Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-03-28
End of a Progrom-or of q Phase?

It would be too bad after nearly quarter
century of notable accomplishments, If the Cap
per- Cramton park and parkway program were
to come to q complete end. There is implicit,
however, in the House Appropriation Commit
tees "f1nar grant of $545,000 for the program
a suggestion that new legislation to extend the
program might be in order. eff additional ex-
pansion of the system is desired" the commit
tee said, additional legislative authority will
be required" The committee, in effect, has
brought to a conclusion one phase of Capper-
Cramton development. If its language is an
invitation to consider the ACCESSIBILITY of under
taking second stage, no time should be lost
by the National Capital Planning Commission
and other interested agencies in comforting on
future plans.
Much of the beauty of the Washington Met
ropolitan Area today-its justly famed parks,
it's scenic drives, its recreational facilities
derives from the far-Sighted policy of Congress
in authorizing the program some "a years ago.
Born in an era OF peace and prosperity, the
long-range undertaking has had increasingly
hard shedding in recent years Of war, cold war
and ever tighter budgets.
Fortunately, major part of the original
program of land purchases and Improvements
on both sides Of the Potomac River has been
year would I'LL in glazing gaps in the park
system. These links are urgently needed to
complete the chain of parks and parkways
already forged under remarkable partnership
pact among the Federal Government, the Dis
trict of Columbia Maryland and Virginia. The
House committee took into account the undeni-
able fact that some parts of the park preserva-
ton plan originally adopted by the National
Capital Planning Commission and cooperating
agencies no longer are feasible. Certain areas
once marked on charts for future addition to
the Capital park system have long since become
residential communities. 1t would be econom-
ically impractcable, aside from other consid-
erations. to attempt to reconvert such tracts
into parks.
The $54500O requested by the NCPC and
granted by the committee would bring to a
reasonable state of completion three major
phases of the Capper- Cramton program: %
the George Washington Memorial Parkway
along the river, ~ the stream valley devel-
opment in nearby Maryland and 49, the fur
ther improvement of District parks and play
grounds. The memorial parkway has been
completed on the Virginia shore as far as Lor-
com lane in Arlington. Most of the right of way
for an extension to the Fairfax County line
near Chain Bridge, has been bought. All of
ILLS IdS U6eH dCIll6Veu through The unique
agreement whereby the State of Virginia and
Arlington County join in matching Federal
funds allotted to the project. The State and
Fairfax County-are ready to put up their share
of matching funds for extension of the attrac-
tive parkway farther upstream. The proposed
appropriation would carry the project far
as the proposed Cabin John Bridge (inStead of
to Great Falls. as once contemplated. There
the Virginia section would connect with the
Maryland units of the parkway. The ALLEGATION
from Marylands stream valley parks would
complete essential land buying needed to pro-
tect existing park land from commercial en-
croachments. The District money would go for
playground work in the Southwest redevelop-
ment enterprise.
Of the 500 million authorized by the Cap
per-Cramton Act of 1880 a little more than SIG
million in Federal funds has been appropriated
TO which many millions of State and county
appropriations have been added. Approximately
$13 million of the Federal money has been re-
paid, under loan agreements. This has been
highly beneficial investment, from the stand
point of everybody concerned. 1t has paid divi-
dends in the tangible form of more attractive,
more dignified Capital City. There is every
reason to believe that if this or another Con-
gress should decide to renew the program, even
in drastically curtailed pattern the further
investment would be wholly justified