REP0IIT OF THE 



increased appreciation of the means afforded for recreation, 

 and in part to some modification of the prestige of Coney 

 Island as a resort, interest in which prevailed so generally 

 among our people a few years ago. This greatly increased use 

 during the last two years has been specially noteworthy. As a 

 resort for picnicking, the Park seems to have permanently 

 taken the place of many resorts whose imperfect accommoda- 

 tions and meretricious attractions had previously afforded 

 opportunity for out-door pleasuring to large numbers of people. 

 During the past year the school and church organizations 

 (statistical details of which will be found elseAvhere), without 

 regard to sect, have found congenial and acceptable facilities at 

 the Park; it having acquired a deserved repute for comfort, 

 variety of entertainment, and freedom from annoyance and 

 danger. These attractions, together with the accessibility of 

 the grounds, have established for them a permanent reputation 

 in almost every way as a desirable resort. The provisions for 

 other special out-door recreation, such as lawn tennis, croquet, 

 archery, bicycling, cricket, lacrosse, foot-ball and base-ball, 

 miniature yacht sailing, ice boating, and other winter sports on 

 the ice, have been cheerfully extended to large numbers in a belief 

 that the encouragement of such uses of the Park were in 

 harmony with the ideas governing those who planned it, which 

 in substance were to make it, as far as possible, available to the 

 whole public for every proper and reasonable pleasure. These 

 provisions, to a large extent, are not common to public parks 

 generally, and in arranging accommodations for some of them 

 a considerable expenditure of money was required. This has 

 caused the diversion of a portion of our limited funds from the 

 more specific requirements of maintenance work, but the results 

 of these expenditures have contributed so directly to the comfort 

 and pleasure of all classes of our citizens that it can hardly be 

 made the subject of regret. 



The principal features of the work of the year have been the 

 renewal of the surfaces of portions of our road system, made 

 necessary l>\ their condition as to wear, ordinary deterioration 

 and superficial treatment, to which they had been subjected. 



