PLAYGROUNDS IN PARKS 



in a very decorative way, usually in connection with a tennis house. 

 Unfortunately the tendency there is to place them under the direction 

 of private clubs, as at Naples and Florence, which deducts that much 

 park area from the use of the public. Such isolation is not necessary, 

 as we have many instances in this country where separate tennis courts 

 are made an integral part of the park. In Washington, tennis courts 

 have been used both in groups and as separate units with ornamental 

 effect. A game court given a proper landscape setting may become a 

 meritorious adjunct to any park, augmenting its interest without 

 detracting from its beauty. 



PARK ECONOMY 



The cost of maintenance of game courts should not deter park 

 authorities from incorporating them in park design. Aside from the 

 initial expense, which is not unreasonable if considered as a part of 

 the development of the park as a whole, the slight additional cost of 

 the park maintenance is more than compensated for in the increased 

 interest which will be shown by the residents, — which means increased 

 support for park projects. 



Playgrounds are a park economj\ The observation was made in 

 Washington that when playgrounds were provided in a neighbourhood 

 the cost of up-keep of the small parks in that neighbourhood was con- 

 siderably lessened; in other words, if the youngsters are occupied in 

 legitimate play in a supervised playground they have less time to be 

 up to mischief in demolishing parks of the neighbourhood. This fact, 

 however, is not an argument in favour of including playgroimds in 

 parks. They are a foreign element, distiu'bing and incompatible. 

 Attempted amalgamation between parks and playgrounds results 

 always in the annihilation of one, which in the j^^^ist has never proven 

 to be that of the playground. 



