20 



control, northeast of the Plaza, so as to include the suggested extension of 

 Clinton avenue in our general scheme of approaches to the principal gateway 

 of the Park. 



It Avill be observed on an examination of the modified plan that the whole 

 design is now more symmetrical than it was as originally presented, the 

 junction of Clinton avenue, with the Plaza on one side, as proposed, corres- 

 ponding with the junction of Douglas street, with the Plaza on the other 

 side — as now laid down on the city map. 



It will also be noticed that, after crossing Underhill avenue, Butler, 

 Douglas and Degraw streets are now arranged to approach the Park on 

 lines more direct than those indicated on the preliminary study submitted 

 for consideration last year. 



It would undoubtedly add much to the value of the Park if it could 

 be reached, by citizens living at a distance, through liberally conceived 

 approaches which were, in all their extent, convenient and pleasant to walk, 

 ride or drive in. But the value of the property which would have to be 

 acquired by the City, and of that which would necessarily be destroyed in 

 forming an improvement of this character through any part of the region 

 west and north of Prospect Hill, is now so great that no scheme for the 

 purpose would be likely to meet with favor. It is, however, not too late to 

 consider whether routes approaching the Park and connecting its drives 

 with other points, in which your constituents will have special interest, may 

 not be laid out beyond that part of the city in which the value of land is 

 already so great as to make such undertakings formidable. 



In our preliminary report we suggested routes leading from the south- 

 western part of the Park toward Fort Hamilton and Coney Island. "We 

 have since observed that an avenue likely to be, at no distant day, quite as 

 useful as either of these, might be formed between the eastern gate of the 

 Park and the high land about the Eidgewood reservoir, following the present 

 city line. When the streets now planned in this vicinity shall have been 

 once opened, it will be impossible to lay out a spacious and attractive road- 

 way leading in this direction without destroying very valuable property. 

 During the next two or three years, however, it would probably be found 

 practicable to make such local modifications in the general street system as 

 would leave it no less convenient than at present, and yet would allow of 

 the introduction of a broad boulevard, shaded by agreeable plantations and 

 adapted for use as a pleasure drive, ride and walk. The route suggested 

 would make frequent curves and considerable inequalities of surface desi- 

 rable, and this circumstance would operate to prevent its general use for 

 any other purpose than for pleasure travel and access to the buildings by 

 which it would be lined. 



