing in front Of
the Armory. He said Mr.. Root
waved at the 104 acres of recrea-
tional area near the Armory and
commented:
Here is a place where you will
have no opposition at all and the
cooperation Of everyone"