Evening star., 1960-09-28
Pledges Drive
Against Rising
Encrouchment
BY PHIL THOMAS
Star Staf Writer

AOO4 VI Vic NdCAOll lCdulllS
park and recreation organiza-
tions pledged today to support
a campaign againstse encroach-
ment on the National Capital
Parks system.
Meeting at the Shoreham
Hotel in conjunction with ses-
sions of the National Recrea-
tion Congress, the committee
specified as one of its goals an
effort to awaken Americans to
encroachment on park and
recreation lands.
The declaration of aims came
after a statement by T. Sutton
Jet. associate superintendent
of National Capital Parks. that
encroachment by public works
on recreation land in the
Washington area has re-
moved about $50 acres recent
ly from park use.
Today's committee meeting
represents the National Rec
reation Society and the Ameri-
can Recreation Society, which
are sponsoring the congress
this week. and also represents
the American Institute of Park
Executives and the National
Conference of State Parks.
Will Suggest Legislation
The committee also resolved
to draft sample legislation to
protect parklands across the
Nation. This suggested legisla-
ton would call for replacement
of park and recreation lands
which are taken out of circula-
ton by expanding highway
networks and other public
works.
The committee called for
amendment and strengthening
of the Federal Highway Act to
give protection to parklands
affected by the developing in
terstate highway system. Mr..
Jett in his statement said that
porion of Prince William
Park near Quanico, Va, is be-
| ing used for the right of way
for a section Of an interstate
highway.
He also said an area of
Greenbelt Park has been used
for widening of another high
way. and park land is being
eliminated to provide a right
Of way for the AnacoStia free
way from the Jones Point
Bridge to the Baltimore-Wash-
ington parkway. This brought
about elimination of the 49,
hole Anacostia Park golf course.
l2O gencies in Survey
Today's committee recon-
mendationS specifically called
for stopping encroachments
here that would detract from
treasured historic Shrines,
monuments, memorials" and
the Mall area.
NCP was one of more than
120 park and recreation agen-
cieS which responded to a sur
vey carried out by the National
Committee on Encroachment
of Recreation-Park Lands and
Waters, meeting at the Shore
ham.
Its chairman, Donald F. Sim,
superintendent of recreation
and parks in Flint, Mich, said
the survey shows that en-
croachment is increasing at an
alarming rate" with the most
serious offenders being local,
State and Federal highways
which are "gobbling up thou
sands of acres of recreation
area"
Cites New Stadium
Mr.. Jett cited the new Wash
ington stadium and 12,000-car
parking lot now under con-
Struction on the banks of the
AnacoStia River next to the
National Guard Armory as an
other case of encroachment.
He said the park service is
happy to have the stadium
but that it is felt the open space
should have remained as it is.
I'VE don't have any money
to buy additional land, but as
our population grows, a de-
mand for these open spaces
increases" Mr.. Jett said.
How we can continue this
encroachment in the future
and still meet our needs for
additional parkland 1 do not
know"
He said NCP, in responding
to the request for survey in
formation, did not include "A
acres removed from park use
during the recent rechanneling
of District streets bordering
small parks and squares in
Washington.