NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF PARKS PRESS RELEASES, JANUARY-AUGUST 1940 http://home2.nyc.gov/html/records/pdf/govpub/41941940_press_releases_part1.pdf Text extracted from PDF scan by pdftotext 3.03. Corrected by Frank da Cruz, July 2014. Original order preserved. Paragraphs reformatted by recombining hyphenated words and filling to 78 cols. Some tabular material has been reformatted to fit withing 78 columns. Duplicate entries omitted. Tabs converted to spaces. Coding: ISO 8859-1 (for cent signs and fractions). Note: This archive contains two groups of documents with two tables of contents. The first covers January-June, the second July-September. Search Terms relevant to New Deal: Work Projects [30] Works Projects [4] Works Progress [0] WPA [9] W.P.A. [3] W. P. A. [1] P.W.A. [2] P. W. A. [3] federal loan [2] relief workers [3] relief labor [3] New Deal projects in this archive (listed in the order of the archive): 17 Jun 1940 Queens Reconstruction of Grover Cleveland Park. 7 Jun 1940 Brooklyn Reopening of City Park[1][2] 6 Jun 1940 Manhattan Reconstruction of Chelsea Park 3 Jun 1940 Manhattan New outdoor swimming pool in John Jay Park 19 May 1940 Manhattan New outdoor swimming pool on West 60th Street 19 May 1940 Bronx Extension to Orchard Beach bathhouse 19 May 1940 Bronx Extension to Orchard Beach parking lot and access road 16 May 1940 Manhattan Opening of Baruch Playground and Public Bath 4 May 1940 Brooklyn Reconstruction of William E. Kelly Memorial Park 27 Apr 1940 Bronx New park on University Avenue and 170th Street [3] 25 Apr 1940 Queens Opening of Francis Lewis Park 4 Apr 1940 Manhattan New playground at Clinton, Water, and Cherry streets[4] 4 Apr 1940 Manhattan New playground at 34th Street and East River [5] 4 Apr 1940 Manhattan New Yorkville playground, 101st St and 3rd Ave [6] 16 Mar 1940 (all) Restoration of trees damaged in storm of March 4th. 15 Jan 1940 Manhattan New playground at 141st Street and Hamilton Place [7] 15 Jan 1940 Bronx New playground at 136th Street and Alexander Ave [8] 26 Sep 1940 Brooklyn Reconstructed Borough Hall Park 14 Sep 1940 Bronx Three new marginal playgrounds in Claremont Park 26 Aug 1940 Brooklyn New playground at Stuyvesant Avenue & Marion Street[9] 10 Aug 1940 Brooklyn Reconstructed Bushwick Playground [10] 1 Aug 1940 Manhattan Reconstruction of Jasper Oval (no longer exists) 1 Aug 1940 Brooklyn New skating rink and bicycle track in Red Hook. 1 Aug 1940 Brooklyn Reconstruction of West side of Sunset Park. 27 Jul 1940 Brooklyn Reconstruction New Lots Playground. 19 Jul 1940 Manhattan Renovation of swimming pool at 5 Rutgers Place. 11 Jul 1940 Brooklyn Reconstruction of north section Lincoln Terrace Park. 11 Jul 1940 Brooklyn New bicycle trails [11] 11 Jul 1940 Queens New bicycle trails [11] 6 Jul 1940 Manhattan Reconstruction of Annunciation Playground Notes: [1] Now called Commodore Barry Park. [2] It doesn't say it was a WPA project, but why else would the NY Work Projects Administrator be present at the ceremony? [3] Now called Highbridge Park (not to be confused with the one in Manhattan) [4] I believe this is the present Cherry Clinton Playground. [5] No longer exists [6] I believe this is the present Sunshine Playground. [7] Now called Alexander Hamilton Playground. [8] Today's Lozada Playground. [9] I believe this is the present Fulton Park. [10] Can't find it - all the street names have changed. [11] See last paragraph of list attached to announcement (begin archive) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Index January - June 1940 1/3/40 #1 Ice skating Carnival on Conservatory Lake, Jan. 7, 2p.m. 1/5/40 2 Bids open for Coney Island improvements 1/15/40 3 Mayor to open two playgrounds: Alexander Ave. and Hamilton Place, Jan. 16, 3*30 pm 1/16/40 4 Bids open for Belt Parkway seawall 1/17/40 5 30th millionth car crosses Henry Hudson Bridge 1/20/40 6 Finals for ice skating carnival, Jan. 21, 2 pm 1/25/40 7 Loss of 50 year-old pelican; gain of 3 new ones 2/1/40 8 Bids open for section of Cross Bay Blvd., Queens 2/1/40 9 Openings of three playgrounds during Feb. 2/1/40 10 Bronx Operetta Orchestral Clubs to give three performances of Straus's "The Chocolate Soldier" 2/7/40 11 Bids open for landscaping Belt Parkway, whore section 2/8/40 12 Bids for additional work in City Hall Park 2/12/40 13 Completion of six recreational swimming pools 2/15/40 14 Free skiing instruction by NY Ski Council and Norway Ski Club 2/19/40 15 Bids for 3 contracts for lighting Belt Parkway 2/26/40 16 More bids for lighting Belt Parkway 3/1/40 17 Opening celebrations of five playgrounds 3/1/40 18 Bids for new police station on Belt Parkway 3/3/40 19 Work on 79th St. boat basin to be completed Apr. 1 3/1/40 20 Six indoor swimming pools in Manhattan reconstructed by Works Projects Admin. 3/15/40 21 Exhibition basketball game between Murray Team and East Boston Team on Mar. 16 3/15/40 22 Seasonal permits for golf, tennis, etc. available on sale Mar. 21 3/16/40 23 Restoration of trees damaged by Mar. 4 ice storm cost $20,000 from special emergency funds 3/21/40 24 Annual Easter Flower Show at Prospect Park Greenhouse on Mar. 22, 10 am 3/25/40 25 Bids on lighting section of Belt Parkway 4/l/40 26 Bids on lighting section of Belt Parkway 4/2/40 27 Completion of work on bath and gymnasium building at Cherry and Oliver Sts. 4/4/40 28 Three playgrounds opened on Apr. 3: Clinton St.; 24th St. and East River Drive; Yorkville 4/9/40 29 Request for Commission to buy wedge of land in Cunningham Park under threat of development 4/9/40 30 Two playgrounds reconstructed: Ennis Park East and South, Brooklyn 4/9/40 31 Bids on additional planting on Major Deegan Blvd. 4/13/40 32 Closing of recreation areas on Apr. 14 4/13/40 33 Anniversary celebrations of six playgrounds in Apr. 4/13/40 34 Bids for lighting on Shore Parkway 4/13/40 35 Baseball season opens Apr. 13, times listed 4/15/40 36 Bids on three maintenance buildings, Belt Parkway 4/15/40 37 Two buffalo calves born in Central Park Zoo 4/17/40 38 Bids for fence on Belt Parkway, Whitestone intersctn, 4/19/40 39 Opening of nine municipal golf courses 4/19/40 40 Finals of One Act Play Contest and locations 4/25/40 4l Dedication of Francis Lewis Park, Apr. 26 4/26/40 42 Opening of Pitch Putt Golf Course, Apr. 27 4/27/40 43 Opening of park on Univ. Ave. and W. 170th St. 5/l/40 44 Bids on three contracts for lighting Belt Parkway 5/3/40 45 Final game of roller hockey tournament May 5 5/4/40 46 Bids for electric service at Marine Park, Flatbush 5/4/40 47 Reconstruction of William E. Kelly Playground 5/4/40 48 Anniversary celebrations for May listed 5/7/40 49 Re decay of tulips shipped from Holland 5/7/40 50 Reopening of Jeannette Park on May 8 5/8/40 51 Opening of Tavern-on-the Green on May 9 5/15/40 52 Whitewash and calcimine will not repel insects 5/15/40 53 Newbold Morris Trophy for golf championship 5/17/40 54 Dedication of Baruch Park on May 17 5/17/40 55 Finals for handball and tennis tournament, May 18, 19 5/17/40 56 Program for dedication of Baruch playground 5/22/40 57 Bids for paving Belt Parkway 5/26/40 58 Reconstruction on Coney Island boardwalk, opens May 26 5/27/40 59 Barbershop quartet contest on June 27 5/27/40 60 Bids for lighting new Belt Parkway 5/29/40 61 Two new baseball diamonds in St. Mary's park 5/29/40 62 New outdoor swimming pool at 232 West 60th St. 6/3/40 63 Outdoor swimming pool in N.S. corner Jay Park 6/4/40 64 Eleven playgrounds open in June 6/6/40 65 City-wide tournaments 6/6/40 66 Ceremonies for reconstructed Chelsea Park 6/6/40 67 Third Annual Learn to Swim Campaign 6/7/40 68 Reconstructed city park ceremonies 6/7/40 69 Program for reopening of City Park 6/11/40 70 Robert Moses letter to Naomi Landy 6/11/40 71 All City Highschool symphonic band 6/12/40 72 Bids open on East River Park 6/13/40 73 Patriotic programs to commemorate Flag Day 6/14/40 74 Bids to light Belt Parkway 6/14/40 75 Prospect and Central Park Zoo population increases 6/15/40 76 Improvement of Tallman's Island 6/17/40 77 Grover Cleveland Park reopens 6/17/40 78 Bids to repair three bridges 6/17/40 79 Bids for construction of Belt Parkway 6/18/40 80 Finals of Barter Shop Quartet 6/18/40 81 Bids to reconstruct W. Drive in Central Park 6/21/40 82 "Magic Review" for children 6/21/40 83 Bids for electrical facilities on W. Drive in Central Park 6/21/40 84 Girls dance festival on the Sheep Meadow 6/21/40 85 Musicians Union Local 802 concert program 6/21/40 86 Softball league, Brooklyn Edison/Long Island Press 6/25/40 87 Associated Glee Clubs summer concert series 6/25/40 88 Bids for lighting of Belt Parkway 6/25/40 89 Bids to repave access roadway to Henry Hudson Parkway 6/27/40 90 Barber Shop Quartet contest 6/27/40 91 Exercises at opening of Belt Parkway System 6/28/40 92 Bestaurant opens on upper level of Jacob Riis Park 6/28/40 93 Punchball tournament for girls 6/28/40 94 Installation of illuminated signs on Belt Parkway 6/30/40 95 Learn to swim campaign ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Sunday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 June 30, 1940 The second annual "Learn to Swim" campaign sponsored by the Department of Parks in their sixteen outdoor pools from Saturday, June 3rd, terminated on Saturday, June 22nd. This campaign, instituted not alone to promote the use of the City swimming pools in preference to the polluted waters which bound the City, but to stimulate general interest in swimming and to teach as many as possible how to swim, ended with 635 adults registered for the instruction, and 12,242 children accepting the opportunities afforded. Seventy schools cooperated in the campaign; 21,723 lessons were given. The Department announces that as a result of the free instructions 1,390 persons who heretofore were not able to swim have now overcome this inability. Special classes were held during this intensive "Learn to Swim" campaign and were so successful, regularly conducted swimming classes are scheduled for children and adults at all Park Department pools during the entire swimming season. Among the recreational organizations which enlisted their assistance in the promotion of this campaign at the Park Department pools were the Police Athletic League, the Children's Aid Society, the Y.M.H.A., the Y.M.C.A., the Bronx House, the Red Hook Community Center, the Boys Club, the East Side Settlement House, and the Jones Memorial. The Board of Education also rendered active participation. As a result, the Park Department feels that during the ensuing summer there should be a decrease in local drownings, as well as an increase of city health and general welfare. According to available statistics, about 6,000 persons are drowned annually in New York City. Drownings occupy the prominent position of third place in the accidental death toll of the nation. During July and August when the peak of the swimming season is reached, drownings and automobile accidents are about on a par in the number of fatalities due to accidental sources. It has been estimated that 50% of the drownings occur in rivers and that half of all drowning victims were unable to swim. Park Department swimming pools are listed below: MANHATTAN Hamilton Fish Pool - East Houston and Sheriff Streets Colonial Pool - Bradhurst Avenue, W. 145th to 147th Streets Highbridge Pool - Amsterdam Avenue and 173rd Street Thomas Jefferson Pool -111th to 114th Streets and First Avenue 23rd Street Pool - 23rd Street and Sast River Drive Carmine Street Pool - Clarkson Street and 7th Avenue 60th Street Pool - 60th Street between Amsterdam and 11th Avenues John Jay Pool - 78th Street and East River Drive BROOKLYN: Sunset Pool - 7th Avenue and 43rd Street McCarren Pool - Driggs Avenue and Lorimer Street Red Hook Pool - Clinton, Bay and Henry Streets Betsy Head Pool - Hopkinson, Dumont and Livonia Streets BRONX: Crotona Pool - 173rd Street and Fulton Avenue QUEENS: Astoria Pool - 19th Street and 23rd Drive RICHMOND: Faber Pool - Faber Street between Richmond Terrace and Kill Van Kull Tompkinsville Pool - Arrietta Street at Pier No. 6 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Firday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 June 28, 1940 Bids were received by the Department of Parks at the Arsenal Building in Central Park on a contract for furnishing and installing illuminated signs at various points along the new Belt Parkway, Kings, Queens and Nassau Counties, The work under this contract consists of locating approved types of fabricated signs which will be lighted during the night to guide motorists to important traffic arteries crossing the new parkway. The following bids were received for the work; 1. H. Z. Altberg, Inc. $40,850.00 1716 Broadway, New York City 2. Jandous Electric Equipment Co. 42,900.00 210 East 40th Street, New York City 3. E. J. Electric Installation Co. 46,000.00 235 East 42 Street, New York City ***** ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Firday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 June 28, 1940 The Department of Parks announces that the final game of the Park Department punchball tournament for girls up to 16 years of age will take place on Saturday, June 29, at East River Park, 6 Street and East River Drive at 2:00 P.M., when the winning teams of Manhattan and Brooklyn will compete for the city championship. During the month of June, 525 girls participated in playground and inter-district punchball contests throughout the five boroughs; in the inter-borough competitions, Manhattan defeated Bronx and Richmond, and Brooklyn defeated Queens. Gold medals will be awarded to the members of the winning team in Saturday's game and silver medals to the losers. * * * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Firday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 June 28, 1940 The Department of Parks announces the opening of the restaurant on the upper level of the bath house at Jacob Riis Park, Rockaway, Queens, on Saturday, June 29th, 1940 at 11:30 A.M. Cafeteria facilities have been provided and a varied menu features wholesome foods and beverages. Free outdoor dancing on the mall will commence at 8 P.M. on June 29th. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Firday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 June 28, 1940 The Department of Parks announces that 18 quartets have qualified for the finals of the Sixth Annual American Ballad competition, popularly known as the "Barber Shop Quartet" contest which will be held at the Mall, Central Park, Thursday, June 27, at 8:30 P.M. The finalists qualified through the various borough eliminations, conducted during the week of June 16, in which a total of 90 quartets competed before thousands of enthusiastic spectators. Owing to the unusually large number of entries in the preliminaries, one quartet was selected out of each five contestants, with the result that 18 quartets were chosen and they will appear on the Mall, Central Park, for the finals on Thursday evening. Every quartet will render songs that were popular among the habitues of the old tonsorial parlors in the early part of the present century such as: "Let Me Call You Sweetheart"; "Dear Old Girl"; "Mandy Lee"; "Meet Me Tonight in Dreamland"; "Sweet Adeline", and a host of other medleys usually found in the repertoire of the old barber shop harmonizers. Many of the quartets, anxious to avoid the slightest trace of an anachronism in their performance, will bring the fullness of the past down to the present, by being groomed and dressed in attire befitting the gay nineties - top hats, brown derbies, frock coats, ascot ties, peg-top trousers, handlebar mustaches, etc. Quartets which represent city departments, such as Police and Sanitation, will be dressed in the uniforms which were worn by. employees of those departments at the turn of the 19th century. Still others, will wear costumes indicative of the title the quartet assumes in the contest: the "University Four" will wear caps and gowns; the "Hawley Tonsorial Twitter- bugs" will wear barber coats and aprons; the "New York Central Railroad Four" will be attired in the overalls and visored caps of locomotive engineers. Appropriate prizes will be awarded to the winners. As an added attraction to this year's contest, the 1st and 2nd place winners will be eligible to enter the National Barber Shop competition which will be held during the period, July 22-26, at the New York World's Fair. The judges for the finals on June 27 are as follows: Mayor LaGuardia, Hon. Alfred E. Smith, Park Commissioner Robert Moses, James F. Evans, Director of State Parks, Geoffrey 0»Hara, famous baritone, and Dr. Sigmund Spaeth, musical composer and author. The Park Department Band will give a concert prior to the contest from 7:00 to 8:00 P.M. It will also render a few selections at various intervals during the performance. Community singing will precede and follow the evening's program and Dr. Sigmund Spaeth has consented to act as leader. Municipal Broadcasting Station WNYC, will broadcast the entertainment from 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. The names of the quartets, and the boroughs they represent, follow: NAME OF QUARTET BOROUGH Weissglass Dairy Singing Milkmen Richmond Four Jacks of Harmony Queens Crosby Crooners Bronx Victory Four Brooklyn Belmont Balladiers Manhattan Sanitation Glee Club Quartet Brooklyn The Avalon Four Manhattan Garber Bros. Quartet Richmond St. Mary's Horseshoers Bronx Hawley's Tonsorial Twitterbugs Manhattan The Four Tune Hunters Bronx Ridgewood Clippers Queens Four Mullalys Bronx The New York Central Railroad Four Bronx New York City Police Department Quartet Brooklyn Gas House Boys Manhattan University Four Brooklyn Harmonyms Bronx * * * * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Thursday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 June 27, 1940 The Department of Parks announces that exercises in connection with the opening of the Belt Parkway System in Brooklyn and Queens will take place on Saturday, June 29. Besides Commissioner Moses who will preside, Mayor LaGuardia, John M. Carmody, Federal Works Administrator, Colonel Maurice E. Gilmore, Regional Director, Federal Public Works Administration, Newbold Morris, President of the City Council, Stanley M. Isaacs, President of the Borough of Manhattan, James J. Lyons, President of the Borough of the Bronx, George U. Harvey, President of the Borough of Queens, and John Cashmore, President of the Borough of Brooklyn, will participate in the exercises. The ceremonies dedicating the Parkway to public use will start at 11 A.M. and take place opposite Owl's Head Park at the head of The Narrows, and just north of 68 Street, Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. After the speaking ceremonies which will be broadcast by WOV, WLTH, WMCA, WOR, AND WNYC, and the official tape cutting, there will be a motor parade over the entire length of the new parkway. The motor procession will start at 12 noon and will pass the following points at the time listed: Dyker Beach - 12:05 P.M. Bensonhurst 12:08 P.M. Sheepshead Bay - 12:15 P.M. Canarsie - 12:25 P.M. Cross Bay Boulevard - 12:32 P.M. Laurel ton - 12:4-5 P.M. Hempstead Avenue - 12:50 P.M. Crocheron Park - 1:00 P.M. Fort Totten - 1:04 P.M. and at the intersection of the Whitestone Parkway at 1:10 P.M., where the Parade will end and the motorists disperse. Each entrance to the parkway will be officially opened to the public after the motor parade passes and motorists desiring to do so may enter the parkway then, and join in the parade. Motorists participating in the parade may leave the parkway at any exit to return to their homes, branch off on Southern and Northern State Parkways to Jones Beach, to points on eastern Long Island, or they may proceed to the Triborough Bridge, the World's Fair, and Brooklyn, by way of the Whitestone, Grand Central, and Interborough Parkways. Excepting one section from Coney Island Avenue to Marine Park, at the foot of Emmons Avenue, the 34.9 mile Belt Parkway will be completed. Work in connection with this 2.04 mile missing link has started with the acquisition of property. It is being constructed by the Triborough Bridge Authority and is expected to be completed by the summer of 1941. Certain landscaping and playground improvements along the Belt Parkway are not yet completed, but will be constructed during the remainder of the year. Rights of way for the Belt Parkway were acquired by the City of New York. The cost of construction, excepting the Emmons Avenue link and some landscaping and incidental features, amounted to $28,000,000. Of this sum $12,000,000. represents a grant from the Federal Public Works Administration, and $16,000,000. was supplied by the City on the basis of a city-wide and borough assessment. The P.W.A. grant called for completion within 18 months after start of work. Regional P.W.A. Director Gilmore today reported to Administrator Carmody that the project is ready ahead of the deadline set by Congress. The Belt Parkway is in the true sense a narrow shoestring park. In circling the outskirts of Brooklyn and Queens, it skirts 26 park areas, totaling 3,550 acres, providing all types of recreation for all age groups. It provides non-stop connections with the Northern and Southern State Parkways, making the north and south shores of Long Island readily accessible to City residents, and connects directly with the Westchester and Connecticut highway and parkway systems, by way of the Bronx-Whitestone Bridge. The Parkway will be more than paid for by the increased valuation of adjacent property and by the conversion of idle and reclaimed waste land into properly integrated sub-divisions, thereby relieving the pressure on other parts of the City. The opening of this new Parkway is one more milestone in a number of limited related objectives comprising the Belt Parkway System. There still remains the Express Highway connection between Owl's Head Park and the Brooklyn end of the proposed Battery Tunnel. This essential link will be built by the Triborough Bridge Authority and work will start on July 1st of this year. The Battery Tunnel is to be built by the New York City Tunnel Authority with federal loan and city funds. Negotiations have been under way for some time for federal funds, and it is expected that final arrangements will be made soon. