Evening star., 1953-04-27
Lack of Federal Cooperation
PeriIs MARYLAND Park Setup

Such moves have delayed devel-
opment Of land already in the
park system.
The commission has acquired
2,942 acres of land in the stream
valleys in Montgomery and
Prince Georges Counties under
the Capper-Cramton Act. OF
this land, 782 acres have been
developed into usable park areas.
A total of 1923 acres are in
Montgomery County and 1,139 in
Prince Georges County.
Plans are to add another 1870
acres in Montgomery and an
other 1,131 in Prince Georges for
a total of 5,O01 acres. The val
ley parks then will total 7,943
acres.
Special Recreation Tax,
To complete the park picture
in the two counties. the local
Fairgrounds and recreation CEN
ters scattered through the area
total about $40 more acres.
Suitland parkway is completed
and has been in use for some
time. The land for the Balti-
more-Washington parkway has
been acquired and construction
of the new highway is under way.
The George Washington Me-
mortal parkway, however, is in
the critical stage.
The parkway, to run from
Mount Vernon to Great Falls on
both sides of the Potomac River,
also is being pieced together un-
der the Capper-Cramton Act.
Land for the section running
through Montgomery County is
about rs per cent acquired.
Repeal of the Capper-Cramton
Act would leave this project
stranded. Failure to appropriate
money to complete the purchase
of the land in Montgomery
means that when it is done the
land will cost more. Under the
Capper- -Cramton Act, Maryland
pays half the cost of land &C
quired for the parkway.
Current Status Outlined.
Here's the current status of the
eight stream valley parks:
Rock Greek parkway is an ex-
tension of the beautiful Rock
Creek Park in Washington. In
the Maryland section, 917 acres
have been acquired and lit acres
still have to be purchased. A to-
tai of 274 acres have been devel-
oped into parks, mostly the lower
section near the District line.
The Cabin John Creek project
is barely under way. One section
of 70 acres has been acquired.
Five of that 73 acres have been
developed. To complete this prof.
ect, the commission must. buy
another 829 acres.
The park at Little Falls Branch
is in much better shape. Here,
116 acres have been acquired and
only 80 acres are still unpur-
chased. About 13 acres have been
developed. .
Sligo Creek wanders through
both Montgomery and Prince
Georges. A total of 430 acres
have been acquired Of which 277
are in Montgomery and 153 in
Prince Georges. Still needed are
lot acres in Montgomery Coun-
ty. Some 240 acres have been
developed into recreational areas.
Northwest Branch is about a
third finished. Some $50 acres
have been acquired. 240 in
Montgomery and Alb in Prince
Georges. The SO acres developed
so far all are in Prince Georges
County. A total of 1866 acres
remain to be acquired, all but
113 in Montgomery County.
The Paint Branch project is
far from complete. Only 146
acres have been acquired in
Prince Georges and none in
Montgomery County. Plans call
for acquisition of 1,946 additional
acres 1,475 in Montgomery and
All in Prince Georges.
Project Well Along.
Development of the Anacostia
River Valley and its tributary,
Indian Greek, is well along in
Prince Georges County. A total
Of 602 acres have been acquired
and 200 acres developed to Some
extent. To complete the project.
another 180 acres must be pur-
chased.
The Oxon Run project virtu-
ally is unStarted. Only 5eacreS
have been acquired in this Prince
Georges project and plans call
for another 367 acres.
If Maryland decides to go it
alone, the commission will have
to review the overall plan and
see what can be Salvaged. In
evitably this will mean the plan
will have to be modified dras-
tically. Some of the stream
valley parks will be dropped.