28 REPORT OF PARK COMMISSIONERS 



The Children's Playground, with all of its accessories for 

 the amusement and safety of the little folk and the comforts 

 and convenience extended to visitors other than children, is 

 maintained directly by the Park Board. Everything, as far 

 as possible, is given to the public free, the charge levied for 

 refreshment being the actual cost of food. For swings, merry- 

 go-rounds, donkey and goat rides, the price has been reduced 

 so that the Playground can hardly be called self-sustaining. 

 Golden Gate Park is the pioneer in this field of entertainment 

 for children. Eastern and European cities have sent to San 

 Francisco for object lessons, and are being guided by the 

 example in our Park. In 1887, F. W. Sharon and Frank G. 

 Newlands, Trustees of the estate of William Sharon, in carry- 

 ing out the provisions of the testator's will, gave the Park 

 Commissioners $50,000 to establish the Children's Playground. 

 The boating privileges on Stow Lake yield a small revenue 

 to the Park, and the rates for the hire of the craft are fixed 

 by the Board of Commissioners. At the Beach Chalet the 

 charge for refreshment covers simply cost of the food. 



Music is FREE 



The music in the Park is free. No charge whatever is 

 made for attending the band concerts. The Temple of Music, 

 constructed at a cost of $75,000, was given to the public by 

 the late Claus Spreckels, and is a monument to his generosity 

 and a tribute in enduring stone to the genius of the architect. 

 The cost of providing free concerts for the public approximates 

 $10,000 per annum, and is paid from the amount allowed by 

 the Charter for park maintenance. 



The tennis and handball courts, the baseball fields and the 

 speed tracks of the famed stadium are free for all comers. 

 If a slight charge were made, simply enough to cover the ex- 

 pense of attendance and cleaning of the grounds, the Commis- 

 sioners would find it easier to meet the demands for main- 

 tenance, but this could not be done without departure from 

 the policy of giving to the public free of cost every opportunity 

 for normal recreation. 