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Tuesday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 June 25, 1940 Bids were received yesterday by the Department of Parks at the Arsenal Building in Central Park on a contract for repaving the southbound access roadway to the Henry Hudson Parkway at 72nd Street and Riverside Drive, Borough of Manhattan. The work under this contract consists of resurfacing the roadway with a natural rock asphalt. The bids received for the work were as follows: 1. Stutz Contracting Company $3,685.00 3356 Fenton Avenue, Bronx, N.Y. 2. John Oakhill & Company, Inc. 4,125.00 101 Park Avenue, New York City * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Tuesday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 June 25, 1940 Bids were received yesterday by the Department of Parks at the Arsenal Building in Central Park on the last of the lighting contracts to be let in connection with the construction of the Belt Parkway. The work under this contract includes the area between Brigham Street and the Plumb Beach Channel Bridge, in the Borough of Queens, and consists of the installation of all necessary subsurface conduit, service boxes and houses, high and low tension cables, lighting standards, luminaires and necessary accessories to provide a complete lighting system for the contract area. The three low bidders for the work were: 1. Charles Michaels $49,832.00 116 Nassau Street, Brooklyn, N. Y* 2. Jandous Electric Equipment Co. 56,400.00 210 East 40 Street, New York City 3. L. A. Feldman 57,100.00 1015 East 31 Street, Brooklyn, N.Y. * * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Tuesday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 June 25, 1940 The Department of Parks announces tnat arrangements have been made with the Associated Glee Clubs of Greater New York for a series of choral concerts to be given, during the summer months, at the Mall, Central Park, and at the Music Grove in Forest Park, Queens, and in Prospect Park, Brooklyn. The series will consist of eight concerts and each one will be given by various groups affiliated with the Associated Glee Clubs. Community singing of familiar songs, under the direction of well known leaders, will follow every performance. On Wednesday, June 26th, at 8:30 P, M«, the opening choral concert will be held at the Music Grove, Prospect Park, Flatbush Avenue and Bnpire Boulevard, Brooklyn, with the members of the Nautilus Glee Club of Brooklyn participating. J. E. Powers, Leader of Park Department Band, will direct the community singing. At Forest Park Music Grove, Main Drive near Woodhaven Boulevard, Thursday, June 27th, at 9:15 P. M., the second concert will be given by the Union Men's Glee Club of Richmond Hill. The other six concerts are scheduled as follows: Brooklyn - Prospect Park (Music Grove) Flatbush Avenue and Empire Boulevard July 10 and July 17 - 9:15 P. M. Manhattan - Central Park (Mall) 71 Street and Center Drive August 28, September 4, 11 and 18 - 8:30 P.M. * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Monday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 June 24, 1940 The Brooklyn Edison Soft Ball League and the Long Island Press Soft Ball League inaugurate their season on Monday, June 24th at Jacob Riis Park, Rockaway, Queens. At 6 P.M. there will be a parade of all the teams of both leagues headed by the Park Department Band. Before the game both teams will salute the flag. All the officials of the Brooklyn Edison Company have been requested to attend this opening and the majority have indicated their intention of being present. Employees of the Brooklyn Edison Company are being excused from work at 4:30 P.M. to enable them to attend the opening game of the league. The first game, scheduled for 6:30 P.M., will be the Secretaries vs. the Property Protection Division of the Brooklyn Edison League. The second game, scheduled for 7 P.M., will be the Bellaire Civics vs. Regal Sports of the Long Island Press League. The teams of both leagues will be in complete uniform. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Monday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 June 24, 1940 The Department of Parks announces that the Associated Musicians of Greater New York, Local 802, will give a series of 20 concerts at designated locations under Park Department jurisdiction during the months of June, July and August. While the Department of Parks selected the areas most suitable for these musical performances and supervises all the physical arrangements, the concerts are sponsored by the Associated Musicians of Greater New York, Local 802, Mayor La Guardia and the Friedsam Foundation. The complete concert schedule is attached. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS CITY OF NEW YORK SCHEDULE OF CONCERTS Sponsored By The Associated Musicians of Greater New York, Local 802 Mayor Fiorello H. La Guardia Friedsam Foundation ** DATE LOCATION June 25, 1940 Sunset Playground, 7 Avenue & 43 Street, Brooklyn June 27, 1940 Crotona Play Center, 173 Street & Fulton Avenue, Bronx July 2, 1940 Highbridge Play Center, Amsterdam Avenue & 173 Street, Manhattan July 4, 1940 East River Park, Stanton Street & East River, Manhattan July 9, 1940 Red Hook Play Center, Clinton, Bay & Henry Streets, Brooklyn July 11, 1940 Astoria Play Center, Barclay Street & 24 Drive, Queens July 16, 1940 Roosevelt Playground, Delancey & Rivington Streets, Chrystie & Forsythe Streets. Manhattan July 18, 1940 Van Cortlandt Park Recreation Center, 242 St. & Broadway, Bronx Juiy 23, 1940 Anawanda Park, Grandview Avenue & Stanhope Street, Queens July 25, 1940 Williamsbridge Playground, 208 St. & Bainbridge Avenue, Bronx July 30, 1940 Fort Greene Playground, Myrtle Av. & St. Edwards St., Brooklyn August 1, 1940 Chelsea Park, 28 Street I 9 Avenue, Manhattan August 6, 1940 McCarren Play Center, Nassau Avenue & Loriner Street, Brooklyn August 8, 1940 Thomas Jefferson Play Center, 114 Street & 1 Avenue, Manhattan August 13, 1940 St. Mary's Park East, Trinity Avenue & 146 Street, Bronx August 15, 1940 Liberty Avenue & 173 Street Playground, Queens August 20, 1940 Neptune Avenue & West 25 Street Playground, Brooklyn August 22, 1940 Lincoln Terrace Playground, Buffalo & Rochester Aves, Brooklyn August 27, 1940 Silver Lake Park, Victory Boulevard & Forest Avenue, Richmond August 29, 1940 Colonial Park, 148 Street & Bradhurst Avenue, Manhattan All Concerts are scheduled to begin at 8:30 P, M. at the above locations. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Friday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 June 21, 1940 The Department of Parks announces that approximately 450 girls of Park Department playgrounds in the five boroughs, ranging from 8 to 16 years of age, will participate in the Sixth Annual Dance festival scheduled to take place on the Sheep Meadow, Central Park, 66th Street and West Drive, Saturday, June 22nd, at 2:00 P. M. This Dance Festival is one of the outstanding features of the recreational program prepared for the children of Park Department playgrounds. Thousands of spectators attend the dance exhibition annually and such a high standard of terpsichorean ability has been established that the girls are eager to perpetuate the enviable reputation attained in past performances. For the past five weeks, the children have attended regularly the various instruction classes conducted in designated playgrounds of the five boroughs, where they have been taught intricate dance steps, which require poise, grace and rhythmic coordination to bring about that precision in execution so necessary in group dancing. In addition, each member of the dancing class is given instructions in the art of making costumes which will be worn by the performers. These costumes play an important part in the estimate of the judges since the appearance of the costume will add to or dotract from the dancing perforscaace. On the Sheep Meadow next Saturday, there will be 14 groups in all which were chosen as the result of elimination contests conducted within each borough. Ten of the units, two from each borough, will demonstrate Folk B?,ncing, characteristic of various nations, and the remaining five will perform classical numbers. Due to the fact that the steps in different folk dances vary in difficulty, it was decided to classify the folk dances into "Junior" and "Senior", with each borough being represented by one group in each of the two classifications. The five classical or interpretive dances, on the other hand, will include girls of all ages, with each borough, being represented by one unit. Plaques will be awarded to the best dancing group in the classical division and in the Junior and Senior Divisions of the folk dances. The following have consented to act as judges: Louis H. Chalif, Director of the Chalif School of Dancing; Miss Gabrielle Sorrenson, Dean, the Savage School for Physical Education; Miss Agnese M. Roy of the Albertina Rasch Studios and Miss Frances Holsten, Instructor of Physical Education at Hunter College. The Park Department Band will render a few selections prior to the opening dance and at various intervals during the course of the performance. * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Friday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 June 21, 1940 Bids were opened today by the Department of Parks at the Arsenal Building on a contract for the electrical facilities in connection with the resurfacing of the West Drive in Central Park, between 71st and 86th Streets, Borough of Manhattan. The work under this contract consists of the installation of the necessaiy underground conduit cable and splicing boxes, lampposts and luminaires. The three low bidders for the work were: 1. Penner Electric Company $15,000.00 200 West 72 Street New York City 2. Jandous Electric Equipment Co., Inc. 16,350.00 210 last 40 Street New York City 3. Charles Michaels, Inc. 16,742.00 116 Nassau Street Brooklyn, N. Y. * * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Friday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 June 21, 1940 The Department of Parks announces that a "Magic Review" will be given by boys and girls, who have been attending classes for amateur magicians at designated playgrounds of the five boroughs, at Mullaly Park Recreation Building, 165th Street and Jerome Avenue, Bronx, on Saturday, June 22nd at 8:30 P.M. The program will include a variety of optical illusions, such as the "Floating Lady", "The Dancing Ghost" and "Vanishing Tables", together with a host of other tricks, usually contained in the repertoire of prestidigitators. Ventriloquism, Shadow Puppetry and the Black Art will also form part of the evening's entertainment. Judging by past performances of the young magicians of Park playgrounds, the show on Saturday evening is expected to draw a large attendance. * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Tuesday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 June 18, 1940 Bids were received today by the Department of Parks at the Arsenal Building on a contract for reconstructing a portion of the West Drive in Central Park from 86th Street to 71st Street, Borough of Manhattan. The work under this contract consists of the removal of the existing asphalt pavement and replacement with a three lane concrete surface and includes land- scaping of the adjoining areas. Added to the section now approaching completion north of 86th Street, the West Drive from 71st to 110th Streets will be entirely realigned and rebuilt. In the near future the entire West Drive t o 59th Street will be resurfaced. The three low bidders for the work were: 1. Petracca & Banko $111,660.50 69-19 Queens Boulevard, Winfield, L. I. 2. J. Leopold & Company 119,539.25 60 East 42 Street, New York City 3. Harlem Contracting Company 119,873.00 44 Exchange Place, New York City * * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Tuesday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 June 18, 1940 The Department of Parks announces that 35 quartets will participate in the Manhattan finals of the Barber Shop Quartet Contest at the Mall, Central Park, 71st Street and Center Drive, Tuesday, June 18th, at 8:30 P.M. These quartets represent a wide variety of organizations such as hotels, department stores, glee clubs, public utilities, radio corporations, civil service employees, of both the City and Federal governments, and various social and civic groups. Some of the outstanding harmonizers who will compete in the Manhattan finals tomorrow evening on the Mall, Central Park, are "Hawley's Harmonizing "Aircutters", composed of four leading local radio announcers including Mark Hawley, Ben Grauer and George Hicks of NBC and John B. Gambling; the singing waiters from the Belmont-Plaza Hotel; the Messenger Boys Quartet from the Western Union Telegraph Company and the Barbers of Barbizon, on which William Guggenheim, 71 year old copper magnate, sings a lead tenor. Other Manhattan entries comprise the followingj R. H. Macy's Gondoliers; New York Post Office Quartet; the Philharmonic Glee Club; the Philip Morris Quartet and two quartets representing ushers and page boys from Radio City Music Hall. Owing to the unprecedented number of entries in this sixth annual Barber Shop Quartet Contest, there will be one quartet selected out of each five contestants and they will qualify for the New York City Finals on June 27th at the Mall, Central Park, at "wbioh the other borough winners will vie for the City championship. The successful quartets on June 27th will represent New York City in the National Contest at the New York World's Fair, running from July 22 to 26. The judges of the Manhattan finals of the Barber Shop Quartet Contest at the Mall, Central Park, on June 18th, will include the following: J. Edward Powers, Leader, Park Department Band; W. Sarle Andrews, former General Superin- tendent, Department of Parks; John Downing, Supervisor of Recreation, Department of Parks; Allyn R. Jennings, General Superintendent of Parks, and Geoffrey O'Hara, a well known composer. The Park Department Band will provide the music for the evening's entertainment. * * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Monday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 June 17, 1940 Bids were opened today by the Department of Parks at the Arsenal Building on two contracts in connection wiih the construction of the new Belt Parkway. The first of these contracts was for repairing and repainting the large P. W. A. signs located at various points along the Parkway. These signs Were erected over a year ago and will now be renewed. The second contract i s for the demolition of existing buildings, docks, piling and other miscellaneous Structures in the area of Spring Creek adjoining Sheridan P^ceei in the Borough of Queens. The three low bidders on the above lettings were: REPAIR OF P. W. A. SIGNS 1. B. Slavin, 1703 Union Street, Brooklyn, N.Y. $897.80 2. S. G. Sterne & Co., 609 West 43 Street, N.Y.C. 380.75 3. M, Barash, 2132 Ocean Avenue, Brooklyn, N. Y. 886.00 DEMOLITION WORK 1. Macon Demolition Co., 25 Avenue A, N. Y. C. $2400.00 2. Avon Wrecking Co., Inc. 130 W. 42 St., N.Y.C, 2700.00 3. Lew Morris Demolition Co., Inc. 42-50 22nd St. 3330.00 Long Island City * * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Monday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 June 17, 1940 Bids were received today by the Department of Parks at the Arsenal Building for the repair of three bridges located in Central Park at 86th Street and the Transverse Road, 77th Street and the East Drive, and at the 72nd Street Lake leading to the wooded area known as the Rambles. The work consists of replacing wood decking, pointing and repairing stone work and painting and cleaning where required. The low bidder for the work on these bridges was James T. Mullins, 31 Victory Boulevard, Staten Island, New York,for $4,380.00. * * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Monday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 June 17, 1940 The Department of Parks announces the reopening, without ceremonies, of the reconstructed Grover Cleveland Park, Grandview Avenue and Stanhope Street, Queens, on Tuesday, June 18. This five-acre park has been redesigned and reconstructed to provide a wider all year round usage. Approximately three-quarters of the area is set aside for active recreation. There is now a completely equipped separate small pre-school children's playground, a wading pool which can be used for basketball, and three paddle tennis courts, a volleyball court, and three shuffleboard courts for older children. For adults, there is a large bituminous-surfaced area containing two basketball courts with removable goal posts so as to provide room for two softball diamonds. This area will also be used for roller skating and ice skating during winter months when sub-freezing temperatures permit. There are also two double handball courts. The balance of the park has been set aside for passive recreation with broad bench-lined walks and fenced-in lawns. The entire park has been landscaped with trees and shrubbery. The old comfort station has been re-installed to provide up to date sanitary facilities. The reopening of this park designed by the Park Department and built by the Work Projects Administration makes a total of 331 new or reconstructed recreational areas completed by the Park Department since January 1, 1934. * * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Saturday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 June 15, 1940 On Saturday, June 15, the Department of Parks will take over by permit from the Department of Public Works the westerly portion of Tollman's Island in the College Point section of Queens. This 12 acre waterfront park overlooking the East River and informally landscaped with wide walks and broad sloping lawns will be opened to the public without ceremonies on the above date. The area, cooled by river breezes, will be operated primarily as a passive recreation park and offers an excellent view of the Bronx-Whitestone Bridge spanning the river from Whitestone, Queens, to Ferry Point, The Bronx. As rapidly as possible, within available funds, benches of a permanent type will be installed along the walks. Although this new facility is adjacent to the Talltnan's Island Sewage Disposal Plant, there are no objectionable odors. Residents of this community can reach the park and parking area by way of 127th Street. The improvement, for which the design waa made and the contract let by the Deportment of Sanitation, was completed by the new Department of Public Works. The property occupied by this park development was acquired as part of the site for the Disposal Plant, but will be used as a park for several years until it is required for the expansion of the plant to take care of future development of the surrounding section of the borough. * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Friday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 June 14, 1940 The Department of Parks announces recent additions to both the Prospect Park Zoo in Brooklyn, and the Central Park Zoo, Manhattan. At the Prospect Park Zoo, four Lion cubs were born on June 1, the parents being "Helen" and "Rex". Two Tiger cubs were born on June 7, the mother's name ia "Queenie" and the father's "Tammany". The mother refused to nurse these Tiger cubs and they are being reared by bottle by the Zoo attendants. On June 11, one Fallow Deer was born, the mother being "Elsie" and the father, "Spike". Photographs of these additions may be taken on June 14, from 1 P. M. to 4 P. M. At the Central Park Zoo, there are two new Sea Lion pups, one brought into the world on June 8 by "Splashy" the mother, and the other on June 12 by "Water Lily". The father in each case is "Barker". Photographs of these new Sea Lion pups may be taken at any time. Both of these mothers bore young last year and the year old pups can be seen swimming around and imitating the actions of the older seals. * * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Friday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 June 14, 1940 Bids were received today by the Department of Parks at the Arsenal Building on.the contract for lighting a portion of the new Belt Parkway, between the Mill Basin Bridge in Brooklyn and 114th Street, Queens. The work under this contract consists of the installation of the necessary underground service boxes> manholes, conduit, cable for both high and low voltage, transformer and control equipment, the construction of four service houses, lighting standards and luminaires between the limits designated and includes completion of the lighting on the bridges spanning the Parkway at various points within the line of the work. The three low bidders for the work were the following: 1. Martin Epstein & Co. $248,210.00 955 Lafayette Avenue Brooklyn, N. Y. 2. Watson Flagg Engineering Co. 249,000.00 140 Cedar Street New York City 3. Jandous Electric 254,900.00 210 East 40 Street New York City * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Thursday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 June 13, 1940 The Department of Parks announces that special patriotic programs have been prepared for the children of Park Department playgrounds in commemoration of "Flag Day", Friday, June 14th. While the programs will include a variety of arsi/ities for all age groups such as kindergarten games, track and field meets, novelty races, baseball and softball games, tributes to the flag, as the nation's symbol, will predominate the ceremonies. Besides the customary flag raising and flag lowering exercises which precede and follow the day's activities, there will be community and solo singing of the national anthem and other patriotic songs, pledges of allegiance, talks by prominent local citizens on the significance of the American flag and what it stands for, musical selections by fife and drum corps, and recitations, by playground children, of well known compositions bearing on patriotism. "Flag Day" will be celebrated on the Mall, Central Park, 71 Street and Center Drive, Friday, June 14th, at 8{30 P. M. by a concert to be given by the Bronx Playgrounds Operetta and Orchestral Clubs of the Park Department. This combined musical and vocal unit is composed of 60 boys and girls who have made numerous appearances in many of the famous Gilbert and Sullivan Operettas at the World's Fair last year and also at the Mall, Central Park, and at Forest Park, Queens. They have likewise given excerpts of these operettas, together with musical selections of famous composers, over the Municipal Broadcasting Station, WNYC. The St. Mary's Horseshoers Quartet, 1939 winner of the Park Department Barber Shop Quartet Contest, will add to the program on the Mall, Friday night, by rendering a few ballads, popular among the barbershop harmonizers of the Gay Nineties. