A Park System for Small Towfijst* 



C. E. Chambers, Park Commissioner, Toronto, Ont. 



NO town, however small, can afford 

 to grow up without providing 

 suitably for the parks and open 

 spaces it will surely need if its beautifica- 

 tion and healthfulness are to receive pro- 

 per consileration. In practically all of our 



requirements when development has pro- 

 bably extended its boundaries far into the 

 environs. In the preparation of the plan 

 the location and distribution of the park 

 areas should be given careful thought, 

 to the end that each section or district 



older cities we have examples of how 

 rapid development and attending con- 

 gestion have crowded out the open spaces 

 which should have been preserved for 

 the creation and enjoyment of the people. 

 Railways and other undesirable features 

 have been allowed to thrust themselves 

 upon the lake or river front, despoiling 

 it for ever of its natural charm and 

 beauty, and robbing the city or town of 

 its chief attractiveness, and areas which 

 at one time f)Ossessed infinite possibili- 

 ties in scenic value are pre-empted and 

 needlessly destroyed for commercial pur- 

 poses. There is no excuse for such con- 

 ditions obtaining in the growing town if 

 the lesson of properly planning for its 

 development is learned in due season. 

 With the wide world furnishing, as it 

 does, a school in which this knowledge 

 may be freely had there is no excuse for 

 neglect to learn this lesson. 



PREPARATION OF PLAN 



The early preparation of a comprehen- 

 sive plan is the first step in the conser- 

 vation of the features of natural beauty 

 with which a town may be endowed or 

 surrounded, and for the setting apart of 

 areas for park and recreation purposes 

 and the estabilishmenit of 'boufcvards, 

 playgrounds, squares, or open spaces. 

 This plan will have largely in mind not 

 only the town's needs of to-day, as evi- 

 denced within its present limits, but the 



•An addresa delivered at the recent annual 

 oonvenUon of the Ontario Horticnltural Acao- 

 oiation. 



may have its proper complement of 

 parks, squares, recreation grounds, and 

 playgrounds, properly related in their 

 location to the purposes to be served 

 by them. 



The most striking scenery of a dis- 

 trict will naturally be reserved for park 

 purposes, and especially the banks of a 

 stream or the water front — where such 

 exist. Waste or marshy areas may be 

 profitably reclaimed and converted into 



pleasure grounds. Wooded areas acf- 

 joiningr the town will, of course, be con- 

 served, and park lands will be secured 

 within its probable boundaries, as finan- 

 cial means will permit. 



THE PARK SITE 



In selecting a park site attention 

 should be particularly paid to the mat- 

 ter of its boundaries. It is a somewhat 

 common error to neglect this. Where 

 necessary to a complete picture, the 

 whole of a hillside should be secured, the 

 whole of a body of water, or the whole 

 of a glen or ravine. The appearance of 

 many parks is marred by an impression 

 of incompleteness, brought about by the 

 unnatural restriction and limitation of 

 their boundaries. The park within the 

 town will necessarily be bounded by 

 streets, but on no account should its 

 boundaries be built upon. Back yards 

 as a frame to a park should not be tol- 

 erated. The park should be an aid to 

 the town's beauty, instead of being con- 

 cealed in the rear of buildings, however 

 desirable . 



REVELOPMENT OP SITE 



The development of the park site in- 

 volves a serious responsibility. It calls 

 for the preservation of natural beauty, 

 and the creation of that which should 

 add its share of charm to the town's 

 attractiveness. The location and topo- 

 graphy of the site will, of course, govern 

 to a considerable degree the treatment 

 to be accorded it, but great care must 

 be exercised in this, lest, in too great 

 straining for ornamentation, the natural 

 advantages whidh nearly every well- 

 chosen area possesses be lost in the 

 effort to improve, and an artificial and 

 undesirable result be substituted there- 

 for. 



Racrcation Aica, B«llwco<l* Faik, Toiocto, Onl. 



