Evening star., 1955-01-13
Fight Renewed
Over Use Of
Old School Site
Recreation Agency
Resists Sharing Area
For Fringe Parking

The tug-of-war over use OF the
old Industrial Home School prop
erty on Wisconsin avenue broke
out In earnest again yesterday
between the District Recreation
Department and the Motor We
hicle Parking Agency.
Under the impression that
the Recreation Department had
agreed 20 share the large tract
for purposes of developing am
other fringe parking lot. parking
agency members learned instead
that the department still wants
the entire tract for Fairgrounds.
The agency promptly went on
record to urge the District Com
missioners to set aside enough
of the grounds to provide 238
fringe parking spaces at the
earliest possible moment.
/ Declared Washington I. Cleye-
land, agency member: I'VE ought
to go to bat for these spaces"
Another member, Garfield
Kass. agreed that the strongest
efforts" along these lines should
be made, since this site offers
the best chance for fringe park
ing to be success"
Four Abstain From Voting.
The vote carried by 5 to 0.
with four abstentions. :
What prompted 1t was the
report by Milton Rodes, execu-
tive director of the agency, on
an earlier meeting among
recreation and parking officials
and Col. Thomas A. Lane, Engi-
neer Commissioner.
Acknowledging the contention
of Milo F. Christensen, recrea-
ton superintendent, and Fred
Gichner. Recreation Board chair
man. Col. Lane requested the
Corporation Counsel to deter.
mine whether the Recreation
Act precludes use of the school
property for other than play
purposes.
The parking agency argues
that the Motor Vehicle Parking
Act supersedes the earlier law
and permits use of such land to
ease parking problems here.
Charles M. Upham, agency
chairman. declared his agency is
not trying to take anything
away from the Recreation De-
partment.
Thought Sharing Arranged.
"But we thought that every.
thing had been worked out over
sharing the Industrial School
property" Mr.. Upham said. The
chief exhibit in support OF this
belief, Mr.. Rodes said. is a dia-
gram prepared by National Cap
ital Parks. at the request of the
Recreation Department, showing
the four-acre tract divided into
a number Of play areas. with a
290-space fringe parking lot on
the south portion.
No special bus service would
be provided for the Wisconsin
avenue lot, since streetcars pass
at l-minute intervals during
rush hours and at 6-minute
intervals during off-peak periods.
The subject of this site Tor
fringe parking was raised after
considerable discussion over the
indifferent public response to the
fringe lot at Firth Sterling ave-
nue. and South Capitol street.
The latter lot has been aver
aging fewer than 200 cars daily
for the last three months, during
which motorists have been pay
ing regular Capital Transit co.
fares for the shuttle downtown.
The lot has a 46o-car capacity.
Great Demand Elsewhere.
Nevertheless. Traffic Director
George E. Keneipp declared.
there Is still a great demand for
fringe parking spaces in other
parts of the city"
The traffic director said he also
fayors use Of the Carter Barron
Amphitheater parking lot, with
its 700-to-l ,000-car capacity. az
a fringe parking area, provided
an arrangement can be worked
out with Capital Transit Co. for
special bus service to downtown
Washington.
But there's no use even dis
cussing the amphitheater unless
there is some ENCOURAGEMENT
from Capital Transit" Mr..
Keneipp said. James II. Flana-
gan, transit vice president and
member OF the parking agency,
said he could offer no cause for
optimism.
Capital Transit is delighted to
furnish service anytime. any
where in the city so long as no
deficit is incurred" Mr.. Flana-
gan said.
AS result Of this discussion,
the agency decided to favor the
afnphitheater site. provided a
workable mass transit service
can be established between the
proposed lot and downtown.
Among other actions. the
AGENCY annninfad a nnrrnrrn ifinn