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Wednesday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 June 12, 1940 Bids were received today by the Department of Parks at the Arsenal Building for six contracts covering the construction of the southerly extension of Bast River Park from Grand to Montgomery Streets. This addition comprising 18 acres, added to the northerly section now complete and opened to the public from Grand to 12th Streets will provide 51 acres of fully developed recreational areas for the lower east side including the Vladeck Housing project now under construction at the southerly end of the proposed park. The work under these contracts consists of the construction of a section of the park west of the East River Drive. This unit will contain a wading pool, comfort station and other facilities for children. A landscaped mall will pass through this section and will serve as an approach to the proposed pedestrian bridge over the East River Drive. The bridge will lead to the rear of a large amphitheatre seating approximately 2,500 persons to be constructed under one of the contracts. Ramps from the bridge will lead pedestrians to the main park play areas. Facing the amphitheatre will be constructed a large recreation building, one face of which will consist of a circular stage and bandshell. The building will contain a large recreation hall, toilet facilities, club rooms, storage and service rooms and dressing rooms to be used in connection with stage presentations. To the north of the building will be two large baseball diamonds and to the south, courts for handball, basketball, paddle tennis, shuffleboard and badminton. A paved promenade overlooking the Skst River will extend along the entire river frontage of the park. The entire area will be landscaped. The three low bidders for each phase of the work were as follows: General Construction of recreation building, comfort station, amphitheatre, pedestrian bridge and incidental grading: 1. Lawrence J. Rice $247,777,00 372 Burns Street, Forest Hills, L. I. 2. John Rosenblum, Inc. 252,954,00 104 Fifth Avenue, New York City 3. Hudson Contracting Company, Inc, 259,000.00 307 Fifth Avenue, New York City General Park Development: 1. Craven Construction Corporation $303,975.34 511 Kent Avenue, Brooklyn, N. Y. 2. Frank Mascali & Sons, Inc. 308,690.50 4634 Third Avenue, Bronx, N. Y. 3. Millman & Hazzaro 376,422.00 124 Livingston Street, Brooklyn, N. Y. Electrical work for recreation building, comfort station, floodlighting and park lighting: 1. Jandous Electric Equipment Company $ 29,550.00 210 East 40 Street, New York City 2. Hoffman & Elias, Inc. 33,226.00 254 West 31 Street, New York City 3. Supreme Electric Equipment Company 33,404,00 27-35 Jackson Avenue, Long Island City Plumbing work for recreation building and comfort station: 1. Jarcho Brothers $ 7,244.00 304 East 45 Street, New York City 2. Goldschmid & Foley 7,433.00 110 West 40 Street, New York City 3. George J. Kay 7,895.00 1560 Flatbush Avenue, Brooklyn, N. Y. Heating work for recreation building and comfort station: 1. Jarcho Brothers $ 8,548.00 304 East 45 Street, New York City 2. Edward Kiss, Inc 8,733.00 207 East 43 Street, New York City 3. Harry Stockman & Brothers 9,315,00 348 Brook Avenue, The Bronx, N. Y. Planting, and Seeding: 1. John Gozo $ 22,738.00 1625 West 6th Street, Brooklyn, N. Y. 2. General Landscape Corporation 26,831.35 Chrysler. Building, New York City 3. Roman landscape Contracting Company 27,403.20 551 Fifth Avenue, New York City * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Tuesday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 June 11, 1940 The Department of Parks announces that the All City High School Symphonic Band of the Board of Education of New York City will give its sixth and final concert of the academic year on the Mall, Central Park, 71st Street and Center Drive, Wednesday, June 12th at 8:30 P. M. This band is composed of 100 boys and girls drawn from 75 high school bands throughout the five boroughs. Each member is chosen as the result of auditions conducted by George H. Gartlan, Director of Music, Board of Education, City of New York. Five public concerts have been given by the band during this year, one in each of the boroughs, for the purpose of promoting further interest in the development of instrumental music among the boys and girls of secondary schools. Wednesday's concert on the Mall, with Albert A. Becker, as conductor, will open with the Star Spangled Banner and will include selections and marches of well known composers. The program follows: 1. Star Spangled Banner 2. March - Laurentian Laurendeau 3. Overture - Stradella Flotow 4. a) Adagio - from Organ Sonata Mendelssohn b) Marche Gothique Salome-Zeiner Arranged for band and conducted by Mr. Edward J. A. Zeiner 5. Children's March Goldman INTERMISSION 6. On the Mall Goldman 7. Waltz - Gold and Silver Lehar 8. a) Pizzicato Polka Strauss b) The Whistler and His Dog Pryor 9. The Spirit of Pageantry Fletcher 10. America ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Tuesday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 June 11, 1940 COPY Miss Naomi Landy 79 Perry Street New York City Dear Naomi: This will acknowledge your petition asking for playgrounds in Washington Square. As your address is the only one which appears on the petition, I cannot send copies of this letter to the other signers and must ask you to convey this information to them. I am in complete sympathy with your request that Washington Square be made into a playground. Of course, there must be a place for other people too, such as grownups who want to sit on benches, and walk, and for all the various kinds of people who have rights in this square. I think, however, that the children come first. The trouble is that our plans were blocked by stupid and selfish people in the neighborhood who don't want to give you a place to play, but insist on keeping Washington Square as it was years ago with lawns and grass and the kind of landscaping which goes with big estates or small villages. These people want the square to be quiet and artistic and they object to the noise of children playing and to other activities which we proposed. Under these circumstances we moved our relief men and material to other crowded parts of the city where playgrounds are badly needed and where the surrounding people welcome them and don't put obstacles in our way. We have no funds now to carry out our original program. It may be that next year we can provide some additional play facilities without all the other trimmings which were part of our plan. We shall see what can be done, but I am not very hopeful about it now. It seems a shame that you should suffer because of some stuffy, arrogant and selfish people living around the square. Some day these people will move away and then the neighborhood will be better off. Very truly yours, /s/ ROBERT M0SES Commissioner ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- PROGRAM REOPENING OF CITY PARK FLUSHING AVENUE AND NAVY STREET, BROOKLYN JUNE 7, 1940 4 P. M. * * * * * Band Selections Robert Moses, Commissioner of Parks, Chairman John Cashmore, Borough President of Brooklyn Colonel Brehon Somervell, New York City Work Projects Administrator Mayor La Guardia National Anthem Flag Raising Recreational Activities Inspection of Park Band Selections * * * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Thursday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 June 6, 1940 The Third Annual Learn to Swim Campaign started June 3rd in the outdoor Park Department swimming pools and will continue until June 22. The Board of Education is cooperating in this intensive drive to make all the City's boys and girls at home in the water. School principals are invited to send their children to the pools in groups in charge of teachers for the swimming instruction. The Park Department staff has been teaching children for years and find that most of them not being afraid of the water are able to start swimming lessons at once. By the fifth lesson in many cases even the youngest tots are ready for swimming. By the end of the swimming season some of these youngsters are ready to enter novice events in the pool competition. The safety factor in the Leam to Swim Campaign is being emphasized this year since available statistics indicate that about 6000 persons are drowned annually in the United States and approximately 400 in New York City. It has been estimated that fifty percent of the drownings occur in rivers and that half of all drowning victims were unable to swim. During the Learn to Swim Campaign sponsored last year by the Park Department about 5000 children and adults registered for swimming lessons. The response this year, it is estimated, will be a great deal heavier. The Park Department pools will continue to hold classes for swimmers of all ages during the entire swimming season. Following is a list of the pools available for persons of age to register for swimming instruction during the Learn to Swim Campaign. MANHATTAN Hamilton Fish Pool - East Houston and Sheriff Streets Colonial Pool - Bradhurst Avenue West 145th to 147th Streets Highbridge Pool - Amsterdam Avenue and 173rd Street Thomas Jefferson Pool - 111th to 114th Streets and first Avenue Floating Pool - 93rd Street and Riverside Drive 23rd Street Pool - 23rd Street and Avenue "A" Carmine Street Pool - 83 Carmine Street John Jay Pool - 78th Street & East River BROOKLYN Sunset Pool - 7th Avenue and 43rd Street McCarren Pool - Nassau Avenue and Lorimer Street Red Hook Pool - Clinton, Bay and Henry Streets Botsy Head Pool - Hopkinson, Dumont and Livonia Streets BRONX Crotona Pool - 173rd Street and Fulton Avenue QUEENS Astoria Pool - Barclay Street & 24th Drive RICHMOND Faber Pool - Faber Street betwoen Richmond Terrace and Kill Van Kull Torapkinsville Pool - - Arrietta Street at Pier No, 6 * * * * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Thursday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 June 6, 1940 The Department of Parks announces that ceremonies in connection with the opening of the reconstructed Chelsea Park bounded by Ninth and Tenth Avenues and 27th and 38th Streets, Manhattan, will be held on Thursday, June 6th at 8 P.M. Besides Mayor LaGuardia, Dr. John L. Elliott of the Hudson Guild, Borough President of Manhattan Stanley M. Isaacs and Colonel Brehon B. Somervell, New York City Work Projects Administrator will participate as speakers. Park Commissioner Robert Moses will preside as Chairman, following the speaking program various neighborhood groups will take part in a pageant depicting the growth of the Chelsea district. This city block area was originally acquired by the City in October 1906 and first opened as a public playground in December 1910, Although it was rehabilitated in the early part of this administration, its improper design made it inefficient to operate and rather difficult to maintain. The new development includes an asphalt surface of the westerly 400 feet of the park which is graded so that it can be floodod for ice-skating when sub-freezing temperatures permit. In season it will be used for roller skating, roller hockey, softball, basketball and other group games which can be played on a hard surface. No longer will the children be required to roller skate and play in the adjacent heavily trafficked boundary streets where they are subject to possible fatal injuries. The westerly area is floodlightod so those roquired to work during daylight hours can procure much needed recreation after working hours. There are three basketball courts, three handball courts, two horseshoe pitching courts and a skittle court. There is also a completely equipped children's playground with a large wading pool and a brick comfort station. The easterly portion of the park surrounding the Health Center Building, erected and opened to the public in 1937, on the roof of which is a public playground, has been redesigned as a sitting area. Eventually, it is hoped that the old inadequate school structure of Public School 33, located within the aroa will be abandoned, its valuable area added to Chelsea Park, and a now larger and modern structure put up in connection with a housing development in the Chelsea district. The reconstructed Hudson Park, Clarkson and Hudson Streets, Manhattan, will reopen, without ceremony, on the same date. This area which formerly contained an earth-surfaced baseball diamond unusable after rain storms and recurrent periods of freeze and thaw, has been redesigned to provide recreational facilities for all age groups all year round. There is now a Softball diamond with concrete bleachers for spectators, a basketball court for juniors, and a basketball court for seniors, six double handball courts, and a boccie court. The entire play area has been asphalt-surfaced so that it can be used for roller skating and ice skating during the winter months when sub-freezing temperatures permit. It will also bo floodlighted so that those who have to work during daylight hours may got much needed recreation after working hours. The reopening of these two improvements designed by the Park Department and constructed by the Work Projects Administration, makes a total of 329 new or reconstructed recreational areas completed by the Park Department since January 1, 1934. * * * * * * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Thursday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 June 6, 1940 The Department of Parks announces the summer activities program of tournaments, exhibitions, contests, athletic meets, festivals and special events including concerts and social dances, which will be conducted in parks, playgrounds, and swimming pools under the jurisdiction of the Park Department during the year 1940. There will be city-wide tournaments in the following activities: Activity Age Group Finals - Approximate Date Field Hockey Girls - 16 years and under June Twilight Baseball Boys and young men - 16 years and over June and July Punchball Girls - 16 years and under June 15th Horseshoe Pitching Boys and young" men past 17 years July 6th (Singles & Doubles) Softball Boys - 16 years and under August Boys - 17 to 21 years Men - 21 years and over Baseball Boys - 16 years and under August Jacks Girls - 14 years and under August 28th Checkers Boys and girls - 16 years and under August Men - 50 years of age and over (There will be a "Youth vs Age" contest between the winners of the 2 divisions.) Chess Boys - 16 years and under August Men - 50 years of age and over (There will be a "Youth vs Age" contest between the winners of the 2 divisions.) Athletic meets, during the month of June and July, will be held in the various borough playgrounds for boys and girls between the ages of 12 and 19 years; city-wide track and field championships will take place at the new Park Department athletic field located at East River Park, East River Drive and 6th Street, on Saturday, July 13th, at 2:00 P.M. Swimming meets will be conducted, during the summer months, at the 16 various outdoor swimming pools operated by the Department of Parks, These meets will be both intra and inter-pool in scope and will consist of individual events, fancy diving and relays. The annual Park Department "Learn to Swim" campaign, in cooperation with various civic, health, educational and recreational agencies, will be held in all pools, as in previous years. Vocal, musical and dancing capabilities of playground children are fostered, encouraged and developed in the following special contests which terminate in finals for the city championships: Contest Age Group Finals - Approximate Date Amateur Singing Boys and Girls - 8 to 12 years August 25th " " " 13 to 16 " Musical Instruments Boys and Girls - 8 to 12 " August 25th " " " 13 to 16 " (This contest will include all types of musical instruments.) Harmonica Boys and girls - 15 years and under " " " 16 to 18 years " " " over 18 years (There will be a special division for Harmonica Bands.) Folk Dancing Girls under 12 years June 22nd Girls - 12 to 14 years Girls - 14 to 16 years (Each borough will present 3 dances; 2 Folk and 1 classical.) An amateur photography contest, depicting "Youth and Age in our City Parks and Playgrounds", will be conducted for both children and adults, beginning May 15th and running through September 20, 1940. All pictures, submitted by the contestants, must represent scones in parks, parkways, pools, beaches, or playgrounds under the jurisdiction of the Department of Parks during the year 1940. The entrants are classified according to the following age groups: Class A - Children - 16 years of age and undor Class B - Adults - 17 years and over Rules governing the contest are: 1. Children's pictures may be of any size print and need not be enlarged, but must be mounted; pictures of competitors in the adult division must be 8" x 10" prints and mounted in stiff paper or cardboard. 2. The name, address, and group classification, A or B, should be clearly written on the reverse side of each picture* 3. The Department of Parks shall have the right to reproduce any picture for park purposes. 4. Negatives must be available immediately upon request. 5. Contestants may submit no more than 5 pictures. 6. Pictures must show spring or summer activities only. 7. The decision of the judges shall be final in all cases. 