DESIGN OF PARK AND RECREATION AREAS 181 



not seriously interfere with their primary purpose of providing maximum 

 opportunity for rest, relaxation and repose or which are of such a nature 

 as will not seriously interfere with the maintenance of the environmental 

 characteristics conducive to those desirable physical and mental conditions. 

 Some of the types of semi-active and active recreation that may possibly 

 be considered in designing these areas are as follows: 



1. Little children may be permitted to play at will about the lawns 

 under the eyes of their mothers, nurses or older sisters, or a special pro- 

 tected nook may be designed for them where a few simple pieces of equip- 

 ment may be provided. 



2. Games especially adapted to lawns and which may be played by 

 both older children and adults, such as lawn croquet, hand tennis, etc., 

 may be permitted. 



3. Quiet games, such as checkers, dominoes and chess, which may be 

 played by both adults and children. The equipment necessary consists of 

 tables and benches scattered about the park. These are quite necessary 

 for other purposes to which the park may be put. 



4. Music, in the form of band concerts, solo and chorus singing, victrola 

 and radio concerts, might properly be conducted in parks of this character. 

 The essential equipment requires a band stand which might be so designed 

 as to serve as a shelter with a storage place underneath the band stand 

 floor. This structure might also be so designed as to serve as a small theatre, 

 although a naturalistic stage would be more appropriate in this type of 

 park. 



5. Dramatics, in the form of small pageants, plays, small play festivals, 

 might very appropriately be presented in these parks. A small naturalistic 

 stage could more often be included in the design of those parks located in 

 residential neighborhoods than has hitherto been the case. 



6. In small communities and in neighborhoods of larger communities 

 these parks may serve admirably for social gatherings of various kinds and also 

 for public addresses and community or neighborhood celebrations. In some 

 large cities the design of downtown squares provides special areas for public 

 addresses. These areas are usually graveled and have no special provision 

 for seating. In many communities of the country where the Spanish influ- 

 ence prevails the downtown plaza or square is a genuine social center. In 

 country communities all over the United States the downtown square serves 

 much the same purpose. 



For all these purposes very little equipment of a material character 

 foreign to the landscape environment is required. The most conspicuous 

 would be a combined shelter and band stand, seats and perhaps a few tables. 



In the larger intown parks throughout the country there are numerous 



