GENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROL OF PARKS 



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education, subject to its consent; to supervise and equip 

 playgrounds and playfields on property under the con- 

 trol of the commissioner of parks and boulevards; and 

 to manage and direct Such playgrounds, playfields, 

 indoor recreation centers, debating clubs, gymnasiums, 

 public baths, and other means of recreation as may be 

 provided by the common council, (b) Shall have power 

 to inspect all forms of commercial recreation, such as 

 theafes, moving picture shows, pocl and billiard halls, 

 bowling alleys and other commercial recreation places 

 for which license is required by the ordinances of the 

 city, and such license shall be issued only on the written 

 recommendation of the commissioner that such recrea- 

 tion place is furnishing recreation of a wholesome and 

 moral quality; provided, that nothing in the section 

 shall be construed to abridge the powers of the police 

 department to enforce order in such commercial recrea- 

 tion places, or to abridge the powers of the building and 

 safety engineering, lighting, health and fire departments 

 to ensure the safetyand sanitary conditions of the build- 

 ings where such commercial recreations are conducted. 

 (c) Shall have the power, subject to the general regula- 

 tive control of the common council, to call upon any 

 other department of the city government for assistance 

 in performing its duties, and it shall be the duty of such 

 other department to comply with any proper request of 

 said commissioner, and any question as to what shall 

 constitute a proper request for assistance shall be 

 decided by the council, (d) May, with the approval of 

 the common council, in the name of the city, take and 

 hold, by purchase, gift, device, bequest, or otherwise, 

 such real and personal property as may be needful for 

 carrying out the intents and purposes for which it is 

 established, (e) Shall recommend to the common coun- 

 cil the institution of condemnation proceedings when- 

 ever, in his judgment, private property should be taken 

 in the name of the city for the purposes of the com- 

 missioner. (/) May, with the approval of the common 

 council, sell and convey or lease lands whenever required 

 by the interests of the city, (g) May make, with the 

 approval of the common council, all contracts to carry 

 out the objects and purposes of the commissioner as 

 herein provided. (K) May establish all reasonable rules 

 to regulate recreation and the means thereof, in accord- 

 ance with the provisions hereof, and rules to protect 

 the rights and property vested in the city and under 

 the control of the commissioner, (i) Shall be charged 

 with the duty of issuing permits for the use of grounds 

 under its supervision, including playgrounds on Belle 

 Isle. (;') Shall provide, through the purchasing depart- 

 ment of the city, all necessary materials and supplies for 



the use of the department; and (k) Shall have such 

 other powers as are herein prescribed or may be neces- 

 sary hereunder for the proper discharge of his duties. 



Section 6. Care of buildings, grounds and apparatus. 

 All buildings and grounds and all apparatus under the 

 control of any other department used by the commis- 

 sioner hereunder for the purpose of furnishing recrea- 

 tion shall remain under the care of such other depart- 

 ment, and the actual expense of such care, together with 

 the cost of renewals, properly chargeable to the com- 

 missioner shall be paid by the commissioner on bills 

 rendered monthly by such other department. Any 

 question as to what shall constitute a proper charge 

 hereunder shall be determined by the common council. 

 The care of all buildings, grounds and apparatus shall 

 devolve on the commissioner. 



Section 7. Annual estimate, taxes, bonds. On or 

 before the fifteenth day of January of each year, the 

 commissioner shall transmit to city controller his esti- 

 mate in duplicate of the amount of money required for 

 the purpose of his department for the ensuing fiscal 

 year. The city shall raise by annual tax the necessary 

 funds to provide for the operation and extension of the 

 recreation system through the use of facilities already 

 owned by the city, and the common council may raise 

 moneys by annual tax, or by the issue of bonds, for 

 the acquirement of additional property, the erection 

 of necessary buildings or the purchase of additional 

 facilities. 



Section 8. Annual report. The commissioner shall, on 

 or before the fifteenth day of January in each year, 

 make a written report to the common council of the 

 work of the commissioner during the preceding year 

 and of the condition of the property under his charge. 

 The report shall be certified by the commissioner, 

 entered on record by the city clerk, and published in 

 such manner as the council may direct. The commis- 

 sioner shall also make such ether reports as the council 

 may, from time to time, require. 



Section 9. Complaints. The commissioner shall 

 promptly investigate and make report to the bureau of 

 complaints concerning all complaints referred by such 

 bureau to the commissioner relative to the performance 

 of his duties. 



Section 10. Commissioner ex officio member of board of 

 supervisors. The commissioner shall be ex officio a mem- 

 ber of the board of supervisors of the county of Wayne. 



Section 1 1. Legislation by common council. The com- 

 mon council shall enact such ordinances as may be 

 necessary to carry out the provisions of this chapter. 



An interesting feature of this law is the fact that the commissioner of 

 recreation has the power to supervise and equip playgrounds on property 

 under the control of the commissioner of parks and boulevards. A very 