8. Prizes will be awarded to the 3 contestants in each age group, who submit the best pictures. No competitor is eligible to win more than one prize. Those desirous of entering the contest are requested to submit their photographs between May 15th and September 20th to the Park Department Borough Director of the borough in which the contestant resides. The names and addresses of the horough directors, to whom all communications should be forwarded regarding this and other contests, are listed at the end of this release. A model airplane contest for boys 18 years of age and under will take place in the various boroughs during the month of July. In the model yacht and airplane contests, it is not usual for the home-made yacht or airplane to bo declared the winner. Kite flying is permitted at the following Park Department areas: Manhattan - Randall's Island, play lawn, north of Triborough Bridge Sheep Meadow, Central Park, 66th Street and West Drive Brooklyn - Marine Park, Avenue U and Gerritsen Avenue Prospect Park, Long Meadow, east of Tennis House (nearest entrance at 9th Street and Prospect Park West) Canarsie Park, Seaview Avenue and East 93rd Street Rod Hook Recreation Conter, Bay and Court Streets Owls Head Park, Shore Road and 68th Street Queens - Alley Pond Park, picnic area, east of parking field - Winchester Boulevard and Grand Central Parkway, Queens Village Kissena Park, between the baseball diamond and upper parking field, Rose and Oak Avenues, Flushing Cunningham Park, at athletic field - 185th St. & Union Tpk Hollis Juniper Valley Park, on high bank near the athletic field - Dry Harbor Road and 62nd Avonuo, Middle Village. Bronx - Van Cortlandt Park, area north of Henry Hudson Parkway, adjacent to Broadway and 254th Street Richmond - Willowbrook Park, Richmond and Rockland Avenues Demonstrations in the art of magic will be given by boys and girls of Park playgrounds on the Mall, Central Park, on Sunday, July 21st. Shadowgraphy, juggling, ventriloquism, paper tearing, mind reading, chalk talk, rag pictures and all sorts of novel tricks and stunts will be included in the program. Any amateur magician may compete in the contest in ona of the following age groups: Class A - 9 years of age and under Class B - 10 to 14 years Class G - 15 to 18 years Class D - 19 years of age and over The finals of the city's sixth annual barber shop quartet contest will be held under the supervision of the Park Departraent, at the Mall, Central Park, on Thursday, June 27th, at 8:30 P.M.; the borough eliminations aro scheduled as follows: Mannhattan - Mall, Central Park - Tuesday, June 18th Brooklyn - Music Grove, Prospect Park - Friday, June 21st Queens - Music Grove, Forest Park - Thursday, June 20th Bronx - Mullaly Park Playground, 163rd Street and Jerome Avenue - Tuesday, June 18th Hichmond - McDonald Playground, Forest and Myrtle Avenues - Wednesday, June 19th The National Championship in barber shop quartet harmony will take place at the New York World's Fair during the week of July 22nd to 26th. Any quartet from New York City, desirous of entering the National Contest, must qualify by passing through the borough eliminations. Applications must bo filed not later than one week prior to the date of eliminations with the Park Director of the borough in which the quartet desiros to participates Special programs will be prepared by oach playground director in commemoration of the following holidays: June 14th - Flag Day July 4th - Independence Day September 2nd - Labor Day There are various rules and regulations regarding Park Department tournaments and contests, some of which are: Only competitors who are amateurs shall be eligible to compete in any of the recreational activities, tournaments and contests conducted by the Department of Parks. The winning of a city championship in any contest or tournament will be determined only after intra-playground; inter-playground; inter-district and inter-borough eliminations. Prizes will consist of a gold medal, Park insignia and sweatshirt for the winners of the city championships. Those winning second place will be awarded silver medals and the borough winners will be awarded bronze medals. Certificates of award will be presented to winners of intra-playground contests and tournaments. While latitude has been given to all age groups in this recreation program from the standpoint of active participation in sports and contests, the Department of Parks realizing that there are thousands of citizens, young and old, who desire periods of passive recreation, have made arrangements for a number of concerts which will take place during the months of June, July and August. The 1940 concert schedule includes four additional locations over 1939; East River Drivo Park, Manhattan, and Schmul Playground, Clove Lakes Park and South Beach Boardwalk in the Borough of Richmond. The season's concert schedule is attached. The outdoor social dancing season of the Park Department will commenco the first week in June and the New York City W.P.A. Music Project will provide tho music. The schedule includes 15 locations; this represents an increase of 6 areas over 1938 and 3 over 1939. The new onos aro: Red Hook Pool, Brooklyn; Tompkinsville Pool and South Beach Boardwalk, Richmond. The 1940 dancing echedulo is attached. The names and addrossos of the borough directors follow: Manhattan - Philip J. Cruiso, Arsenal Building, 64th Street and 5th Avenue, Brooklyn - Richard C. Jenkins, Litchfield Mansion, Prospect Park West and 5th Street, Prospect Park, Brooklyn, N.Y. Queens - James J. Mallon, the Ovorlook, Union Turnpike and Park Lane, Forest Park, Kew Gardens, L.I. N.Y. Bronx - George L. Quiglsy, Bronx Park East & Birchall Avenue, Bronx Park Bronx, New York Richmond - A. M, Andorson, Clove Lakos Park, Clovo Road, west of Victory Boulevard, Richmond, N. Y. Attach. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS CITY OF NEW YORK PUBLIC CONCERTS MANHATTAN Mall, Central Park Goldman Band Concerts - Mon., Wed., Fri., and Sun. at 8:30 P.M June 19th to August 18th Naumburg Memorial Concerts - May 30th, July 4th, 31st, and Labor Day Sept. 2nd at 8:15 P.M. Amateur City Symphony - June 25th, 29th, July 6th, 13th, 20th 27th at 8:30 P.M. WPA Federal Music Project - June 2nd, 7th, 9th, and 16th only and Concerts Every Saturday beginning Aug. 3rd East River Drive Park WPA Federal Music Project - Thursdays at 8:30 P.M. beginning June 6th BROOKLYN Music Grove, Prospect Park Goldman Band Concerts - Tues., Thurs., and Sat. at 8:30 P.M. June 20th to August 17th Amateur City Symphony - July 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th, at 3:00 P.M. WPA Federal Music Project - Fridays beginning June 21st Tues. and Sat. June 4th, 8th, 11th, 15th, 18th only Sundays'beginning August 4th QUEENS Forest Park Music Grove WPA Federal Music Project - Sun., Tues., Fri. at 8:©0 Beginning June 2nd King Park. Jamaica WPA Federal Music Project - Saturdays at 8:30 P.M. BRONX Beginning June 8th Poe Park WPA Federal Music Project - Mondays beginning June 3rd Schmul Playground - Alternate Tuesdays beginning June 4th South Beach Boardwalk - Alternate Tuesdays beginning June 11th (Pavillion at Sand Lane) Clove Lakes Park - Wednesdays beginning June 5th All concerts wil] take place at 8:30 P.M. unless otherwise stated. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS CITY OF NEW YORK PUBLIC DANCES - 1940 MANHATTAN Tuesdays - Mall, Central Park, 72nd Street and Central Park Colonial Park, Bradhurst Avenue and 148th Street Thursdays - Mall, Central Park, 72nd Street and Central Park Fridays - Roosovelt Playground, Chrystie and Forsytho Street Riverside Park, 106th Street and Riverside Drive BROOKLYN Mondays - Prospect Park Picnic House Wednesdays - La Guardia Playground, South 4th Street & Roebling Street Fridays - Red Hook Pool, Dwight, Richard and Pioneer Streets (Alternate weeks beginning June 14th) QUEENS Mondays - Jackson Heights Playground, 84th Street and 25th Avenue Thursdays - Victory Field, Forest Park Fridays - Astoria Pool, Ditmars Blvd., 19th Street, 25th Avenue (Alternate weeks starting June 7th) BRONX Wednesdays - Van Cortlandt Park, 242nd and Broadway RICHMOND Tuesdays - South Beach Boardwalk on Roadway at Sand Lane (Alternate weeks starting June 4th) Tuesdays - Tompkinsville Pool, Arrietta Street at Pier #6 (Alternates weeks starting June 11th) Wednesdays - McDonald Playground, Forest Avenue near Broadway *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#* OUTDOOR DANCING SEASON STARTS WEEK OF JUNE 2nd. DANCES ARE AT 8:30 P.M. *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#* 5/16/40 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Tuesday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 June 4, 1940 The Department of Parks announces that special programs of recreational activities have been prepared for the boys and girls of 11 Park Department playgrounds during the month of June in conmemoration of their official opening to the public. These anniversary celebrations will include horseshoe pitching contests, checker and jacks contests, handball tournaments, paddle tennis matches, track and field meets, Softball and baseball games and gymnastic demonstrations. The programs will also feature such activities as solo and community singing of patriotic songs, recitations, concerts by playground children's bands, tap dancing exhibitions, doll and carriage parade and group games. The June schedule for playground birthday celebrations is as follows: Borough Playground and Location Opened Time Manhattan Carl Schurz Park Playground, East 84th June 22, 1935 2:00 P.M. St. and last End Avenue 106th Street and Lexington Avenue June 12, 1936 3:30 P.M. Louis Cuvillier Park Playground, East June 4, 1937 3:30 P.M. River and 125th Street West 130th Street and 5th Avenue June 12, 1937 3:30 P.M. Riverside Park Playground, 96th St. June 14, 1938 3:30 P.M. and Riverside Drive Brooklyn Schermerhora Street and 3rd Avenue June 5, 1935 2:00 P.M. Gerrittsen and Seba Avenues June 26, 1936 3:30 P.M. Bay Parkway Playground, Avenue P & June 26, 1936 10:00 A.M. Bay Parkway Avenue L and East 18th Street June 11, 1937 3:30 P.M. Bushwick Park Playground, June 26, 1937 4:00 P.M. Knickerbocker and Putnam Avenues Bronx St. James Park Playground, Jerome June 9, 1935 2:00 P.M. Avenue and East 191st Street * * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Monday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 June 3, 1940 On Monday, June 3, at 4 P.M., the Department of Parks will open without ceremony, the new outdoor swimming pool in the northwesterly corner of John Jay Park, adjacent to and overlooking the East River at East 78 Street, Manhattan. This new pool, 50' x 145' while not as large as some of the other pools around the City, is as modern in every respect. The water is filtered, purified and re-circulated. Under-water lighting for night use is provided; and there is a large promenade around the pool. This pool has the advantage of a pleasant setting of large shade trees, all of which had been growing at the site before the start of construction and were retained on two sides of the pool. The old recreation and comfort station building is being remodeled to provide adequate dressing room and shower facilities for the use of the pool, and comfort station facilities and a recreation room will be retained for those using the general park area. Pending the completion of the bathhouse, temporary dressing facilities have been provided. This pool will be operated the same as the other 15 outdoor swimming pools which were reopened on Wednesday, May 29. On weekdays and Saturdays from 10 A.M. to 12:30 P.M., there will be a free period for children under 14 years of age, during which hours no adults will be admitted to the pool area. However, after 1 P.M. on weekdays, and all day Sundays and Holidays, until the permanent bathhouse is completed, there is a 5¢ charge for children under 14 years of age and a 10¢ charge for older children and adults. Upon the completion of the permanent dressing room facilities, the rates will bo increased to 10¢ and 20¢, As at the other swimming pools, group swimming, diving tournaments, inter-pool contests, water shows, life saving, and first-aid classes, will be part of the aquatic program. Work in connection with this improvement was designed by the Department of Parks and performed by the Work Projects Administration. * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Wednesday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 May 29, 1940 The Department of Parks announces that the new outdoor swimming pool located at 232 West 60 Street, Manhattan, will be completed and opened to the public without ceremony, on Wednesday, May 29, at 10 A.M. This new modern outdoor swimming pool, 70' x 100', with a separate wading pool, 80' x 50', for small children, will provide much needed bathing facilities that have long been denied to the residents of the surrounding neighborhood, and for which there has been an increased demand. The adjacent bath building, transferred from the Borough President of Manhattan under the new City Charter, had been completely renovated to provide increased recreational facilities and was opened to the public on June 10, 1939. The work in connection with the improvement was planned by the Department of Parks and performed with relief labor under the Work Projects Administration. At the same day and time, the other 14 outdoor swimming pools under the jurisdiction of the Department of Parks will reopen. Pools are located as follows: MANHATTAN: Hamilton Pish Pool - East Houston and Sheriff Streets Colonial Pool - Bradhurst Avenue W. 145 to 147th Streets Highbridge Pool - Amsterdam Avenue and 173 Street Thomas Jefferson Pool - 111th to 114th Streets and First Avenue 23rd Street Pool - 23rd Street and East River Drive Carmine Street Pool - Clarkson Street and Seventh Avenue 60th Street Pool - 60th Street bet. Amsterdam and 11th Avenue BROOKLYN: Sunset Pool - 7th Avenue and 43rd Street McCarren Pool - Driggs Avenue and Lorimer Street Red Hook Pool - Clinton, Bay and Henry Streets Betsy Head Pool - Hopkinson, Dumont and Livonia Streets BRONX: Crotona Pool - 173rd Street and Fulton Avenue QUEENS: Astoria Pool - 19th Street and 23rd Drive RICHMOND: Faber Pool - Faber Street between Richmond Terrace and Kill Van Kull Tompkinsville Pool - Arrietta Street at Pier No. 6 During the fall, winter and spring, the pools have been operated as free play centers. Various facilities such as handball, volley-ball, paddle tennis,etc., were provided and used by approximately 2,465,707 children and adults. On April 14 they were closed as play centers and the areas cleaned, painted and put in readiness for the swimming season. From May 29th to June 28th the pools will open at 10 a.m., and close at 6 p.m., and from June 29th until the termination of the season, they will open at 10 a.m., and close at 10 p.m. When the heat is oppressive and there is a public demand, the pools will ranain open later than 10 p.m. If the evening hours are cold or if there is rain, they will close at an early hour, depending upon the patronage. On week days and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. there will be a free period for children under 14 years of age, during which hours no adults will be admitted to the pool area. After 1 p.m. on week days and all day Sundays and Holidays, there is a 10¢ charge for children under 14 years of age and a 20¢ charge for older children and adults. Group swimming, diving tournaments, inter-pool contests, water shows, water-ball tournaments, life saving and first aid classes will be part of the aquatic program. Orchard Beach, Pelham Bay Park, The Bronx, Jacob Riis Park Beach and Rockaway Beach in the Rockaway peninsula, Queens, Coney Island Beach, Brooklyn, and South Beach and Wolfe's Pond Park Beach, in Staten Island, will also open officially for bathers on Wednesday, May 29th. There are bath house accommodations at Jacob Riis Park and Orchard Beach. At Orchard Beach, an extension has been added to the bathhouse so as to provide 844 new lockers for men and 1084 new lockers for women, with, a total acconmodation of 7,796 lockers for bathhouse patrons. Parking space is provided for 6,000 cars. This year the parking space and beach will be more accessible to motorists because of the completion of a one mile long traffic relief road from the terminus of Hutchinson River Parkway at Bartow Station to the beach proper. This new four-lane road, two lanes each in opposite directions, separated by a mall, provides direct access to the beach without mingling with commercial traffic. The road was designed by the Park Department and the work performed by the Work Projects Administration. At Jacob Riis Park, there are parking accommodations for 14,000 cars and bathhouse accommodations for 10,000 patrons. Parking at both beaches will be 25¢ per car with bathhouse fees 15¢ for children's lockers, and 25¢ for adults' lockors. At Jacob Riis Park, 50¢ per person is charged for a dressing room. Recreation areas will be available to the public at Jacob Riis Park and Orchard Beach, which will provide shuffle board, paddle tennis and handball. The charge for the use of these facilities will be 10¢ per person per half hour. Besides these game areas at Jacob Riis Park, there is also an 18 hole pitch and putt golf course. A charge of 50¢ is made for each round of golf played which includes clubs and balls. In addition to these game areas at the beaches a special schedule of events is planned for Jacob Riis Park. There will be calisthenics on the beach each day at 12 noon and at 3 p.m.; push-ball game on the beach a t 12:45 p.m. There will be social dancing on the Mall each night except Sunday at 3:30 p.m. All these activities are free and the patrons of the beach will be invited to join in the fun. Similar activities have been planned for Orchard Beach. Beginning Monday evening, June 24th, there will be 4 regular scheduled league soft-ball games at the Jacob Riis Park floodlighted ball field. Bleachers have been provided for 1,000 persons and this sport is expected to prove a very popular night feature. Beach chairs and umbrellas may be rented at both Orchard Beach and Jacob Riis Park at a nominal charge and beach shops are provided where bathing accessories may be purchased. * * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Wednesday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 May 29, 1940 ST. MARY'S PARK - BRONX The Department of Parks announces that on Thursday, May 30, at 1 P.M., the two new baseball diamonds in St. Mary's Park on Jackson Avenue and St. Mary's Street, The Bronx, will open with a game between the Gouverneur Morris Post Baseball Club vs. the McAlarney's Mariners. The opening of these ball fields marks the completion of the development begun in 1938, of the easterly section of the park as a large recreational area. Besides the two full size baseball diamonds, there are a small children's playground and several new horseshoe pitching courts. The old tennis courts have been regraded and resurfaced. A broad tree-shaded mall extends north and south from St. Mary's Street to Trinity Avenue. Walks have been realigned, and resurfaced, and a new comfort station constructed. The old facilities in this park were entirely inadequate and baseball had been played on a rough, unfinished diamond. The new diamonds are equal to the best in the entire city and the field so laid out that football may be played in season. The money for the construction of this improvement was obtained by an arrangement with the Department of Education whereby certain lands in Macombs Dam Park were transferred to that department by the Department of Parks. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Monday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 May 27, 1940 Bids were opened today by the Park Department at the Arsenal Building on the contract for lighting a portion of the new Belt Parkway, between Fort Hamilton and Coney Island Avenue, Borough of Brooklyn. The work under this contract consists of installation of all the necessary underground conduit, pull boxes and cable, and the erection of twin and single arm lampposts, including luminaires to provide a complete lighting system for the parkway between the limits designated. The three low bidders for the above work were as follows: 1. Arc Electrical Construction Co., Inc $139,300.00 739 Second Avenue, New York City 2. Martin Epstein Company 139,700.00 955 Lafayette Avenue, Brooklyn, N.Y. 3. Watson Ilagg Engineering Company 144,761,00 140 Cedar Street, New York City * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Monday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 May 27, 1940 The Department of Parks announces that to date over seventy-five barber shop quartets have registered for the borough eliminations to determine those who will compete in the city-wide contest which will be held on The Mall in Central Park on June 27. Owing to the unprecedented number of entries, which are far and above those in former years, the Park Department has announced that, out of each five borough contestants, there will be one quartet picked for the finals. The winning quartets in the final contest will represent the City at the National Championship of the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber-Shop Quartet Singing in America, Inc. which will be held at the World's Fair, July 22 - 26 inclusive. This national event is attracting many of the finest quartets throughout the country, and local headquarters have received entries from points as far distant as Honolulu, Seattle and San Francisco, from where Governor Culbert L. Olson is sending the champion, California quartet which will be picked at the San Francisco World's Fair, The harmonizers who will vie for the handsome prizes offered at the sixth annual city championship represent men drawn from every walk of life, who have entered as quartets from commercial, industrial, social and civic organizations. In Manhattan, interesting entries include "Hawley's Harmonizing 'Aircutters", composed of four leading local radio announcers who boast of a collective audience on the ether of thirty million persons. They are led by Mark Hawley and include Ben Grauer and George Hicks of MBC and John B. Gambling. A sweet-voiced quartet of singing waiters from the Belmont-Plaza Hotel are also assiduously training for the Manhattan tryouts. A group of messenger boys from the Western Union Telegraph Company,' regularly employed to sing "Happy Birthday" greetings, are brushing up on their grandfathers' ballads. Other Manhattan entries include R.H. Macy's Gondoliers, and the Barbers of Barbizon, on which William Guggenheim, 71-year old copper magnate, sings a lead tenor. In Brooklyn, a quartet of the heavy hitting Dodgers Baseball Club is ready with their theme song: "Take Me Out to the Ball Game," while in the northernmost borough a group known as the Bronx Umpires boast that they will call the Dodgers out if they meet in the city-wide finals. Also in the Bronx, the "St. Mary's Horseshoers", last year's city-wide champions, have a large following who are wagering that they will repeat. In their home borough, the Brooklyn Dodgers are being seriously challenged by the "Bay Parkway Bounders", the "Bensonhurst Bathhouse Boys" and a quartet from the Police Department Glee Club which is being entered under the sobriquet of the "Prospect Park Sparrow Cops." In Queens, Jimmy Lynch, who daily risks his neck at the Goodrich Exhibit at the World's Fair, has entered a quartet of dare-devil drivers, known as "Jimmy Lynch's Death Dodgers", but a choral organization with considerable experience in church choirs known as the "Ridgewood Clippers" think they can take the measure of the speed demons. In Richmond, the "Garber Quartette," comiposed of two insurance men, an engineer and a federal post office superintendent, who, as amateurs, have been heard on many local radio programs, have as their leading contender a quartette from Schmul Park, who are being coached by Louis Schmul, local innkeeper and donor of the City Park which bears his name. The New York City Chapter of the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America, Inc., of which Mayor LaGuardia is President, Alfred E. Smith and Robert Moses, Vice-Presidents, and Dr. Sigmund Spaeth, Delegate-at-Large, and among whose 36 members are William R. Boyd, American Petroleum Institute; Harvey D. Gibson, Chairman of the Board of the World's Fair; George P.Ren, President of the Stock Exchange; Gene Tunney and Owen D. Young, expects to attend the city-wide finals in a body. * * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Sunday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 May 26, 1940 The Department of Parks announces that the reconstructed boardwalk at Coney Island will be opened to the public on Sunday, May 26th. This section of the boardwalk extends from Stillwell Avenue to Ocean Parkway, a distance of approximately 3,800 feet. The new location of the boardwalk is approximately 300 feet inshore from the old one. Work was started on this operation on January 15, 1940 and was completed in the record-breaking time of four months. The construction methods used were unusual and created a great deal of interest in the construction industry. The amount of money appropriated by the Board of Estimate would have permitted the construction of a new boardwalk approximately 1,800 feet long. The department, realizing that such an improvement would in no way meet the requirements for increased usage, planned the job so that it was possible to salvage the major portion of the old structure that was built by the Brooklyn Borough President's office in 1920. The concrete pile bents consisting of four piles and a concrete girder were removed from their old location in one piece and reset on the new line. The timber floor beam sections were also removed without dismantling and a new surface deck was installed. Despite the inclement weather during the last winter, the Contractor, the Arthur A. Johnson Corporation-Necaro Co. Inc., pushed the work to its completion before the opening of the summer season at Coney Island. 