GENERAL PLANNING OF A PARK SYSTEM 31 



area for the young people of the intermediate age group. Modern edu- 

 cational systems organized on the six-three-three basis recognize three 

 groups, it is true, but from the community recreation viewpoint junior and 

 senior high school sites should each be large enough to be considered as 

 integral parts of the community system of neighborhood playfield-parks. 

 The community system of neighborhood playfield-parks is likely to include 

 other properties in addition to the sites of these high schools. 



Almost invariably in a well planned and balanced system of play- 

 grounds and neighborhood playfield-parks each of the latter may include 

 one of the children's playgrounds comprised within the radius of influence 

 of the neighborhood playfield-park. 



In determining the desirable minimum size of a neighborhood play- 

 field-park the important factor is not the possible number of patrons, 

 although above the desirable minimum size the possible number of patrons 

 becomes important in determining the desirable size in a given neighbor- 

 hood. The important factors in determining the desirable minimum size 

 of any playfield-park are the requirements for a proper divisional layout 

 and for a proper layout of play facilities in each division of the area. A 

 fully developed neighborhood playfield-park may have five more or less 

 distinct divisions children's playground area, girls' and women's games 

 and athletic field, boys' and men's games and athletic field, site for field 

 house or for a community house and swimming pool, a fairly wide parked 

 border and if possible a neighborhood park. 



To secure this type of layout the least possible minimum would be 

 ten acres, and fifteen acres would be preferable, especially if the site hap- 

 pens to be also the site of a junior or senior high school. This desirable 

 minimum size is regardless of the density of population for the reason 

 that the gross area depends upon the desirable unit elements which com- 

 prise the layout rather than the number of young people and adults within 

 its effective radius. The most desirable size of a neighborhood playfield- 

 park, in order to satisfy amply all possible requirements, would range from 

 twenty to thirty acres. 



III. MISCELLANEOUS TYPES OF ACTIVE RECREATION AREAS 



It is not uncommon now to find in park and recreation systems 

 throughout the United States areas specifically designed to minister to 

 one major activity. Their distribution as a general rule does not conform 

 to any principle of distribution in relation to the population as in the case 

 of children's playgrounds and neighborhood playfields and certain other 

 areas comprised in a fully developed park system. Natural advantages, 

 as in the case of swimming beaches; topography, as in the case of golf 



