Shdting oil the Lakc, Central I'ai-k DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ANNUAL REPORT M. B. GI<OIVN PRIXTING h BINDING CO., 49-57 PARKPIACE, NET\- SORK. DEPARTMENT OF PARKS City of New York PARK BOARD, 1910 CHARLES B. STOVER, President Commissioner for the Boroughs of Manhattan and Richmond THOMAS J. HIGGINS Coinmissioner for the Borough of the Bronx MICHAEL J. KENNEDY Comrnissioncr for the Boroughs of Brooklyn and Queen\ CLINTON H. SMITH, Secretary SAMUEL PARSONS, Landscape Architect PARK BOARD The personnel of the Park Board underwent a change at the beginning of the year, two new Commissioners being appointed by the newly eleded Mayor, the Hon. William J. Gaynor. The new appointments were Charles B. Stover, for the Boroughs of Manhattan and Richmond, and Thomas J. Higgins, for the Borough of The Bronx. Michael J Kennedy, Commissioner for Brooklyn and Queens, was reappointed. In appointing the new members of the Board his Honor expressed the desire that the public be given the fullest measure of enjoyment in the parks, and that they should be maintained with that idea in mind; and also that all considerations of politics, race or creed be eliminated from the government and regulation of the work- ing force. The Board has endeavored to administer the parks from these stand- points during the year. The expenditures for the account of the Board during the year amounted to $27,900, all for salaries of the Commissioners, Secretary and other officers. Report of the Department of Parks Boroughs of Manhattan and Richmond FOR THE YEAR 1910 CHARLESB. STOVER,Con~missioner. EDWARDA. MILLER.Chief Engineer. THEODOREE. VIDETO,Architect. JOHN H. BEATTY,Superintendent. HOWARDBRADSTREET, Supervisor of Recreation. Mrs. HENRYPARSONS, Director of School Farms. JOHX\V. SMITH,Director of Menagerie. ARTHURFARWELL, Snpervisor of Music. Conservatory Lake, Central Park, Set Apart for Fancy Skating. BOROUGHS OF MANHATTAN AND RICHMOND The policy of the Commissioner for the parks of 'Manhattan and Richmond dur- ing the year 1910 has been the enlargement of the public use of the parks for purposes of recreation, and the increase of publlc enjoyment of the parks through more inti- mate acquaintance with the natural advantages for rest and recreation which they provide, than can be obtained by observation from the walks to which the public has heretofore been in the main restricted. The natural tendencies of young people towards baseball and other games have been recognized, and increased facilities have been provided not only in the parks, but by the addition of playgrounds and baseball fields outside the parks throughout the city. To widen the scope of this movement, and to insure the fullest measure of enjoyment to the public, particularly the younger generation, in the use of the faclli- ties afforded them for recreation in the parks, the administration and conduct of the various playground features of the Department were consolidated in a special Bureau of Recreation, under the supervision and direction of a Supervisor of wide experience in the conduct of municipal playgrounds. Tihe success attained through the efforts of the new Bureau can best be noted by a glance over the report of the Supervisor, wh~chis given in part herewith: REPORT OF BUREAU OF RECREATION. In June, 1910, for the first time since the establishment of playgrounds under the Park Department in 1903, their administration was placed in the hands of a separate Bureau without the burden of manifold other duties. There were at that time the following playgrounds in operation : ~STAFP--- PARK MEN WOMEK Seward ........................................ 1 2 Tompkins Square .............................. 1 1 Hamilton Fish ................................ 1 1 St. Gabriel's ................................... 1 1 De Witt Clinton.. .............................. 1 1 Thomas Jefferson ............................. 1 1 East Seventeenth Street. ....................... 0 1 Corlears Hook ............................... 1 1 Hudson ....................................... 0 1 John Jay ...................................... 1 1 East River .................................... 0 1 Ryan .......................................... 