ties for citizens whose States lack adequate coastal 



facilities. 



D. Local 



Historically, local governments were the first to 

 concern themselves with providing outdoor recrea- 

 tion facilities, and it is at the local level that the 

 greatest activity takes place with respect to marine 

 recreation. 



Municipalities not only operate seaside parks 

 and beaches, but also run docks and marinas and 

 provide a wide range of marine recreational facili- 

 ties. By far the largest number of parks are still run 

 by local governments. Attendance figures for local 

 parks and beaches are for the most part rough 

 estimates, but it can be safely assumed that local 

 parks and beaches provide recreation opportunities 

 for more people than the National and State 

 systems. 



Although the Commission has relatively little 

 systematic information about local park systems 

 available, field visits conveyed the impression of 

 high quaUty work, professionaUsm, ambition, plan- 

 ning expertise, and poUtical acceptance of the 

 local park systems in such coastal cities as Milwau- 

 kee, Chicago, San Diego, and Santa Monica. But 

 not all local systems are as impressive. Many local 

 goverrmients deserve praise for the foresight, en- 

 ergy, and expenditures they have made to provide 

 facilities for their citizens. A positive sign is the 

 increase in the number of municipal bathing 

 beaches from 951 in 1960 to 1,261 in 1965. 



But there are two serious adverse factors. First, 

 in some cities, such as Chicago, New York, and 

 Milwaukee, virtually all shoreline usable for recrea- 

 tion already is park property and is insufficient for 

 projected demand. Second, a growing tendency by 

 counties and municipalities adjoining large urban 

 areas to restrict their local parks to use by local 

 residents threatens to surround major concentra- 

 tions of population with recreation facilities they 

 are forbidden to use. This latter development 

 particularly discriminates against low-income 

 groups and racial minorities. 



However, when State or Federal funds are used 

 by counties and municipahties for acquisition, 

 development, or operation of facilities, such local 

 residency restrictions are prohibited. Land and 

 Water Conservation Funds are available to local 

 governments from their State's allocation. The 

 local projects for which funds are requested must 

 fit within the framework of State objectives 



outlined in the approved overall State recreation 

 plan. 



A Bureau of Outdoor Recreation survey of 

 expenditures in 45 of the 50 States shows State 

 agencies spent an average of $ 1 50 million and local 

 public agencies in those same States an average of 

 $280 million on outdoor recreation capital im- 

 provements in each of the three years before the 

 passage of the Land and Water Conservation Fund 

 Act. Since its passage, capital expenditures for 

 recreation have averaged $291 million (State) and 

 $335 mUlion (local) each year. 



These overall amounts, which do not identify 

 marine recreation expenditures, seem to be in 

 approximately the right relative proportion. How- 

 ever, serious divergences occur in some areas. For 

 example, during the three-year period 1965-1967 a 

 total of $9,050,220 of Land and Water Conserva- 

 tion Fund monies were requested for marine 

 recreation projects by nine States in the densely 

 populated northeast segment of the United 

 States. But only $78,218 went to local govern- 

 ments. Why such a trivial sum was spent on local 

 projects is not certainly known, but it may be 

 partly because local governments were not suffi- 

 ciently ready to utilize the funds in the first years 

 of the program and partly because States were 

 reluctant to pass the funds on to local govern- 

 ments. On the other hand, it may be that the Land 

 and Water Conservation Fund requirement not to 

 be restrictive in use of lands acquired and devel- 

 oped with its monies discourages local govern- 

 ments from participating in the fund. 



V. PRIVATE ENTERPRISE 



A very important role in marine outdoor 

 recreation not always recognized, is played by 

 private enterprise. The enormous private invest- 

 ments in such coastal resort cities as Miami Beach 

 and Atlantic City, and their numerous but smaller 

 counterparts along our coastUne, provide services 

 and facilities to people seeking a variety of 

 outdoor recreation experience ranging from big- 

 game fishing to lounging on the patio of a luxury 

 hotel with seascape as background. 



Vast numbers of marinas, boat rentals, artificial 

 reefs, fishing piers, charter boats, beaches, private 

 swimming clubs, hunting clubs, and preserves 

 provided by private entrepreneurs also help greatly 

 to accorrmiodate the demand for marine-oriented 



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