Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-06-02
Play vs.. Freewuy


The recent concern ex-
pressed about park and rec
reational facilities on Capitol
Hill comes as a real surprise.
We had no idea the Highway
Department, Bureau of Pub
lie Roads. National Capital
Parks and others were SO
interested. For two years,
40 community organizations
seeking more recreational ia
cilities for this area have had
no encouragement whatever
from these groups, despite
many visits, letters and calls.
Now that the District Com
miSsioners plan to study put
ting a freeway through West
AM costia Park - a vast
wasteland for 40 years-they
decry the loss of recreational
space for Capitol Hill. Where
were these sentiments when
the original plans were
drawn, knocking out more
than four acres of recrea-
tional space in our area and
knitting through East Ana
costa Park? There was also
something about these same
groups fighting to run a
freeway through Glover
Archbold Park. We are hap
by to learn about their
change of heart on recrea-
ton versus freeways.
Two years ago. the Capitol
Hill Improvement Committee
was formed to press for more
recreational space and better
facilities and supervision in
our area. After a survey
showed only SIS working
pieces Of play equipment in
an area with $4,000 children,
we were dismayed to find
that freeway plans called for
taking a major portion of
what we had. The Highway
Department itself said four
acres of recreational area,
largely in Garfield Park and
the Virginia Avenue Play
ground, will be lost to free
ways. The great majority of
this space is in the path of
the Southeast freeway.
But the Highway Depart
ment refused to take any &C
ton to help find substitute
facilities. Even now, this de-
partment is contesting with
the Recreation Department
for the right to take over a
surplus Fire Department mt
building in our area. Recrea-
ton would turn it into a
community center and play
ground - the Highway De-
partment insists it's needed
for the storage of light poles.
The community has suggest
ed on several occasions that
freeway rights-of-way might
provide some opportunities
for play space. but got the
cold shoulder until the High
way Department used the
idea to show its deep interest
In our recreational problems.
The Bureau of Public
Roads showed a little more
sympathy for our problems,
but refused to initiate any
action. That, we were told,
is up to the District of Co.
lumbia Highway Department.
The National Park Service
is another johnny come-late-
ly to our needs. We called
on the local regional office,
National Capital Parks, two
years ago to ask for help.
We have over two dozen of
their little parks" in our
area, plus Lincoln Park.
Stanton Park, Folger Park
and Marion Park, and the
only "recreational facilities"
are a few benches and some
mo Ballplaying Permitted"
signs. We wanted equipment
for tiny tots in the postage
stamp triangles. larger equip
ment in the others. On both
these counts, the present di-
rector Of the National Capt.
tai Parks turned us down
cold. Parks are parks, but EVIL
IDENTIFY they're not for recrea-
ton.
We are pleased to read
that these groups have seen
the light and that we can
now expect their fullest CO.
operation.
George Chiefly,
Capitol Hill Improvement