0 1 Even before the close of school the attendance on these grounds, especially those in congested sections, was larger than was possible for the number of attendants to handle. At the close of school this condition became an impossible one and as the funds granted by the City authorities were not available until July 15, it was necessary either to close a few grounds in order to maintain properly those which remain open, or to secure help in some other may to avoid that unfortunate necessity. In this emergency a small fund was generously ~rovidedby the Parks and Playgrounds Association, which made it possible to supplement the existing staff by 14 men and women. Steps were taken at once to hold a non-competitive examination of candidates. A list of 78 names was sent to the Civil Service Board and from it appointments were made from time to time as necessity demanded. In accordance with plans agreed upon, in addition to the established playgrounds, play centers were opened in the following places: Fifty-ninth street and Amsterdam avenue-closed soon after opening. Cherry street-Closed soon after opening. PARKS. Battery. Central. Chelsea. East One Hundred and First Street. Highbridge. Jackson Square. Morningside. Mulberry Bend. Queensboro. Riverside. St. Nicholas. Westerleigh. The term " playground " like the term " park" has even yet an indefinite meaning. It is necessary to make careful dlstlnctlon between the following different types of play centers, all of which, though wldely differing in purpose and use, are grouped nevertheless under the term "plajground ": (A) Athletic Field. (B) Baseball Field. (C) Boys' Playground. (D) Girls' Playground. (E) Midget or Small Children's Playground. There are here three distinct types, serving different purposes, requiring different equipment and different administration, namely : (A)Athletic Field. These are for young men and boys over 14. The equipment on grounds already established consists of Gymnasium frames. Basket ball court. Running track. Jumping pit. Tennis court. In every case lockers, toilets, baths and water are essential and a seating stand desirable. (B) Baseball Field. VVhiIe it is difficult, if not impossible, to provide adequate baseball space in New Bronze Electric Light Standard, Riverside Drive and 72d Street, Given to City by Colonial Dames of America. York City, it is quite as possible as it is desi~atleto greatly increase the area devoted to the game without large expense. The equipment is slight, requiring Backstop. The screening of adjacent windows within the danger zone. Bleachers. (C) Boys' Playgrou~zd. , These are designed for boys under 14. They contain Swings. See-saws. Slides. Basket ball frame. Platform and open space ior general games. (D) Girls' Playground. These are designed for girls uhder 1d:and bbys under 8. They contain much the same equipment as on the boys' grounds, with more space for free games and with the addition of Sand boxes. Small swings: " Baby hammocks for the very small ch~ldren. (E) &'idget Playground. ! This is designed for children under 4. There are many places In the parks, as well as outside the parks, where mothers or maids gather wi.th their very small children, allo~vingthem to play how and where they will. Such gathering places are found in several sections of the city. The equipment of such midget grounds, containing the sand plle, small swings and hammocks, serves to meet the instincts of the small ch~ldren. Several of these features are In combination For example, there is a mldget playground in connection with the girls' side at Seward Park; the boys' playgrounds at Seward Park, Hamilton Fish and St Gabriel's are in combination with the athletic fields Tlie iirst of these combinations 1s a proper and satisfactory one. The second is not at all so. The smaller boys either are deprived of the use of their apparatus or are driven out by the athletics hnd thus find themselves w~thouta place of refuge other than the street. The following classification indicates rhe nature of the centers maintained by the Department during the summer of 1910, in accordance with the distinctioils thus -Baseball Fields- Athletic Fields. Hard Ball. Soft Ball. Boys' Playgrounds. Seward. Jaspar Oval. Chelsea. Thomas Jefferson. Tompkins Square. Chelsea. Morningside. De Witt Clinton. Hamilton Fish. John Jay. Battery. Corlears Hook. Speedway. Corlears Hook. De Witt Clinton. Thomas Jefferson. Thomas Jefferson. John jay. John Jay. Queensboro. St. Gabriel's. Central. Chelsea (in construction). lOlst Street. Drinking Fountain, Riverside Drive and 116th Street, Gi~ento the City in 1910 by the \h70man's Health Protective As5ociation. Girls' Playgrounds. Mixed Playgroutlds. Midget Playgrounds. Thomas Jefferson. John Jay. Thomas Jefferson. De Witt Cliilton. Riverside. De \\/itt Clintot~. Mulberry Bend. Highbridge. Seward. Eattery. St. Xicholas. Jackson Square. l0lst Street. East 17th Street Tompkins Square. St. Gabriel's. East Ri\ er. Central. Corlears Hook. Ryan. Hamilton Fish. Seward. hlorningside. Corlears Hook. Tompkins Square. LVesterleigh. John Jay. Hamilton Fish. Hudson. ST. Gabriel's. East 17th Street. East River. Ryan. Hudson. Total Averclge Daily Attetzda~zce. C - Park. July. August. September. 1 Chelsea .................................. 956 1,473 1,090 2 Corlears Hook ........................... 2,323 2,684 1,863