A Study of the Park and Recreation Problem of the United States

Cover

Contents

Foreword

Supplemental Foreword

Introduction

Recreational Habits and Needs

Aspects of Recreational Planning

Present Public Outdoor Recreational Facilities

Administration

Financing

Legislation

A Park and Recreational Land Plan

A Study of the Park and Recreation Problem of the United States

COOPERATIVE FINANCING

Between States. Because of the fact that population concentration occurs independent of State lines and recreational resources, it will frequently be true that pressing recreational needs of the people of one State can be met best within the borders of another. This would point to the desirability of cooperative financing between States. New York and New Jersey have worked out such an interstate arrangement in connection with the Palisades Interstate Park which straddles the border of the two States, but this idea might be extended to include parks wholly outside a State. Dunes Park in Indiana, for instance, draws 60 percent patronage from Chicago, Ill. It is probable that in a great many instances more adequate recreational opportunity would be provided if cooperative arrangements were made by adjoining States for the acquisition, development, administration, and financing of recreational areas.

Between States and Their Civil Divisions. No State has as yet organized a State-wide service in recreation in cooperation with its civil divisions with a view to bringing a well-rounded recreational program to every citizen in the State. Massachusetts, in 1870, enacted a law which provided for the assessment of cities and towns for the financing of parks serving them, on the basis of population and assessed valuation. A few States have provided service in the technical fields of planning to local units of government. Extension departments of State universities in some instances have provided recreational personnel in particular localities and have furnished information and advice on recreation in connection with rural programs. There is great need, however, for more definite and comprehensive services on the part of State governments in meeting the recreational needs of the people of the State.

Between Governmental Units and Quasi-Public Agencies. In a few instances, State-supported historical societies which coordinate their work with State parks and museums of natural history such as the Bear Mountain Museum render invaluable service in expanding the park program in that field. Specialized services of a quasi-public nature are often available to park authorities. The International Peace Park is being developed by the National Park Service, the State of North Dakota, and International Peace Garden, Inc. The last named is a privately supported group which will have some responsibility for maintenance. Opera associations in St. Louis and Chicago have furnished outdoor opera in public parks, and other privately supported musical associations have furnished varied programs of outstanding quality at Robinhood Dell in Fairmount Park, Philadelphia, and at the Watergate and other locations in Washington, D. C. Many State parks are so located that similar arrangements could be made with local civic groups.

GIFTS AND DONATIONS

It is inconceivable that any park programs could ever reach full fruition with out the active support, financial and otherwise, of individuals and groups on a voluntary basis. Once individuals have become cognizant of the worth-whileness of public provision for recreation, generous donations of land and gifts for development and program will augment public funds for these purposes. Noteworthy examples of past philanthropies will illustrate the importance of this source of support. For example, private funds and donations of land contributed a large part of the acreage now available for park and recreational purposes. More than $2,000,000 in cash has been privately contributed to the National Park Service for development purposes. While most of the land under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service has been transferred from the public domain, of the land acquired from private ownership more than one-third (about 300,000 acres, much of it very valuable) has been privately donated or purchased with privately donated funds.

Figure 40.—Palisades Interstate Park, New York and New Jersey.

A study of donated park and recreational areas conducted by the National Recreation Association several years ago indicated that approximately one-third of the total municipal park acreage had been acquired through gifts. Gifts of land exceed in value all other forms of gifts. One hundred and eight cities reported land donated for parks during the period of 1931-35 with an estimated value of $9,500,000. Sixteen counties reported gifts of land totaling in value $668,350. Gifts other than land to municipal and county park systems totaled $2,677,321 during the five year period 1931-35 inclusive. Information is not available for all state park systems, but in general a great proportion of state park land has been donated. In 28 States which have reported the means of acquisition of State park land, 254,855 acres were acquired by donation as against 229,380 by purchase.

In expending the $6,000,000 realized from the State park bond issue, the State of California required that each dollar be matched, in money or land value, by some other agency or by a citizen or group of citizens. Private donations, particularly for the purchase of redwood areas, provided a large part of the matching funds.

Figure 41.—On the bridle trail, Cook County Forest Preserve District, Illinois.

Endowments and Trust Funds. Endowments and trust funds have frequently been set up to provide for maintenance and operation in municipal, county and metropolitan parks and in certain instances in the State park field. Dr. Edmund A. Babler State Park in Missouri and Virginia Kendall State Park in Ohio might well serve as a stimulus to this kind of public benefaction. In addition to donation of the land for the Babler Park, a perpetual endowment trust fund of nearly $2,000,000 was set up, the income and revenue from which "shall be used in defraying the expenses of management, maintenance, beautification, further development, and possible enlargement" of the park. Virginia Kendall State Park was bequeathed to the State and a maintenance fund which produces about $40,000 annually has recently become available to the park.

Oglebay Park, eight miles from the city of Wheeling and under the Wheeling Park Commission, serves all the purposes of a State park for an area extending for miles along the Ohio River Valley. It is financed by appropriations from the city of Wheeling, the Sarita Oglebay Russell Endowment, State and Federal funds received through the Agricultural Extension Division of West Virginia University and by Oglebay Institute. The last named organization conducts a varied program on the park and is supported by various types of membership in the institute and by receipts from various activities. In 1938 this organization contributed $40,000 toward the conduct of the park's program.

NON-PROFIT CORPORATIONS

The Mammoth Cave Corporation is a nonprofit organization which operates the hotels and numerous other services and facilities in Mammoth Cave National Park under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service. Receipts over and above expenses are used to purchase land to extend the boundaries of the park. In 1938 nearly $85,000 was available for this purpose.

IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS

No recreational program can be successful from any service or financial point of view if it represents the accomplishments only of the paid personnel of an agency. The program must take root in the lives of the people; it must become, in a very real way, their program. When this is true the people themselves will rally to its support if it is endangered. Furthermore, they will elicit the interests of others in the program from day to day and will be a dynamic force in extending its influence and service.

It is well to remember that the maintenance of financial support, whether from tax funds or otherwise, is a day-by-day job. The agency which settles back after the current budget has been passed and gives no thought to the matter until the urgency of the next budget session is upon it, is likely to have a rude awakening at some time or other. There must be constant interpretation of purposes and objectives and the plans and accomplishments of the agency must be kept constantly before the public as well as before those officials and individuals who have primary responsibility for the allocation of funds.

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Last Modified: Mon, Aug 9 2004 10:00:00 pm PDT
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