210,000 yards of white sand was imported from Ambrose Channel and deposited on the beach in front of this new section of walk. This operation has made an additional 24 acres of beach available to the bathers. Surf Avenue has been realigned at its easterly end and Seaside Park has been partly reconstructed. In order to accomplish this realignment of the boardwalk it was necessary to demolish a number of the old ramshackle structures adjacent to it. Already new buildings of more attractive design are being built by the property owners. The antiquated Municipal Bathhouse was in the line of the new walk and about three-quarters of it was demolished. The balance, which will be used as a Park headquarters this summer, will be torn down next winter and the reconstruction of the beach completed in accordance with the plan outlined by the Park Commissioner in a report made to the Mayor last fall. * * * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Wednesday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 May 22, 1940 Bids were received today by the Department of Parks, on a contract for doing miscellaneous paving along the new Belt Parkway, between the Bronx-Whitestone intersection and Grand Central Parkway, Borough of Queens. The work under this contract consists of placing miscellaneous fill, grading, drainage, paving and other incidental work required to clean up the area within the contract limits. The three low bidders on the work were as follows: 1. Frank Mascali & Sons, Inc. 4634 Third Ave. $26,555. 2. Tully & DiNapoli, Inc. 30-11 12 St.,LIC 34,115. 3. Slattery Contracting Co. 72-02 51st Ave. 38,725. Winfield, L.I.N.Y. * * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS CITY OF NEW YORK PROGRAM FOR THE DEDICATION OF BARUCH PLAYGROUND AND PUBLIC BATH RIVINGTON STREET & BARUCH PLACE, MANHATTAN FRIDAY, MAY 17, 1940 - 4:00 P.M. * * * * * * * * * Band Selections Robert Moses, Commissioner of Parks, Chairman Dr. John L. Rice, Commissioner of Health Borough President Stanley M. Isaacs Colonel Brehon Somervell, New York City Work Projects Administrator Mayor La Guardia National Anthem - led by Glee Club of P.S. Mo. 110 Flag Raising Glee Club - "God Bless America" - accompanied by Park Department Band Band selections Inspection of Playground and Baths * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Friday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 May 17, 1940 The Department of Parks announces that the finals of both the handball and paddle tennis tournaments will take place next Saturday and Sunday, May 18th and 19th, at North Meadow, Central Park, 100th Street and West Drive, according to the following schedule: Handball - Singles and Doubles - Boys and Men Junior Division - Boys, 16 years of age and under Saturday, May 18th, at 11:00 A.M. Intermediate Division - Boys 17 to 21 years Saturday, May 18th, at 2:30 P.M. Senior Division - Men 21 years of age and over Sunday, May 19th, at 11:00 A.M. Paddle Tennis - Singles and Doubles - Boys and Girls Junior Division - 13 to 15 years of age Senior Division - 16 to 18 years of age Junior & Senior (Girls) - Saturday, May 18th, 11:00 A.M. Junior & Senior (Boys) - Saturday, May 18th, 2:00 P.M. Since the latter part of April hundreds of boys, girls and men have participated in Park Department playground and district eliminations to select the best qualified handball and paddle tennis players for the inter-borough competitions! each borough is permitted to enter only one representative or team in each of the various divisions of the two tournaments for the finals this week-end. Gold and silver medals will be awarded to the winner and runner-up in each division of both contests. In the event of rain, the same schedule will hold for the following week-end, May 25th and 26th. * * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Thursday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 May 16, 1940 The Department of Parks announces that on Friday, May 17, at 4 P.M. dedication exercises will take place in connection with the opening of the new Baruch Park and the reconstructed Public Jath Building at Rivington Street and Baruch Place, Manhattan. Besides Mayor LaGuardia, Dr. John L. Rice, Commissioner of Health, Stanley M. Isaacs, Borough President of Manhattan, and Colonel Brehon Somervell, New York City Work Projects Administrator, will participate as speakers. Park Commissioner Robert Moses will preside as Chairman. The old public bath building erected some years ago was named after Dr. Simon Baruch who pioneered in establishing health and bath facilities in the City. This structure was hemmed in on both sides by tenements and it was impossible in the rehabilitation program already under way to provide adequate light and air for the structure, or to provide any open space adjacent to it. Mr. Bernard Baruch generously offered #85,000 to acquire the adjacent property so as to improve greatly the conveniences of the building and provide a proper setting for it. The reconstructed bath building has been provided with additional windows, ventilation, light, and enlarged, recreation, gymnasium, bathing and swimming facilities. The playground contains, besides a sand pit and shower basin, a brick comfort station, and a landscaped sitting area with quiet game tables for adults, in the center of which is a memorial flagpole bearing a plaque reading: BARUCH PARK A GIFT TO THE CITY BY BERNARD M. BARUCH ON THE OCCASION OF THE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE BATH ORIGINALLY NAMED IN HONOR OF HIS FATHER SIMON BARUCH, M.D. 1940 The opening of these facilities designed by the Park Department and built by the W. P. A. makes a total of 326 new or reconstructed recreational areas completed by the Park Department since January 1, 1934. At that time there were 119 playgrounds in the five boroughs and at present, there are 404. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Thursday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 May 15, 1940-Afternoon paper and Thursday May 16, 1940-morning paper At 4 P.M., Wednesday, May 15, Council President Morris presented Park Commissioner Robert Moses with a handsome solid silver cup, to be known as the Newbold Morris Trophy, twenty inches in height, on which the names of the next sixty annual winners of the New York City Golf Championship will be inscribed. In addition, each annual winner will be presented with a six-inch replica of the larger trophy, also in solid silver, which he will retain. The ceremonies were held at Split Rock Golf House in Pelham Bay Park, The Bronx. Max B. Keasche, President of the Metropolitan Golf Association, Jess Sweetser, Bobby Jones and Frank Strafaci attended, as well as the golf and sports editors of the metropolitan dailies and evening papers. The rules of competition for the city golf championship are as follows: 1. On and after Saturday, May 18, to and including Sunday, August 18, any New York City resident desiring to compete for the New York City Amateur Golf Championship and i t s prize, the Newbold Morris Trophy, may submit to the Park Supervisor of the course the three lowest gross scores which he has made during that period on one of the ten Municipal Golf Courses. These must be verified by the three companion golfers in his foursome. 2. The Supervisor will, not later than Monday, August 19, select the 32 lowest gross scores which have been so submitted for the season and enter them as qualified to participate in the course championship. 3. On Sunday, August 25, these 32 qualified premier players will compete for the course championship and for the right to be included in a team-of-eight which will represent their respective course in the city-wide course championship. In a sense this is a preliminary qualifying round. Trophies will be awarded by the Department of Parks to the individual course champions. 4. The teams-of-eight which will have been selected through the lowest gross score method, with ties being decided by play-off, will compete on Sunday, September 1, at Clearview Golf Course for the city-wide course championship. This championship will be decided upo the basis of 18-hole medal play with the teaa having the lowest total gross score being declared the declared the champion. The medalist, the individual who has turned in the lowest gross score for the day, will receive the Park Department qualifying medal. The winning team will receive a city-wide, team trophy also presented by the Park Department. This latter trophy will remain permanently on display in the club house of the course represented by the team. 5. From this team play the 16 lowest gross scorers will be selected as qualified to participate in the finals. Ties will be decided by play-off. 6. On Saturday, September 14, the 16 lowest gross scorers will begin match play to determine the trophy winner, with tournament positions decided by drawing lots. These rounds and the rounds played on Sunday, September 15, will be 18 holes. 7. The semi-finals and the finals, played on Saturday, September 21 and Sunday, September 22, will be 36-hole matches. These matches will be played at the Dyker Beach Golf Course. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Wednesday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 May 15, 1940 Painting Street Trees Many property owners who have street trees in front of their property are under the impression that if the trunks of the trees are covered with whitewash, paint, calcimine, etc., this will prevent insect attacks on these trees. There is no foundation for this impression and it has been proved a waste of time and money. There are very few injurious insect pests which do not fly during some stage of their existence. Those that do not fly, like the female white-marked Tussock Moth, cause plenty of damage in the caterpillar stage from which they emerge from previous egg masses deposited most anywhere on the branches of trees. Whitewash, calcimine and paint not only do not prevent insect attacks but are injurious to clothes and give an unsightly appearance to the tree when the materials are wearing off. * * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Wednesday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 May 8, 1940 The Department of Parks announces the seasonal reopening of the Tavern-On-The-Green on Thursday, May 9th. The Tavern, formerly the old Central Park Sheepfold, located on the west side of Central Park opposite 67th Street, has been redecorated into a modern, charming, popularly priced restaurant. Savarins Management, Inc., operators of restaurants in the Waldorf-Astoria, the Equitable Building, the New York Life Building, and Pennsylvania Railroad Stations in New York, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, will operate the Tavern again this year. Luncheon will be from 85¢, dinner from $1.35, or a la carte, and one may enjoy afternoon tea in pleasant surroundings for as little as 35¢. After 9 P. M. a minimum charge of $1.00, which will include foods and beverages, will be charged. There will be outdoor dining and dancing on the terrace nightly from 7 P. M. to closing, featuring the music of Michael Zarin. Special facilities are available for private parties. ************** May 6, 1940 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Tuesday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 May 7, 1940 The Department of Parks announces the reopening on Wednesday, May 8, of the reconstructed Jeannette Park on the lower east side of Manhattan at South Street and Coenties Slip. This small park opposite the Seamen's Church Institute, has long been a haven for retired seamen as well as those awaiting the sailing of their ships. Two handball, 4 shuffleboard, 2 paddle tennis, and 4 horseshoe pitching courts have been provided as well as a new modernized brick comfort station. Games tables for those who desire to play checkers, chess and other quiet games have also been included in the development. Numerous benches under shade trees have been installed for those seeking passive recreation. The reopening of this area designed by the Park Department and built by the Work Projects Administration makes a total of 325 new or reconstructed recreational areas completed by the Park Department since January 1, 1934. * * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Tuesday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 May 7, 1940 STATEMENT TO THE PRESS BY THE PARK COMMISSIONER WITH REFERENCE TO TULIP WEEK There has been some speculation on the part of the public as to the destruction of the tulips generously donated to the City by the Netherlands Government. Several factors contributed to the decay of these plantings. In the first place, the shipment from Holland was delayed because of the war and causes incident to it. This necessitated storage under adverse conditions to a date very late in the fall. The shipping of the bulbs was further delayed on account of negotiations to bring them in duty free. When the bulbs finally arrived in New York it was just before the ground froze. Subsequently there was a very hard winter, followed by heavy rain in the early spring. Most of the bulbs were planted on newly filled land in the reconstructed Riverside Park. These circumstances are all unusual and all contributed to the decay of the plantings. It seems to me to be quite futile to waste time in discussing just what effect each factor had in the final determination that most of the bulbs would have to be destroyed. The important thing is that the Netherlands Government made a very generous gift at a time of great stress, and that this government is prepared to renew the gift next year, it war conditions permit. I have therefore requested the Netherlands Authorities to designate three persons to confer with an equal number appointed by the Park Department, to make all arrangements for the shipping, planting, and display of a million bulbs next year in the best possible locations in the city park system. Under these circumstances the enjoyment of this gift by the public is simply postponed, and there will be sufficient time to insure complete success next year. /s/ ROBERT MOSES Commissioner ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Saturday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 May 4, 1940 PLAYGROUND BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS The Department of Parks announces that special programs of recreational activities have been prepared for the boys and girls of 13 Park Department playgrounds during the month of May in commemoration of their official opening to the public. These anniversary celebrations will include roller skating races, roller hockey contests, track and field events. Barber shop quartet and community singing, one act plays, group games, solo dancing exhibitions, recitations and salute to the flag will also form part of the programs. The May schedule for playground birthday celebrations is as follows: Time of Borough Playground & Location Opened Celebration Manhattan Downing & Carmine Sts. May 29, 1935 3:30 P.M. Rumsey Playground, 71 St. May 17, 1937 3:30 P.M. & last Drive, Central Park West 45th Street between 9th May 17, 1937 3:30 P.M. & 10th Avenues McCaffrey Playground, 43 St. May 26, 1938 2:30 P.M. between 8th & 9th Avenues Brooklyn New Utrecht Avenue & 70 St. May 24, 1935 3:30 P.M. Mt. Prospect Playground, May 25, 1939 2:30 P.M. Eastern Parkway near Platbush Avenue Marine Park, Fillmore Ave. May 27, 1939 3:30 P.M. & Stuart Street Tompkins Park Playground, May 4, 1936 2:00 P.M. Tompkins & Lafayette Aves. Queens Astoria Health Center, 31st May 29, 1938 3:30 P.M. Ave. and 14 Street, Astoria Bronx 166th Street & Morris Ave. May 29, 1937 3:30 P.M. Goble Place & Macombs Road May 7, 1938 3:30 P.M. East 167th Street & Stebbins May 14, 1938 3:30 P.M. Avenue Richmond Lincoln & Midland Aves., May 15, 1938 3:30 P.M. Midland Beach * * * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Saturday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 May 4, 1940 The Department of Parks announces that the reconstruction of the William E. Kelly Memorial Park Playground at East 14 Street and Avenue S, Brooklyn, has been completed and that the area will be reopened to the public on Saturday, May 4. The 3 acre play area formerly surfaced with clay and screenings is now covered with bituminous materials so that the playground will be usable throughout the year. It has been re-designed to provide a wider and more extensive recreational usage, particularly for the adolescent and adult. There are now three separate units; one containing 7 tennis courts, and another containing two softball diamonds. Both of these units, when sub-freezing temperatures permit, can be flooded and used for ice-skating, A third unit contains 5 paddle tennis, 5 shuffleboard, 4 handball, and 4 horseshoe pitching courts; also a basketball, a volleyball, and a badminton court. There is also a games table area and a brick comfort station. A fenced-in planting area borders the playground and separates the three units. The reopening of this area designed by the Park Department and built by the Work Projects Administration, makes a total of 324 new or reconstructed playgrounds completed by the Park Department since January 1, 1934. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Saturday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 May 4, 1940 Bids were received Friday, May 3, 1940, by the Department of Parks at the Arsenal on the contract for the installation of electrical service in the Police and Service Buildings at Marine Park adjacent to Flatbush Avenue and the Belt Parkway and for the Service Building in Brookville Park at Brookville Boulevard adjoining Southern Parkway. The buildings when completed will provide service facilities and police quarters in connection with the maintenance and policing of the new Belt Parkway. The bids received for the work were the following: 1. Berry ELeetric Company 890 Utica Avenue, Brooklyn, N. Y. $25,932. 2. Arc Electric Construction Co. 739 Second Avenue, New York City 26,285. 