THE TOWNSGAPE 77 



is one of the phenomena which we must take into account. We, in 

 Philadelphia, are deeply resolved that we will, in cooperation with 

 the Federal Government, see to it that the benefits of urban renewal 

 and of the city beautification programs are more widely dispersed 

 throughout all parts of the city needing them than they are at the 

 present. 



I feel very strongly, and the panel backs me in this, that the urban 

 beautification section of title VIII of the housing program now before 

 the Congress can become a very important instrument for the accom- 

 plishment of this objective, and this panel urges that this legislation 

 be adopted in the form in which it is presently before the Congress 

 and that it be supported by adequate funds and that it be admin- 

 istered in a very creative fashion. 



In Philadelphia over the last several years we have developed the 

 concept that we will move into the most depressed areas of the city ; 

 that we will establish in the center of these areas oases of beauty 

 parks and squares next to beloved monuments and landmarks which 

 will serve as rallying points for neighborhood pride and identification 

 and, in the process, identification with the city as a whole. 



Our first effort in this regard, our greenway in the Southwest 

 Temple area, had a magnificent plan which centered on a small civic 

 square, but the budget of the Housing Authority was such that our 

 park was paved with blacktop and had only a few, poor little locust 

 trees on it. 



I believe profoundly that if this title VIII of the Housing and 

 Community Development Act of 1965, providing for urban beauti- 

 fication, is administered in a creative fashion, not to extend the pro- 

 gram but to intensify and develop real quality, real beauty, real in- 

 spiration in the projects which are already underway in the cities, 

 that we can lift this kind of thing up to the level of excitement; take 

 it up over the hump so that it does stir people. 



Our next great effort was in Society Hill in Philadelphia. Here, 

 with the full support of the Federal agencies and the city, we created 

 great beauty in this section of middle- and upper-income families. It 

 is a matter of great importance to me that when this Society Hill 

 project was visited by groups from the most depressed areas of the 

 city, they did not respond with jealousy or resentment. It was exactly 

 the opposite. They said, "This is great." They were proud that this 

 was in their city and they said they wanted this in their neighborhood 

 also. 



