GENERAL MUNICIPAL AND COUNTY PARK PLANNING 99 



6,223,769 or 5.9 per cent of the entire population of the nation. In 1910 

 the percentage of the total population of this group of the total population 

 of the nation was 3.3. The group includes San Francisco, Buffalo, Los 

 Angeles, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Boston, St. Louis, Cleveland and Detroit. 



This group of cities increased more rapidly in population in the decade 

 from 1910 to 1920 than any other group, and they will probably show a 

 greater increase at the 1930 census than any other group. 



The nine cities in this group were reported to have (1925-26) a total of 

 24,920.87 acres of park properties of various types, or an average of 2,768.98 

 acres per city. The ratio of park acreage to population ranges from approx- 

 imately one acre to every 220 inhabitants in San Francisco to one acre to 

 every 421 inhabitants in Cleveland. These ratios are based on the 1925 

 estimates of population. 



It is interesting to note that these 9 cities with an estimated aggre- 

 gate population of over 7.500,000 (1925) have over 5,000 fewer acres of 

 park properties than the 133 cities in Group V with only about 5,000,000 

 population; over 12,000 fewer acres of parks than the 73 cities in Group VI 

 with about 5,500,000 population; nearly 16,000 fewer acres than the 43 

 cities in Group VII with a population of approximately 7,000,000; and over 

 12,600 fewer acres than the 13 cities in Group VIII with an estimated 

 population of approximately 5,000,000. 



These figures substantiate a well-known fact that as cities grow larger 

 it is increasingly difficult to provide the necessary outdoor recreation areas, 

 especially when comprehensive planning has been too long neglected. 



In all these cities the most notable deficiency as to types of properties 

 is in children's playgrounds and neighborhood playfield-parks, two types of 

 properties in a park system that were not given serious consideration in 

 planning until well along in the past quarter of a century. These types are 

 most difficult to obtain after land has once been built up; if they are to be 

 secured in sufficient numbers and area steps should be taken as far as pos- 

 sible ahead of residential development just as the streets are set aside. 



Every one of these nine cities has a planning commission and every 

 one has a more or less comprehensive plan for the extension and develop- 

 ment of its park area. Every one, likewise, has a regional park plan either 

 actually formed or in process of formation. The Boston Regional Park 

 plan is an accomplished fact; Cleveland has made great progress in the 

 development of a regional park plan within recent years; Buffalo and Detroit 

 have made substantial progress through county park systems, but both have 



Note: For literature concerning surveys and plans of a number of the cities in this group see list of Survey 

 Reports in Chapter II, page 68. 



For maps of the Boston Park System see Chapter II, Plates 2, 7, 8 and 9. 



For maps of the suggested plans for children's playgrounds and neighborhood playfield-parks in Baltimore 

 see Chapter II, Plates 4 and 6. 