3. Duxin Electric Company 124-05 101st Avenue, Richmond Hill, L.I. 28,999. * * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Friday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 May 3, 1940 The Department of Parks announces that the final game of the Park Department roller hockey tournament for boys up to 19 years of age will take place on Sunday, May 5th, at Roosevelt Playground, Chrystie and Forsyth Streets, Manhattan, at 2;00 P.M., when the champion teams of Brooklyn and Queens will compete for the city champion- ship. During the month of April, 525 boys participated in playground and inter-district roller hockey contests throughout the five boroughs; in the inter-borough competitions, Queens defeated Richmond and Manhattan, while Brooklyn defeated the Bronx. Gold medals will be awarded to the members of the winning team in Sunday's game and silver medals to the runners-up. * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Wednesday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 May 1, 1940 Bids were received today by the Department of Parks at the Arsenal Building on three contracts in connection with the construction of the new Belt Parkway, as follows: For lighting a section of the Belt (Shore) Parkway from Owl's Head Park to Fort Hamilton; For lighting the intersection of Cross Island parkway and Grand Central Parkway; For construction and installation of traffic counting equipment at various controlling points along the Belt Parkway. The work from Owl's Head to Fort Hamilton includes the placing of underground facilities, lamp posts and luminaires to provide a complete lighting system on this portion of the Parkway; at the Grand Central Parkway intersection, the work consists of the installation of additional lighting facilities and alterations to the existing system; the traffic counting units placed at certain designated points will provide an accurate record of cars using the parkway, periods of peak load and traffic concentration. The following are the three lowest bidders on each of the contracts: 1. FOR LIGHTING FROM OWL'S HEAD PARK TO FORT HAMILTON: Arc Electric Equipment Co. $66,660.00 739 Second Avenue, New York City Charles Michaels, Inc. 68,822.00 116 Nassau Street, Brooklyn, N.Y. Watson Flagg Engineering Co. 70,000.00 140 Cedar Street, New York City 2. FOR LIGHTING THE INTERSECTION OF CROSS ISLAND AND GRAND CENTRAL PARKWAYS: Penner Electric Company $15,445.00 200 West 72 Street, New York City Supreme Electric Equipment Co. 16,411.25 27-35 Jackson Ave., Long Island City, N.Y. Public Improvements, Inc. 16,606.00 409 East 17th Street, New York City 3. FOR INSTALLATION OF A TRAFFIC COUNTING SYSTEM: Edward Zwicker Corporation $23,201.00 415 Lexington Avenue, New York City Taller & Cooper 28,451.00 930 Newark Avenue, Jersey City, N. J. T. Frederick Jackson, Inc. 44,761.00 25 West 43 Street, New York City ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Saturday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 April 27, 1940 The Department of Parks announces the opening of a small park on the west side of University Avenue opposite West 170 Street, The Bronx. The park was opened to the public on Friday, April 26, 1940. This area, part of the "Old Croton Aqueduct", was acquired by the Park Department by transfer from the Department of Water Supply, Gas and Electricity. It has been developed as a sitting park with numerous benches and landscaped with shade trees. There is also a sand pit in which small children may dig and play. The design was prepared by the Park Department and the work performed by the Work Projects Administration. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Friday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 April 26, 1940 The Department of Parks announces the opening of the Pitch Putt Golf Course at Jacob 3iis Park for this season on Saturday, April 27th. A charge of 50¢ a round is made to play on this course. The games areas, including shuffle board, paddle tennis and hand ball courts, will be open for use on Saturday, May 25th. A charge of 10¢ per half hour, per person, is made. During the winter these games areas are free to the public. There will be no charge made for parking at Jacob Riis Park or Orchard Beach until May 25th. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Thursday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 April 25, 1940 The Department of Parks announces that exercises in connection with the dedication of Francis Lewis Park, Third Avenue and 147 Street, Whitestone, Queens, will take place on Friday, April 26, at 3:30 P.M. Mayor LaGuardia, Borough President Harvey of Queens, Charles U. Powell, Engineer in charge of the Queens Topographical Bureau, and Major Edmond H. Leavey, Deputy Work Projects Administrator, will participate as speakers. Mrs, Ralph Stoddard, Regent of the Matinecock Chapter of the D.A.R., will present a bronze memorial plaque and a flag to the City; Mrs. Guy Forbes, great-great granddaughter of Francis Lewis, a signer of the Declaration of Independence and after whom the Park was named, will unveil the plaque. Park Commissioner Moses will act as chairman. This ten acre park, fronting on the East River and acquired in part to provide the Queens terminus of the Bronx-Whitestone Bridge, has been developed mostly as a sitting park with winding paths and broad sloping lawns landscaped with trees and shrubbery. A playground with a brick comfort station, wading pool, handball courts, see-saws, slides, swings and a sand pit has been provided to care for the recreation needs of the neighborhood children. Also, Whitestone Playground, between 15 Avenue and 20 Avenue and adjacent to the Whitestone Parkway, will be opened to the public at the above time. Two-thirds of this new 21 acre playground was formerly property of the Department of Water Supply, Gas and Electricity, and was known as the Whitestone Pumping Station. The abutting balance was acquired in connection with the acquisition of the Whitestone Parkway. Here recreation facilities nave been provided for all age groups. There are three separate children's completely equipped playgrounds, handball, horseshoe pitching, shuffleboard and basketball courts, a full-sized hard ball and a soft ball diamond as well as a football and soccer field. There is also a large open play area which can be flooded and used for ice skating when sub-freezing temperatures permit. The opening of these two areas designed by the Park Department and built by the Work Projects Administration makes a total of 323 new or reconstructed playgrounds completed by the Park Department since January 1, 1934. At that time there were 119 playgrounds in the five boroughs and at present there are 403. * * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Friday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 April 19, 1940 The Department of Parks announces that the finals of the annual One Act Play Contest for boys and girls of Park Department playgrounds will take place Saturday, April 20th, at 2:00 P.M. at Mullaly Park. Recreation Building, 165 Street and Jerome Avenue, The Bronx. 825 children ranging in age from 6 to 16 years took part in 81 plays during the eliminations held in each of the five boroughs. The following plays, one from each borough, were selected for the finals: "The Princess Marries the Page" - Roosevelt Playground, Manhattan "The Princess Chooses" - Tompkins Park Playground, Brooklyn "Queen Puff Puff" - O'Connell Playground, Queens "The Magic Sword" - Mullaly Park Playground, Bronx "Holly and Hilary11 - McDonald Playground, Richmond The persons who have consented to act as judges at the finals on April 20th are Mrs. Mabel Hobbs, author and dramatic teacher; Mr. Clark Fredickson, Drama Consultant, National Recreation Association, and Miss Nancy Ktmberley, Neighborhood Playhouse, Inc. Plaques will be awarded to the playgrounds presenting the three best plays. ***** ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Friday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 April 19, 1940 OPENING OF GOLF COURSES The Department of Parks announces the opening of nine of the ten municipal golf courses on Saturday morning, April 20th. The club houses with restaurants, locker and shower accommodations and other facilities will be open at the same time for the use of the public. The locations of these nine golf courses are as follows: Brooklyn - Dyker Beach Golf Course - 86th Street and 7th Avenue. Bronx - Van Cortlandt Golf Course - 242nd Street and Broadway, Van Cortlandt Park. Mosholu Golf Course - Jerome Avenue and Holley Lane at Woodlawn. Pelham Golf Course - Shore Road, North of Hutchinson River Parkway, Pelham Bay Park. Queens - Clearview Golf Course - 23rd Avenue and Willets Point Boulevard, Bayside. Kissena Golf Course - North Hempstead Turnpike and Fresh Meadow Road in Flushing. Forest Park Golf Course - Park Lane South and Forest Parkway in Forest Park. Richmond - Silver Lake Golf Course - Silver Lake Park on Victory Boulevard and Park Road* LaTourette Golf Course - Forest Hill Road and London Road, Fees for permits will be the same as last year. A $5.00 permit will entitle the holder to play on week days and on week ends and holidays an additional charge of 50¢ will be made. The daily fee from Monday to Friday will be 75¢ and $1.00 on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. To date 2630 golf permits have been sold. The cost of a season locker is $5.00 and a daily locker fee is Reservations may be made for starting times on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays for $1.00 per foursome, at the following borough offices: Brooklyn: Litchfield Mansion, Prospect Park West and 5th Street. Queens: The Overlook, Union Turnpike and Park Lane, Forest Park, Kew Gardens, Long Island Bronx; Bronx Park last and Birchall Avenue, Bronx Park Richmond: Clove Lakes Park, Clove Road, West of Victory Boulevard, Split Rock Golf Course will not be opened until Saturday, May 4th, because of the dangerous condition of hanging and broken tree limbs caused by the sleet storm in March. Due to the construction of a new approach to the Henry Hudson Parkway it will be necessary to close holes No, 4 to 8 inclusive at the Van Cortlandt Park Golf Course. For this season this course will be played as a thirteen hole layout. None of the clay surfaced tennis courts in the City have as yet been opened due to recent rains. Work is now in progress on all of them. A few courts will be ready before the week end if there is no further rain. The balance will be open as completed during the coming week. * * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Wednesday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 April 17, 1940 Bids were opened today by the Park Department at the Arsenal Building on four contracts for the fabrication and installation of chain link and wrought iron fencing where required along the Belt Parkway from Owl's Head Park to its terminus at the Whitestone Intersection. The work under these contracts consists of the removal and storage of existing timber railings and the construction of 6 foot and 8 foot chain link fencing and gates along the marginal lines of the Belt Parkway, particularly where service roads parallel the Parkway, and for construction of a wrought iron picket fence along the Belt (Southern) Parkway where it joins Belt (Laurelton) Parkway. The purpose of the fencing is to protect the general public against entering on the Parkway and to preserve the planted and seeded lawn areas against vandalism. The three lowest bidders on each of the contracts were the following: WROUGHT IRON FENCES - SOUTHERN PARKWAY 1. Seaboard Steel Products Corporation $10,644.50 205 East 42 Street, New York City 2. Anchor Post Fence Company 11,343.50 9 East 38 Street, New York City 3. Vulcan Steel Products Company 12,042.50 232 Varat Street, Brooklyn CHAIN LINK FENCE-BRIGHAM STREET TO CROSS BAY BOULEVARD AND CROSS BAY BOULEVARD TO NORTH CONDUIT AVENUE 1. Ross Galvanizing Works $23,530.00 395 Kent Avenue, Brooklyn 2. Anchor Post Fence Company 24,590.00 9 East 38 Street, New York City 3. Seaboard Steel Products Corporation 29,780.00 205 East 42 Street, New York City CROSS ISLAND PARKSWAY FROM NORTH CONDUIT AVENUE TO WHITESTONE BRIDGE 1. Ross Galvanizing Works $41,030.00 395 Kent Avenue, Brooklyn, N.Y. 2. Anchor Post Fence Company 43,970.00 9 East 38 Street, New York City 3. Seaboard Steel Products Corporation 49,865.00 205 East 42 Street, New York City SHORE PARKWAY FROM FORT HAMILTON TO OCEAN PARKWAY 1. Ross Galvanizing Works $26,442.75 395 Kent Avenue, Brooklyn, N.Y. 2. Anchor Post Fence Company 29,066.25 9 East 38 Street, New York City 3. Seaboard Steel Products Corporation 32,546.25 205 East 42 Street, New York City ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copy of Release phoned in to City News, Mon. April 15, 1940 at 5:36 P.M. Two buffalo calves were born in Central Park Zoo, one a male born April 7, the other a female born April 15. Mother of the first calf was 10 year old. Bessie. Mother of the 2nd was 13 year old Mary. The father in each case was 6 year old Wild Bill. The same parens have produced offspring for the past three years. Photographs may ba taken isasediately. * * * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Monday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 April 15, 1940 The Department of Parks announces that bids were received today at the Arsenal, for the construction of three buildings to be used in connection with the policing, maintenance and operation of the Belt Parkway. Two of these buildings, one in Brookville Park, Laurelton, and the other on the Flatbush Avenue side of Uarine Park, Brooklyn, will be used as service and maintenance buildings by the Department of Parks, The other structure, which will be built adjacent to the service building at Flatbush Avenue so as to form a compact group, will be used by the Police Department as headquarters for their Parkway Polioe. The Police station will also serve as headquarters for the patrolmen assigned to this and other Park areas adjacent to the Parkway. All buildings will be brick, fireproof structures designed to conform with the requirements of structures in Parks, The group of the buildings in Marine Park will be especially attractive. This construction is another step in the improvement of the Brooklyn Marine Park which will eventually be one of the most completely developed recreational areas in the City Park system. This is a good example of the proper coordination between various city departments in the planning of the development of new areas. The three low bidders on the contracts were as follows: FOR GENERAL CONSTRUCTION OF BUILDINGS 1. Lawrence J. Rice 372 Burns Street, Forest Hills, N.Y.C, $188,897.50 2. Graves Quinn Corp. Grand Central Terminal, N.Y.C. 195,455,00 3. Dover Construction Co. 81 Greene Street, N.Y.C. 199,800,00 FOR PLUMBING FACILITIES 1. Astrove Plumbing & Heating Corp. $27,006.00 553 @est 25th Street, N,Y. C. 2. Randal Kay 28,699.00 210 East 40th Street, N.Y.C. 3. George J. Kay 28,760.00 1960 Flatbush Avenue, Brooklyn, N.Y. FOR HEATING FACILITIES 1. Jarcho Brothers 20,472.00 304 East 45th Street 2. Hayes Heating Company 20,569,00 308 West 20th Street, N.Y.C. 3. Jacobs Engineering Corporation 21,062.00 103 Park Avenue, N.Y.C. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Saturday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 April 13, 1940 OFFICIAL OPENING OF BASEBALL SEASON The Department of Parks announces that the baseball season will officially open in all the boroughs on Saturday, April 13th. In the Borough of Queens, the initial game of the season will be played on that day between the Glendale Braves and the Woodhaven Lancers at Victory Field, Myrtle Avenue and Woodhaven Boulevard, Woodhaven, Long Island at 3;00 P.M. "Pop" Snyder of Jamaica, well known to Queens fans for his interest in baseball, will throw out the first ball. Flag raising ceremonies will precede the game and the Park Department Band will provide music. All teams intending to use Park Department diamonds, baseball or softball, are required to obtain a permit which may be procured by writing to the director of the borough in which they wish to play. A stamped self-addressed envelope must be enclosed with each application which should supply the following information: Name of team, name of manager or captain, average age of players, whether team is uniformed or not, month, day and time for which permit is desired, and name of the park. Permits are issued on a monthly basis for alternate Saturdays or Sundays, or, if a week-day, for one day each week. The designated playing periods areas follows: 9:00 A.M. to 11:00 A.M. 11:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M. 1:00 P.M. to 3:30 P.M. 3:30 P.M. to 6:00 P.M. 6:00 P.M. to dark The names and addresses of the various borough directors are as follows: Manhattan: Philip J. Cruise Arsenal Building 64 Street and Fifth Avenue New York City Brooklyn: Richard C. Jenkins Litchfield Mansion Prospect Park West and 5th Street Prospect Park, Brooklyn, N.Y. Queens: James J. Mallen The Overlook Union Turnpike and Park Lane Forest Park, Kew Gardens, L.I. Bronx: George L. Quigley Bronx Park East & Birchall Avenue Bronx Park, The Bronx Richmond; Andrew M. Anderson Clove Lakes Park Clove Road, West of Victory Boulevard Richmond, N. Y. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Saturday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 April 13, 1940 Bids were opened today by the Department of Parks at the Arsenal Building for installation of a public lighting system on Shore Parkway and its intersection with Fort Hamilton Parkway, Borough of Brooklyn. The work under this contract comprises a part of the Belt Parkway lighting system and consists of installation of underground conduits, cable, lighting standards, luminaires and other incidental work. The three low bidders for the work were: 1. Aro Electric Equipment Company $13,492,35 150 East 41 Street, New York City 2. Supreme Electric Equipment Company 13,889,05 27-35 Jackson Avenue, Long Island City 3. Public Improvements, Inc. 14,463.30 200 West 72nd Street, New York City ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Saturday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 April 13, 1940 PLAYGROUND BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS The Department of Parks announces that special programs of recreational activities have been prepared for the boys and girls of six Park Department playgrounds during the month of April in commemoration of their official opening to the public. These anniversary celebrations will include tumbling contests, roller skating races, roller hockey contests, track and field events. Tap dance exhibition, community and solo singing, one act plays, whistling solos, group games, luartet singing and talent shows will also form part of the programs. The April schedule for playground birthday celebrations is as follows: Borough Playground & Location Opened Time of Celebration Manhattan Riverside Drive & 102nd Street April 17, 1939 April 20-2:00 P.M. J . Hood Wright Playground April 17, 1935 April 20-2:00 P.M. W. 173 St. & I t . Washington Ave. Brooklyn Lafayette & Marcy Avenues April 15, 1938 4:00 P.M. Lynch Street & Lee Avenue April 20, 1938 2:30 P.M. Queens Van Wyck Playground April 16, 1937 4:00 P.M. 134 Street & 11th Avenue Richmond Schmul Playground April 20, 1939 1:30 P.M.-5:00 P.M. Wilde Avenue, Travis * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Saturday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 April 13, 1940 The Department of Parks announces that the Winter and Spring use of the play centers, opened September 16, 1939, will terminate Sunday evening, April 14, so that these areas can be cleaned, painted and generally prepared for the coming swimming season. 1,137,723 children and adults have made free use of the play centers since the close of last year's swimming season. In the pool area, handball, shuffleboard, paddle tennis, basketball, volleyball and various group games were played. Inter-pool and inter-borough eliminations were held during the Fall, Winter and Spring season in shuffleboard, paddle tennis, table tennis and oheckers. City-wide championships were held at Astoria Recreation Center in Queens and at McCarren Recreation Center in Brooklyn. Teams and leagues were organized and conducted regularly scheduled tournaments in these sports throughout the season. During the winter when the weather was too cold, activities Were moved into the buildings where facilities were provided for ping pong, checkers, quoits and other group games. The following were the winners in the competitions held at McCarren and Astoria Recreation Centers: Five Borough Ping Pong Championships - McCarren Pool February 22, 1940 Junior Boys Singles Junior Boys Doubles 1st - V. Perry - Crotona 1st - Karon-Karon - Betsy Head 2nd - N. Goldstein - McCarren 2nd - Perry - Eisenberg - Crotona Junior Girls Singles Junior Girls Doubles 1st - F. Blomquist - Sunset 1st - Garrett - Blomquist - Sunset 2nd - S. Torshis - Highbridge 2nd - Bedmar - Sheehan - Astoria Intermediate Boys Singles Intermediate Boys Doubles 1st - J. Somael - Betsy Head 1st - Somael - Katzowitz - Betsy Head 2nd - S. Xatzowitz - Betsy Head 2nd - Fenster-Fellner - McCarren Intermediate Girls Singles Intermediate Girls Doubles 1st - E, Feren - Sunset 1st - DiSimone - Harris - Tom Jeff, 2nd - M. Kee - Sunset 2nd - Feren - Kee - Sunset Senior Boys Singles Senior Boys Doubles 1st - I. Reisfeld - Crotona 1st - Reisfeld - Alberts - Crotona 2nd - N» Epstein - Betsy Head 2nd - Boyus-Epstein - Betsy Head Senior Girls Singles Senior Girls Doubles 1st - Sheinhart - Astoria 1st - Kardosz - Fletcher - HcGarren 2nd - Fletcher - McCarren 2nd - Lannie - Felts - Sunset Checker Championships Junior Boys Junior 1st - J. Anastos - Astoria 1st - J. Fusco - Tom Jeff. 2nd - J. DiSiervi - Tom Jeff. 2nd - E.