4 THE AUDUBON, BULLE TEN 
Classifying the natural terrain of Chicago as flat, the parks of this 
locality can generally be included in the same category. Trees, shrubs 
and open areas for active recreation are the component parts of most of 
these parks and variable only to the extent of neighborhood needs, amount 
of land and adjoining street patterns. 
At the abandoned clay pit different conditions prevail. An area has 
served a commercial use, been discarded, and left for all to see how the 
ravages of man can despoil our landscape. Why not take the remains and 
adapt them to our use? We have a sizeable body of water which has already 
been discovered by birds; small fish abound within, and trees, shrubs and 
flowers struggle around the edges. Already a general wildlife character has 
been started and with some assistance it could be made an outstanding 
example of a new usefulness for a blighted landscape. 
A sanctuary should be developed to encourage all types of birds into 
surroundings where enthusiasts might study their habits and enjoy their 
associations. 
For commercial reasons the excavation was extended close to the adjoin- 
ing streets. To allow for a border treatment clean fill should be brought 
in to enable the planting of native trees and shrubs. With an irregular 
shore line and spits of land extending outward from the shore, small bays 
could be developed to perfect the scenes and give the birds a chance to 
forage and nest. Native plants selected for edible fruits for birds would 
encourage the maximum number and types as well as serving to enclose a 
footpath idly winding through the area. With the use of plants of variable 
heights, and new fill placed with regard for pleasant contours, the results 
would add materially toward a native scenery. 
At the southern end of the site, which was previously mentioned as being 
several feet above the lake, could be made the park entrance. Here could 
be placed a modest shelter, parking space and the beginning of the footpath 
around the lake. Excessive filling and construction here would not only 
place this park in the same category as most parks around Chicago but 
spoil the character which has been started by nature without solicitation. 
This western section of the city adjoining the clay pit already has the 
active recreational types of parks. A small neighborhood park where an 
enclosed children’s play area, shelter building and general sitting area has 
been developed is immediately south of the pit. A half-mile to the east, in 
a more densely populated neighborhood, is the Indian Boundary Park, con- 
taining a miniature zoo of bear, deer, fox, etc., tennis courts, wading pool, 
play areas and a social building. With such facilities in the neighborhood, 
an informal and natural treatment of an area which already possesses the 
basic features for such a development would round out the recreational 
activities for this section of the city and give the residents another source 
of pride in their locality. 
With the pit located on the western edge of a residential district and on 
the eastern edge of the drainage canal and McCormick Blvd., proposed as 
an expressway on the Comprehensive City Plan for Chicago, the geographi- 
cal as well as natural features ideally suit the development of a bird 
