Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-12-10

ing space" not only for subur-
banites but also for Washing
tons burgeoning population.
The planners also would
maintain the suburban green
strips" and rural countryside
farther out by:
/. Use Of coming and subdivi-
sion control to preserve richer
farmland. small acreage estates
and wooded areas.
2. Encouragement of sound
planning in the location and de-
velopment Of semipublic and
Federal and State owned IA
cilities.
Hearings Scheduled
The General Plan, prepared by
the staff of the Maryland-Na-
tional Capital Park and Planning
Commission, is scheduled for
public hearings at 8 pm. Deem
Der II at Suitland High School
and December 10 at Mont
gomery-Blair High School, Silver
Spring.
Montgomery, fortunately, has
a fairly extensive park system.
Besides 2,400 acres in its stream
valley system, there are in the
regional district 80 local parks
and $500 acres of Federally-
owned land along the c. g. o.
Canal.
In Prince Georges, although
there are about 1900 acres in
the stream valley parks and huge
open tracts owned by the Fed
eral Government. there is a def
mite shortage of local parks,
planners believe.
The General Plan aims for
standards of one acre of open
Iparkland for 80 persons and one
Iacre of active recreation area
Iper 600 persons. both above Ma
Itional Recreation Association
standards.
Stepped-up Program Urged
Skyrocketing land values and
the vanishing open land have
prompted planners to urge a
stepped-up program of park
land acquisition while land is
available at prices the taxpayers
can still afford. Purchases in adj
vance Of residential development
makes land available at reason
able acreage prices.
The General Plan calls for &C
quiring some 1000 acres more in
the stream valley parks which
extend out in narrow fingers
from the District of Columbia.
In addition it urges establish.
ment of a regional park system
J that to include 10 big acreage
parks available for picnicking
; camping, horseback riding, goli
and other activities. They woulc
be on the suburban fringe.
Sites Selected
The sites. selected because Of
, their accessibility to Washington
area residents and their avail.
ability, generally are:
/. 200 acres in the triangle
formed by Bells Mill road, thu
new National pike and Cabir
John creek.
) 2. 300 acres in the ares
: bounded by Northwest Branch
the proposed Northern Parkway
and Bonifant road. "a golI
course also is proposed here.)
) 3. 200 acres along thu
Patuxent river between the Trid.
; adelphia and Rocky Gorge
reservoirs.
! 4. 1000 acres along Rocl
Creek in Avery road section
near Rockville.
5. 500 acres north of Arcols
avenue and west of the Northern
Parkway to serve the heavilS
built up Wheaton area.
s. 1900 acres now owned b,
the Federal Government south
of Greenbelt road between Ed.
monston road and the Balti-
more-Washington Expressway.
z. 300 acres for golf course
and park adjacent to Palmer
Park subdivision and south Of
Sheriff road.
8. 1000 acres on Potomac
river in Oxon Hill-Piscataway
area to help preserve waterfront
opposite Mount Vernon.
I 9. 1000 acres along two tribu-
taries Of southwest branch OF
Patuxent River.
10. 500 acres along Henson
Greek south Of Oxon Hill.
Federal Assistance Aim
Because they would serve
District of Columbia as well as
Maryland residents, planners
feel these parks should be ac-
quired on a basis similar to the
Stream Valley parks with Fed
eral assistance.
The park system proposed in
the General plan encompasses
two other concepts to round out
recreational area services.
I One is the small local neigh
borhood park of which there are
now 81 in the Maryland area.
7 The other is the Youth Center
a sort Of USO for civilian teen
ayers.
\ Ten Of these centers, to in
,clude rooms for games, dancing
snacks, crafts. club meetings,
would be opened to meet the
needs Of teen-agers for after
school and nighttime recrea-
ton.
They would be located at Be-
Ithesda, Wheaton. Silver Spring
Lankley Park. Heurich Tract
Greenbelt. Bladensburg. Fair