-Lipton - Betsy Head Intermediate Boys Intermediate Girls 1st - McElroy - Astoria 1st - E. Feren - Sunset 2nd - Lasker - Betsy Head 2nd - Driscoll - HcCarren Senior Boys Senior Girls 1st - R. Wiener - Astoria 1st - L. lannie-Sunset 2nd - L. Dishongh - Sunset 2nd - G. Felts - Sunset ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- City Wide Paddle Tennis and Shuffleboard Championships Held at Astoria Pool on November 25, 1939 Summaries Paddle Tennis: Jr. Girls Singles - Won by D. Tsal - Astoria Second - A. Bedmar - Astoria Int. Girls Singles- Won by B. Jenkins - Thomas Jefferson Second - G. Eptaminitis - Astoria Sr. Girls Singles - Won by R. Schreiber - Hamilton Fish Second - L. Boden - Astoria Jr. Boys Singles - Won by J. Abramowitz - Hamilton Fish Second - J. Greenberg - Betsy Head Int. Boys Singles - Won by J. McElroy - Astoria Second - H« DePietro - Astoria Sr. Boys Singles - Won by P. Lillis - Thomas Jefferson Second - F. Randazzo - Thomas Jefferson Jr. Girls Doubles - Won by Bedmar and Tsal - Astoria Second - Epstein and Araton - Hamilton Fish Int. Girls Doubles- Won by Boden and Eptaminitis - Astoria Second - Feren and Kee - Sunset Sr. Girls Doubles - Won by Schreiber and Sigman - Hamilton Fish Second - Kordasz and Fletcher - McCarren Jr. Boys Doubles - Won by Abramowitz and Fox - Hamilton Fish Second - Greenberg and Kravitz - Betsy Head Int. Boys Doubles - Won by Berardi & Jemmott - Thomas Jefferson Second - Apfel and Schreck - Sunset Sr. Boys Doubles - Won by Randazzo and Smith - Thomas Jefferson Second - McCarthy and Ketson - Astoria Shuffleboard: Jr. Girls - Won by E. Blomquist - Sunset Second - L. Miller - McCarren Int. Girls - Won by E. Feren - Sunset Second - P. Swartz - McCarren Sr. Girls - Won by L, Boden - Astoria Second - H. Jackson - Thomas Jefferson Jr. Boys - Won by S. Apfel - Sunset Second - M. Simon - Sunset Int. Boys - Won by H. DePietro - Astoria Second - E. Ankuta - Betsy Head Sr. Boys - Won by J, Piskor ~ McCarren Second - A. Bertolini - Astoria ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Tuesday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 April 9, 1940 Bids were opened today by the Department of Parks on contract to provide additional planting for the slopes along the Major William F. Deegan Boulevard, the westerly approach to the Triborough Bridge, between Cypress Avenue and East 140th Street at the Grand Concourse and Exterior Street in the borough of the Bronx. The three low bidders are as follows} 1. General Landscape Corporation $ 9,679.30 Chrysler Building, New York City 2. Riverside Landscape Company 11,830.00 374 Lexington Avenue, New York City 3. Grant Park Construction Company 12,022.50 65 Prospect Avenue, Hewlett, L.I, * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Tuesday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 April 9, 1940 The Department of parks announces that two playgrounds in Brooklyn redesigned and reconstructed to provide more intensive usage will be reopened to the public today. The [ILLEGIBLE - Eunis?] Park playground located between 11th Street and 12th Street east of 2nd Avenue includes a small children's area with a sand pit, shower basin, swings, slides and a comfort station. Included in this area are benches for mothers and custodians of children. There is also for older children a larger rectangular area containing play apparatus and a basket and volley b a l l court* This area may be flooded for ice skating during periods of sub-freezing temperature. At Commercial and Dupont Streets in Greenpoint the playground is split by Conmercial Street. The southerly portion has been developed for small children and besides being completely equipped with swings, see-saws, slides, a sand pit, benches and comfort station contains a wading and volley ball court. The northerly portion formerly New York State Terminal property has been developed for older children. Besides a large roller skating area which can be utied for ice skating in season it contains 2 handball courts, 4 horse shoe pitching courts, 3 shuffleboard courts and a soft ball diamond. The opening of these two reconstructed areas, designed, by the Park Department and built by the Works Projects Administration makes a total of 321 new or reconstructed playgrounds completed by the Park Deartmant since January 1, 1934. * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- CITY OF NEW YORK DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK COPY April 6, 1940 FOR RELEASE: TUESDAY MORNING, April 9, 1940 Board of Estimate Municipal Building New York City Gentlemen: On this week's calendar you have a request from the Park Department to acquire immediatel a wedge of privately-owned land in the middle of Cunningham Park. This matter has been brought to the attnetion of the governing bodies of the city repeatedly since 1934. I pointed out that the omission of this piece of land at the time the park was acquired by a previous administration could not be accounted for on any reasonable basis and that I was reluctantly forced to the conclusion tha the object of leaving it in private hands was to permit the owner to sub-divide it and build a number of small houses in the very center of one of the most important new large parks of the city. Apparently on the theory that the city had plenty of park land in this area the warnings of the Park Department were unheeded. Now precisely the emergency we had anticipated has arisen, that is, a real estate developer has filed maps for the sub-division of this wedge and demands that he be allowed to go ahead with the construction of small houses. The Planning Commission, the Director of Real Estate and the Commissioner of Housing and Buildings have stated unequivocally that it would be nothing short of a crime to permit this development to go on and that the property should immediately be acquired by the city. A glance at the map and illustrations attached will show precisely the situation if title in this land is not promptly vested in the city. The total assessed value of the property in question is $74,500 and there is no reason to suppose that the award in condemnation would be much greater. It does not seem credible that the city, in order to save so small an amount, will permit the fine trees on this land to be cut down, the top soil sold off and a plot in the very center of the park cut up for small houses. There are other reasons which need not be stressed here in addition to the obvious ones why the city should act promptly. One of them is the missing section of Francis Lewis Boulevard, the main north and south mixed traffic route to the Bronx-Whitestone Bridge, which must pass through this part of the park. The real estate developer has indicated that he will dedicate a piece of right of way for the purpose but this makes no sense in view of the fact that we do not even know whether an overpass on the new boulevard will be required at this point and how much right of way is required and where the access points will be if this boulevard is properly constructed and landscaped according to proper park standards. I am sure from long experience that the developer cannot possibly afford to dedicate an adequate right of way. Let me add that this particular request represents no extravagant enthusiasm or whim of the park officials. We simply inherited from a previous administration an outrageous condition which this administration should remedy. Very truly yours, (signature) Commissioner ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Thursday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 April 4, 1940 The Department of Parks announces that it opened to the public three playgrounds in the Borough of Manhattan on Wednesday, April 3, 1940. Two of these are new and one reconstructed. The new playground at Clinton Street between Cherry and Water Streets was built on property surrendered by the Board of Education. The .4 of an acre playground contains four paddle tennis and four handball courts, a combination basketball and volley ball court and a brick comfort station. It is designed for children of adolescent age. At 34th Street and the East River Drive, the playground, also new, was built on idle City property. The .9 of an acre area is for small children with facilities consisting of a wading pool, sand-pit, swings, see-saws and a comfort station. This playground is directly north of the old reconstructed bath building at 23rd Street and Avenue A. This outdoor area further augments the previous inadequate outdoor facilities to which outdoor swimming and diving pools had been added end opened to the public on May 27, 1939. The reconstructed Yorkville playground, an area of .8 of an acre, located at 101st Street east of Third Avenue, has been redesigned to provide a wider use of the area. It now has a play space for small children located on the west side of the playground with a wading pool, a sand-pit, kindergarten swings, see-saws and other play apparatus. The balance of the area contains one basketball court and two handball courts for older children. The old antiquated comfort station has been com- pletely rebuilt. The opening of these three areas, designed by the Park Department and built by the Work Projects Administration, makes a total of 319 new or reconstructed playgrounds completed by the Park Department since 1934. At that time there were 119 playgrounds in the five boroughs and at present there are 401. * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Tuesday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 April 2, 1940 The Department of Parks announced today that reconstruction of the thirty-two year old bath and gymnasium building at Cherry and Oliver Streets, Manhattan has been completed and the building has been reopened to public use. Facilities available include two gymnasiums with accompanying locker and shower accommodations and public cleansing baths. There is no charge for the use of any of these facilities. The hours of operation are from 7:00 A.M. to 10 P.M. daily. In addition to reconstructing the interior of the building, the exterior has been cleaned and repaired, and additional property has been acquired along the north side to furnish light and air,as well as to provide a small sitting park for mothers of the neighborhood. Of nine public baths, swimming pool and gymnasium buildings transferred to the Park Department from the Borough President under the terms of the new Charter, this is the seventh which has been completed by the WPA in accordance with plans furnished by the Park Department, and opened to the public with modernized accommodations. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 114 40-N DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Monday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 April 1, 1940 Bids were received today by the Department of Parks at the Arsenal Building for lighting a section of the new Belt (Southern) Parlcway between 114th Street and 158th Street, Borough of Queens. The work under this contract consists of the installation of underground conduits, light poles and luminaires and cable connections between the limits stated. The three lowest bidders for the work are as follows: 1. Martin Epstein & Company $69,888.00 955 Lafayette Avenue, Brooklyn, N.Y. 2. Watson Flagg Engineering Company 71,000.00 140 Cedar Street, New York City 3. Charles Michaels 72,773.00 116 Nassau Street, Brooklyn, N.Y. * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Monday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 March 25, 1940 Bids were received today by the Department of Parks at the Arsenal Building for lighting a section of the Belt Parkway now under construction from Owl's Head Park to the Bronx-Whitestone Parkway. The work under this contract consists of installation of underground conduits, light poles and fixtures from the Plumb Beach Channel Bridge to the Flatbush Avenue intersection. The three lowest bidders on the work were: 1. Martin Epstein & Company $42,415. 955 Lafayette Avenue, Brooklyn 2. Arc Electric Co. 4?,445. 739 Second Avenue, New York City 3. Charles Michaels 44,808. 116 Nassau Street, New York City * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Thursday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 March 21, 1940 The Park Department announces the opening of the Annual Easter Flower Show at the Greenhouse in Prospect Park (Prospect Park West and 7th Street, Brooklyn) on Good Friday, March 22nd, at 10:00 A.M. The show will be open to the public each day thereafter for three weeks from 10 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. The exhibit this year is one of the finest of these annual shows. More than 300 varieties of flowers are represented by 5,000 specimens, The main feature of the show is a huge cross 25 feet high made up of 4,000 pure white Bermuda lilies edged with beautiful light pink azaleas and banked with Genistas, Shower of Gold Plant; and pink Rhododendrons at the base of the cross. Leading to the steps of the cross is a path of grass with a garden of azaleas in over 100 varieties. As a background for the central motive, the walls of the Greenhouse are banked with a colorful display of flowers in great varieties, among which Cinerarias, Calceolarias, Sweet Peas, Snapdragons, Lilacs, Flowering Crabapples predominate. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Saturday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 March 16, 1940 The New York City Park Department reports the start of restoration of trees damaged in various parks by the devastating wind and ice storm of March 4th, during which more damage was done to park property than during the hurricane of 1938. The storm started March 3rd and continued during the morning of March 4th and early afternoon. Most of the damage was done on March 4th at which time the ice covering even the smallest twigs was 2½ inches in diameter. Of the larger trees, the elms, lindens and planes suffered most severely, and, of the intermediate trees, the birches sustained the greatest loss. The areas most affected were Pelham Bay, Crotona, Van Cortlandt and Bronx Parks and Bronx River, Mosholu and Pelham Parkways in The Bronx, and Central, Port Tryon and Morningside Parks in Manhattan. Immediately following the storm, park forces were hampered by the ice and could only remove dangerous limbs easily reached from emergency ladder trucks or from the ground, in order to open highways and walks. All Civil Service personnel operated on a double shift through Monday, March 4th and Tuesday, March 5th, on which day 146 WPA Climbers and Pruners assigned to the various boroughs were hurriedly transferred into The Bronx by Colonel Brehon Somervell, Work Projects Administrator. During the period from March 4th to March 9th there was a total of 322 regular Civil Service and 402 relief workers of all classifications employed. This force removed 325 trees damaged beyond repair or felled by the wind and ice and 4,612 broken limbs, which were dangerous to pedestrians and autoists. 2,062 loads of tree branches, trunks and stumps were removed to dumps where they were burned immediately in order to prevent possible spread of disease and injurious insects. Because of the wide extent of the damage, 100 men who competed in a recent written examination held by the Municipal Civil Service Commission for Climbers and Pruners reported to work on Monday, March 11th. Special emergency funds for these men to the extent of $20,000. were appropriated by the Board of Estimate to pay this emergency provisional force. These men brought the total number of climbers and pruners, including relief workers working in The Bronx, to 312, This force will continue pruning approximately 95,000 trees on streets, parkways and in parks. At the present rate of progress, it will take a minimum of six months for this sized force to complete the work and assure the necessary attention to prevent decay and spread of injurious insects. * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Friday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 March 15, 1940 The Department of Parks announces that seasonal permits for golf, tennis and various other facilities will go on sale Thursday, March 21st. The price of these permits is the same as last year. A seasonal golf permit is sold for $5. and is good on week days,and on Saturdays Sundays and holidays with an additional charge of $.50. A seasonal tennis permit costs $3. These permits may be procured in person or by mail, by applying at the various Borough Offices located as follows: Manhattan: Arsenal Building 64 Street and 5th Avenue Brooklyn: Litohfield Mansion Prospect Park West and 5th Street Prospect Park Queens: The Overlook Union Turnpike and Park Lane Forest Park, Kew Gardens, L. I. Bronx: Bronx Park East and Birchall Avenue Bronx Park Riohmond: Clove Lakes Park Clove Road, T7est of Victory Boulevard Due to the uncertainty of Spring weather, definite dates for the opening of the golf courses and clay tennis courts cannot be set at this time. If weather conditions are favorable it is expected that the clay courts will open April 13th and the golf courses April 20th. All hard surface tennis courts in the City will be open for play on March 18th, with the exception of those in The Bronx. Due to considerable damage to fencing by the recent ice storm, it will not be possible to open up these courts until the necessary repairs are made. From March 18th to March 31st no permits will be necessary to play on the hard surface tennis courts, but after April 1st permits will be required at all tennis courts. Tennis courts are located as follows: Park Location Type and No. Courts Hard Clay Grass Manhattan: Central Park 93rd Street and West Drive 16 14 Riverside Park W. 161 Street and Riverside Drive 2 Ft. Washington Park W. 172nd Street and Riverside Dr. 13 Harlem Housing Plgd. W. 150th Street and 7th Avenue 8 East River Park Stanton Street, Rivington Street and East River Drive 12 Randall's Island East of Triborough Stadium 24 63rd Street and York Avenue 4 Brooklyn: Fort Greene Park DeKalb Avenue and Washington Park 6 Gravesend Plgd. 56 Street and 18th Avenue 9 Kelly Memorial Park Avenue S and East 14th Street 9 Liev Eiriksson Plgd. 66th Street and 7th Avenue 10 Lincoln Terrace Eastern Parkway and Buffalo Avenue 3 8 McCarren Park Lorimer Street and Driggs Avenue 14 McKinley Park 75th Street and 7th Avenue 4 5 Prospect Park Prospect Park W. 9th Street 25 Sunsat Park 5th Avenue and 41st Street 3 Coney Island Plgd. Neptune Avenue and W. 25th Street 12 Marine Park Fillmore Ivenue and Marine Parkway 18 Bronx: Bronx Park Brady Avenue and Bronx Park East 6 Crotona Park E. 173rd Street and Crotona Avenue 5 20 Pelham Bay Park Pdce Stadium 10 St. James Park E. 193rd Street and Jerome Avenue 4 8 St. Mary's Park E. 146th Street and Trinity Avenue 5 Van Cortlandt Park E. 233rd Street and Jerome Avenue 8 Van Cortlandt Park 242nd Street and Broadway 16 Williamsbridge Oval Bainbridge Avenue and E. 208th St. 8 Mullaly Park E. 164th Street and Jerome Avenue 15 Queens: Alley Pond Park Grand Central Parkway, Winchester 10 Boulevard, Creedmoor Grover Cleveland Park Grandview Avenue and Stanhope St. 3 Brookville Park Brookville Boulevard and S. Conduit Highway, Rosedale Crooheron Park S. of 215th Place, S. of 33rd Avenue Bayside 10 Cunningham Park Union Turnpike, rl. of 193rd Street 15 Flushing Memorial Park 150th Street and Bayside Avenue, Flushing 8 Forest Park Park Lane S, and 89th Street, Woodhaven 7 7 Highland Park Jamaica Avenue and Cleveland Street 13 13 Howard Beach Nolan and Thedford Avenues 3 Kissena Park Rose Street and Oak Avenue, Flushing 12 Liberty Park 172nd Street and Liberty Avenue 10 Astoria Park 25th Avenue and 21st Street, Astoria 14 Wayanda Park Hollis Avenue, Springfield Boulevard 2 (Permit Plgd.) 48th Street and 30th Avenue, Astoria 2 (Permit Plgd.) 89th Avenue and 90th Street 4 Richmond: Walker Park Bard Avenue, Delafield Place, Davis Avenue 3 6 Silver Lake Park Hart Boulevard, Silver Lake Park 4 The golf courses are located as follows: Brooklyn: Dyker Beach 86 Street and 7th Avenue Bronx: Van Cortlandt 242nd Street near Broadway, Van Cortlandt Park Hosholu Jerome Avenue and Holley Lane at "Toodlawn Pelham-Split Rock Pelham Bridge, N. of Hutchinson River Parkway, (2 courses) Pelham Bay Park Queens: Clearview Cross Island Parkway, Bayside Kissena North Hempstead Turnpike and Fresh Meadow Road, Flushing Forest Park Park Lane South and Forest Parkway, Forest Park Richmond: Silver Lake Victory Boulevard, Silver Lake Park La Tourette Forest Hill Road and London Road ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Friday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 March 15, 1940 The Department of Parks announces that there will be an exhibition basketball game between a championship team of the Park Departments recent indoor basketball tournaments held in the various recreation centers of Manhattan and the leading team of a league in East Boston, Massachusetts, on Saturday, March 16th, 8 P.M. at the gymnasium located at 342 last 54th Street, New York City. After competing with 24 teams in a tourney conducted by the Park Department at the East 54th Street gymnasium for men and boys over 18 years of age, the Murray Basketball Team was victorious and will be on the floor next Saturday night. Their opponent in this inter-state contest will be a team composed of employees of the East Boston Times which won a similar tournament conducted in the gymnasium centers of East Boston. It is expected that a large gathering will be present at the East 54th Street gymnasium on Saturday night, March 16th, to witness what promises to be a very spirited basketball game. Gold medals will be awarded by the New York City Park Department to the members of the winning team. * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Monday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 March 11, 1940 The Department of Parks announces that the six indoor swimming pools in the Borough of Manhattan, reconstructed by the Work Projects Administration, have become very popular with the general public, the attendance having increased 50% during the last two months. The free instruction by the trained staff of the pool operators and swimming instructors in attendance, in olasses for beginners and also in life-saving for the advanced swimmers is creating great interest. There are hundreds of swimmers registered in each pool now. The public is invited to enroll in new classes noY/ being formed at each of the following indoor pools: Carmine Street and 6th Avenue 23rd Street and Avenue A 409 West 23th Street 232 West 60th Street 35 West 134th Street 324 East 54th Street The operating hours for the pools are as follows: For children under 16 years of age on weekdays from 2 to 6 P.M. and on Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays from 10 A.M. to 2 P.M.; for adults on weekdays from 6 to 10 P.M., and on Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays from 2 to 6 P.M. With the exception of East 23rd Street, all these buildings include a reconstructed gymnasium. These gymnasiums are available from 9 A.M. to 10 P.M. There is no charge for the use of any of these facilities. