4 
Annual Report 
thoroughly justifies your policy of considerable extension of the 
system of small playgrounds in congested districts in the city. 
These, together with the wise increase of more ample school 
grounds, will drain many of the streets of children, and will give 
them at least some of the opportunities for healthful play to 
which they are surely entitled. 
In addition to the local down-town playgrounds, the park- 
w^ays embraced within the general plan in the many different 
residence districts also happily provide for just such local play- 
grounds as essential elements of their usefulness, and the early 
acquisition out of present funds of some of these parkways will 
accomplish the dual purpose of providing playgrounds as well 
as connecting thoroughfares between principal parks and princi- 
pal residence districts. There are many characteristically beauti- 
ful properties lying within the areas recommended in the general 
plan \\hich it will not be possible to acquire out of the fund 
recently authorized. Among them, however, there are some 
properties which should be secured now, although their improve- 
ment mav be considerably delayed. The rapid growth of the 
residential districts will absorb quite a number of very fine lands 
essential to the accomplishment of these general improvements, 
and it is certainly the part of wisdom and material economy to 
secure some of these now. Until certain of your essentially fine 
viewpoints, which are not yet public property, are acquired, and 
until these are conveniently connected with each other and with 
existing fine park lands by means of parkways and a moderate 
mileage of boulevards, the public will not fully realize the very 
great potential beauty of the city and the tremendous commercial 
and civic value of fine appearance. 
The establishment of the boulevards proposed under the 
general recommendations and their improvement and proper 
maintenance can not be too strongly urged. This will further 
serve to unify the city and its different residential sections and 
