Park Commission 
387 
On November 4, 1912, the qualified electors, by a two-thirds 
majority, voted the Park Commissioners a bond issue of $750,000.00 
for the acquisition and improvement of parks, parkways and play- 
grounds. 
During the past year the board has been indebted to public- 
spirited and generous citizens for gifts of land, page 401, and for 
moneys for concerts, page 401, for all of which they voice the hearty 
thanks of the community. In this connection it may be said that 
probably no money spent in the city brings a larger degree of 
pleasure into the lives of a greater number of people than that 
expended in concerts. 
As the following reports and tables fully cover the work of the 
Park Department for the year 1912, this report will but briefly men- 
tion its more important features. Chief among these is the con- 
sistent progress toward the completion of the Kessler plan by the 
gradual acquisition of necessary territory. The Table of Park 
properties, page 404, will indicate what lands have been acquired 
during the past year, together with their location, acreage, manner 
of acquisition, cost to the city, value, etc. 
The largest operation entered upon during the year 1912, was 
the Bloody Run Parkway. It is planned to extend this a distance 
of two and a quarter miles, beginning at Durrell avenue. Walnut 
Hills, following the Bloody Run valley across Gilbert, Rockdale, 
Dana, Sherman and Hopkins avenues and Reading road, and termin- 
ating in the Blachly Farm, North Avondale. Throughout the 
greater length of the valley, two roadways will be built, one on 
either side. The portion of the parkway lying between Gilbert and 
Rockdale avenues will be open to travel in 1913, and work on the 
remainder pushed to completion as rapidly as possible. 
Another important undertaking of the past year was the com- 
mencement of the new entrance to Mt. Echo Park. Starting at 
Elberon avenue, with a handsome piece of masonry necessary to 
support an unstable section of hill, the roadway will run to the 
top of the mount at a grade but slightly exceeding that of Gilbert 
avenue, making a direct, easy and agreeable connection between 
the car line and the park. 
Nine playgrounds were in successful operation during the season 
of 1912. The attendance increased by gratifying numbers, as may 
be seen by the report of the Playground Director, N. C. Seuss. As 
the playgrounds are thoroughly appreciated, it is unnecessary to 
dwell on their merits or political economy. Briefly, the approxi- 
mate daily cost per child for the playground season of 1912 was 
three-fourths of a cent. In 1913, it is proposed to establish ten 
new playgrounds. In addition to these, swing frames and see-saws 
will be placed in several of the smaller parks. New amusement 
features will embrace a number of tennis courts and croquet grounds. 
Forestry, an important branch of park work, was seriously un- 
dertaken in 1912. The trees and shrubs throughout the park system 
were found to be in bad condition, and modern tree surgery has 
been vigorously pushed. By referring to the forestry tables, page 
