180 Chicago Bureau of Public Efficiency 



the West and Lincoln Park Boards was due to lax super- 

 vision. 



Need for Reorganization. 



1. The park acreage in Chicago is very unequally 

 divided among the three sides of the city. In addition 

 to the Special Park Commission of the City government, 

 there are now ten distinct park governments within the 

 city and there is still considerable city territory not within 

 any park district, which, although receiving park benefits, 

 pays no taxes for park purposes. 



2. A muhiplicity of park districts is not conducive to 

 economy or efficiency and the Bureau recommends that 

 all park governments within the City of Chicago be con- 

 solidated with the city government as soon as possible. A 

 suggested plan of organization for a consolidated park 

 government is charted herein. 



3. The park governments of Chicago as now organ- 

 ized are not easily susceptible of control by the people of 

 Chicago. The West and Lincoln Park Boards are ap- 

 pointed by the Governor of Illinois and the South Park 

 Board by the Circuit Judges of Cook County. Consoli- 

 dation of the several park governments with the city gov- 

 ernment would centralize control and responsibility and 

 make the government of the parks more democratic. 



4. The items of cost which it may be definitely fore- 

 seen might be eliminated under a consolidated park gov- 

 ernment aggregate $500,000 a year. The Bureau is con- 

 fident that many other opportunities for reducing park 

 costs and increasing efficiency would become apparent 

 after a consolidation was effected. The sum of $500,000 

 a year would go a great ways in extending Chicago's sys- 

 tem of small parks and playgrounds. Some idea of the 

 number of additional faciHties which might be secured 

 with an annual expenditure of that amount is afforded 

 by the fact that at the close of 1910 the Special Park 