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- WED.AFTERNOON MARCH 2nd & DEPARTMENT OF PARKS THURS.MORNING ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE MARCH 3rd PAPERS TEL. REGENT 4-1000 1940 The Department of Parks announces that work in connection with the new boat basin at 79th Street, in Riverside Park, will be completed on April 1st next. This basin will offer, for the first time in the City of New York, special accommodations to boat owners, in that a modern up-to-date storage garage will be provided for their cars while boating. This garage is located in the basement of the three-level circle of the Henry Hudson Parkway at 79th Street. This facility, long awaited by Manhattan's boat owners and formerly used by the Department of Sanitation as a loading pier for refuse destined for the open sea, typifies the progress of the West Side Improvement and is another vital step in the reclamation of a great marginal waterfront improvement. This basin will be operated on a concession basis by this department. Applications for mooring service and berths should be made to Eugene R. Duffy at the boat basin. lTr, Duffy operates the present docking facilities which are directly adjacent to the new piers, and which will be removed immediately following the opening of the new basin. Rates will be as follows: Transient rate (water extra), Fifty Cents ($.50) for 12 hours and One Dollar ($1.00) for 24 hours. Daily rate (more than 24 hours) including water, Two Cents ($.02) per lineal foot per day, with a minimum charge of Twenty-five Dollars ($25.00) per month. Seasonal rate (including water), One Dollar and Fifty Cents ($1.50) per lineal foot per season, excluding minimum charge. This rate will apply only to boats at moorings. Mooring service charge (including water), - The mooring service will include the placing, maintenance and removal of moorings, and the charge will be based on daily or seasonal occupancy at the rates set forth above, excluding the minimum charge. -END- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Friday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 March 1, 1940 Bids were reoeived today by the Department of Parks at the Arsenal for placing the fill necessary to prepare the site of the new police station to be built in connection with the Belt Parkway. A total of five bids were received for this work, which is scheduled to be completed by April 30, 1940, The three lowest bidders were as follows: 1. H. J. Torpey, Inc. 50-07 49th Street, Woodside, L. I. $23,040,00 2. Maguire k Dugan, Inc. 177-26 Ursina Road St. Albans, N. Y. 35,000.00 3. Construction Aggregates, Inc, 1 East 42nd Street New York City 36,000.00 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Friday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 March 1, 1940 Playground Birthday Celebrations The Department of Parks announces that special programs of recreational activities have been prepared for the boys and girls of five Park Department playgrounds during the month of March in commemoration of their official opening to the public. These anniversary celebrations will include tumbling contests, roller skating races, novelty races, track and field events. Dancing contests, community and solo singing of patriotic songs, one act plays, group games and talent shows will alao form part of the programs. The March schedule for playground birthday celebrations is as follows: Time of Borough Playground location Opened Celebration Brooklyn 52nd Street & Fort Hamilton Parkway March 10, 1938 2-4:30 P.M. McKibben, White & Bogart Streets March 28, 1936 10 A.M. President & Carroll Streets March 28, 1936 3 P.M. Atlantic Avenue & Linwood Street March 31, 1939 10 A.M.-10PM Queens Benninger Playground - Madison March 18, 1937 3:30 P.M. Street and Fresh Pond Road * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Monday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 February 26, 1940 Bids were opened today by the Department of Parks at the Arsenal on the contract for lighting the Belt Parkway, between Flatbush Avenue and the Mill Basin Bridge in the Borough of Brooklyn. The work requires the installation of all materials and equipment necessary for lighting the Parkway within the limits above mentioned, with sodium luminaires and lamps mounted on cedar posts. Work under this contract is scheduled for completion by April 30, 1940. The three low bidders were: 1. L. A. Feldman 1015 East 31 Street, Brooklyn, Hew York $ 46,560.00 2. H. Z. Altberg, Inc. 1776 Broadway, Hew York City 49,600.00 3. T. Frederick Jackson, Inc. 25 West 43 Street, Hew York City 49,900,00 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Monday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 February 26, 1940 Bids were opened today by the Department of Parks at the Arsenal on three contracts for lighting the Belt Parkway, as follows: Southern Parkway from 158th Street to 230th Place Cross Island Parkway from Bronx-Whitestone Intersection to 16th Avenue Cross Island Parkway from Union Turnpike to 115th Avenue all in the Borough of Queens, The work requires the installation of all materials and equipment required for lighting the Parkway within the limits mentioned above, with sodium luminaires and lamps mounted on cedar posts. The work under these contracts is to be completed on or before April 30, 1940. The three low bidders were: SOUTHERN PARKWAY from 158th STREET to 230th PLACE 1. Rao Electric Equipment Company 150 East 41 Street, II. Y. C. $47,477. 2. Arc Electric Construction Company 739 Second Avenue, N. Y. C. 50,840. 3. L. A. Feldman 1015 East 31 Street, Brooklyn, N.Y. 51,980. CROSS ISLAND PARKWAY FROM BRONX-WHITESONE INTERSECTION TO 16th AVENUE 1. Utility Electric Co,, Inc. 92 Liberty Street, N. Y. C. 77,700. 2. E. Z. Altberg 1776 Broadway, N.Y.C. 79,890. 3. Arraneff Elec. Co. 4713 Pew Utrecht Ave., Brooklyn 80,000. CROSS ISLAND PARKTAY FROM UNION TURNPIKE TO 115th AVENUE 1. Rao Electric Equipment Company 150 East 41 Street, N.Y.C. $ 123,711. 2. H. Z. Altberg 1776 Broadway, N.Y.C. 131,690. 3. Arc Electric Construction Co. 739 Second Avenue, N.Y.C. 133,300. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- MAP / DIAGRAM LIMITS OF CONTRACTS - BIDS OPEN FOR LIGHTING ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Thursday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 February 15, 1940 The Department of Parks announces that free skiing instructions will be given on designated slopes under the jurisdiction of the Park Department by various members of the New York Ski Council and the Norway Ski Club. Arrangements have also been made with the Staten Island Ski Club for the assignment of ski instructors to Park Department hills in the Borough of Richmond. The locations at which instructors will be present are as follows: MANHATTAN - Central Park, Burns Hill, 79th Street and West Drive Brooklyn - Prospect Park, Southwest of Music Stand, Empire Blvd Entrance Sugar Bowl Hill, 9th Street and Prospect Park West Entrance Tennis House Hill, 9th Street and Prospect Park West Entrance Queens - Forest Park Golf Course, Forest Park Main Drive and Interboro Richmond - Silver Lake Park - Forest Avenue and Silver Lake Roadway La Tourette Golf Course - Rockland Avenue (10th, 14th and 18th Fairways) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Monday Afternoon TEL. REGENT 4-1000 February 12, 1940 The Department of Paries announces the completion of the six reconstructed indoor swimming pools in the Borough of Manhattan. Prior to January 1st, 1938, these buildings were under the jurisdiction of the Borough President and their main purpose was to serve as cleansing baths for the people of the various communities. The new charter placed all recreation facilities under the Department of Parks with the result that wherever there was a small swimming pool or a room in the building that was used as a gymnasium, the property was assigned to the Department of Parks. Steps were immediately taken and plans were prepared for the reconstruction of these buildings so that they would serve the recreation needs of the community; the need for the cleansing baths having diminished to a point where they received comparatively little use. The pools had been completely rebuilt and wherever possible, enlarged. At 324 East 54th Street, there were two small swimming pools which could better be described as elaborate bath tubs. Neither of the two pools were adequate or sufficient in size to accommodate enough people to make it worthwhile keeping the pools open. They have been combined into one large pool. Actually, many of the pools were closed a good share of the time because of the inadequacy of the mechanioal equipment which purified the water. They have all been rebuilt along the most modern lines and provided with up to date mechanical equipment. Existing gymnasiums have been rebuilt and where possible new ones installed. The trained staff of pool operators and swimming instructors in attendance at the outdoor pools during the summer are now assigned to the indoor pools and are preparing to conduct group classes for beginners in awimming. Classes in Life Saving will be offered for the advanced swimmers. The general public is invited to enroll in these classes, at anyone of the following indoor swimming pools: Carmine Street and 6th Avenue 23rd Street and Avenue A 409 West 28th Street 232 West 60th Street 35 West 134th Street 324 last 54th Street The operating hours for the pools are as follows: for children under 16 years of age, on weekdays from 2 to 6 P.M. and on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, from 10 A.M. to 2 P.M.; for adults, on weekdays from 6 to 10 P.M. and on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from 2 to 6 P.M. These buildings also include reconstructed gymnasiums which are available daily from 9 A.M. to 10 P.M. There is no charge for the use of any of these facilities. *** ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Thursday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 February 8, 1940 Bids were opened today by the Department of Parks at the Arsenal Building for the additional construction work in City Hall Park, This contract provides for the continuation of the reconstruction of the park which began with the demolition of the Old Federal Post Office in the summer of 1938 and continued with the construction of the first section of the park which included the area through old Mail Street. The work under this contract for the second section between City Hall and the end of the work recently completed, will include the demolition of the obsolete comfort station, landscaping, park lighting, paths, fences and other incidental work. Included also is the dismantling, transporting and storing of the Civic Virtue Statue to Randall's Island for future erection or to the site of the proposed Queens Civic Center. The work of relocating the I . R. T. City Hall subway station to conform with new design will be done by the Board of Transportation. The three low bidders were: 1. Frank Mascali & Sons, Inc. $77,928.50 4634 Third Avenue, Bronx, N. Y. 2. Melwood Construction Corporation 87,466.75 507 Fifth Avenue, N. Y. C. 3. Millman & Nazzaro 98,653.00 125 Livingston Street, Brooklyn, N.Y. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- MAP: CITY HALL PARK - AREA TO BE LANDSCAPED ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Wednesday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 February 7, 1940 Bids were opened today by the Department of Parks at the Arsenal for Landscaping the Shore Parkway section of the Belt Parkway from Brigham Street to Cross Bay Boulevard in the Borough of Brooklyn and Queens. This contract provides for topsoiling and seeding that portion of the Parkway which runs through Marine Park and the Jamaica Bay section between the limits mentioned above. With the letting today, all necessary contracts for landscaping the Belt Parkway will have been placed under contract. The three low bidders were: 1. Slattery Contracting Corp, 7202 51st Avenue, Winfield, L.I. $41,314.75 2. Bayview Concrete Construction Corp. 546 Ocean Point Avenue, Cedarhurst, L.I. 45,867.35 3. Grant Park Construction Co. 65 Prospect Avenue, Hewlett, L.I. 48,721.55 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Thursday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 February 1, 1940 The Department of Parks announces that eighty boys and girls of the Bronx Operetta Orchestral Clubs will give three performances of Oscar Straus's tuneful operetta, "The Chocolate Soldier" at Mullaly Recreation Building, Jerome Avenue' and 165th Street. There will be two evening performances: one on Friday, February 2nd, at 8:15 and the other on Saturday, February 3rd at 8:15. A matinee performance, exclusively for children, will take place Saturday, February 3rd, at 2:00 P.M. Thousands of persons have been entertained by members of the Bronx Operetta and Orchestral Clubs of the Park Department since their organization in the Spring of 1938, Their repertoire has included various Gilbert and Sullivan operettas, such as, "The Mikado" and the "Pirates of Penzance", both of which were staged before large audiences on the Mall, Central Park; the Music Grove, Forest Park and at the World's Fair. In addition, they have broadcast excerpts of these well-known musical numbers over Stations WOR, WNYC, and WPIX. Rehearsals for "The Chocolate Soldier" production have been going on for the last two months under the supervision of the recreation personnel of the Bronx Recreation Division, Department of Parks, All the scenery, stage settings, etc. have been made by the Stagecraft division of the clubs. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Thursday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 February 1, 1940 The Department of Parks announces that special recreational activities are scheduled for three Park Department playgrounds during the month of February in commemoration of their official opening to the public. These anniversary celebrations will include kindergarten demonstrations, puppet shows, singing of patriotic songs, group games and recitations. The February schedule for playground birthday celebrations is as follows: Borough Playground Opened Manhattan: Harlem Health Roof E. 115th Street between 3rd and Lexington Avenues February 15, 1938 Queens Liberty Avenue and 102nd Street Playground February 28, 1937 Richmond Lyman Avenue Playground Lyman Avenue & Ft. Wadsworth February 19, 1939 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Thursday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 February 1, 1940 Bids were opened today by the New York City Parkway Authority at the Arsenal for the reconstruction of a section of Cross Bay Boulevard, in the Borough of Queens. This contract provides for the reconstruction of Cross Bay Boulevard between North Channel Bridge at Howard Beach and the toll plaza in Broad Channel. The low bidders were: 1. B. Turecamo Contracting Co. Foot of 24th Avenue, Brooklyn, N.Y. $ 734,403.50 2. P. Tomasetti Contracting Corp. 1064-60th Street, Brooklyn, N.Y. 761,245.00 3. Reiss & Weinsier, Inc. 105 Court Street, Brooklyn, N.Y 788,914,00 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Thursday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 January 25, 1940 The Department of Parks announces that, as a result of recent mention in the press regarding the "loss" of one of the two pelicans which have roamed the 59th Street pond in Central Park for nearly 50 years, three new young pelicans have been acquired. Those citizens who mourned the passing of the old-timer will be delighted to learn that she never was lost, but had been penned in heated winter quarters since the Christmas holidays while her erstwhile hardier mate continued to roam the icy shores of the pond. One of the new arrivals, a South American white male, was donated by the Hew York Zoological Society and comes from the collection in Bronx Park. It has been named "Ozzie", in honor of the Secretary of the Society, Mr. Fairfield Osborn. The other two are young brown pelicans of the Florida specie and were donated by Mr. Rushton Peabody of Fort Pierce, Florida. These birds, one a male named "Rushty" and the other a coy young female called "Peaby" were shipped north by train and arrived safely and in good condition on Monday, January 22, despite the recent cold spell that covered the Eastern States. All the pelicans are now penned up in warm winter quarters at the 59th Street Lake, including old Bill, to whose recent solitude can be attributed the influx of new specimens. In the Spring, when warm weather arrives, all five will be released from their pen to sun themselves in their secluded spots and explore the lake with their enormous and grotesquely-shaped bills. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE SATURDAY TEL. REGENT 4-1000 January 20, 1940 The Department of Parks announces that, weather permitting, the city-wide finals of the Ice Skating Carnival conducted annually under the auspices of the New York City Park Department will be held on Conservatory Lake, opposite 74th Street and Fifth Avenue, in Central Park in Manhattan, on Sunday, January 21st, at 2 P. M. the first four contestants in oach ovont of the fivo borough carnivals will be eligible to compote on Sunday afternoon. The skating races will include the following ovents: Races Age Boys Girls Juvenile 9-11 years 75 yards 75 yards Junior 12-14 years 220 yards 100 yards 440 " 220 " Intermediate 15-17 years 220 yards 220 yards 880 " 440 " Senior Unlimited 880 yards 220 yards (Over 17 years) 1 mile Prizes will bo awarded to first, second and third place winners of each event. Exhibitions of figure skating will form part of the program. Music will bo provided by the Perk Dopartnont Band and seating accomodations will be furnished for spectators. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE WEDNESDAY TEL. REGENT 4-1000 January 17, 1940 The lew York City Parkway Authority announces that the 30th millionth car passed over the Henry Hudson Bridge, spanning the Harlem River, at 10:00 A.M., Tuesday, January 16, 1940. The car, a Ford coupe, license WE 817, N.Y., was owned by Miss Janet Younker of Knollwood Road, Elmsford, New York. The Henry Hudson Bridge has been opened to traffic a little over three years, making the average nearly ten million cars a year. During the past year the bridge carried 12,700,000 vehicles. In accordance with the previous established custom, the Authority donated a 50-trip booklet of tickets to Miss Younker. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bids were opened today by the Department of Parks at the Arsenal for the construction of a sea wall in connection with the Belt Parkway from Owl's Head Park (69th Street) to the Southern Parkway at Aqueduct, Borough of Queens. This contract provides for the construction of approximately 7800 linear feet of masonry wall with rip rap foundation which will be built for the protection of the new Shore Parkway. This contract also includes the construction of a promenade along the wall, a wrought iron fence and other incidental work. The low bidders were: 1. Garofano Construction Company 730 South Columbus Avenue, Mt, Vernon, N.Y. $ 663,000. 2. Elmhurst Contracting Company, Inc. 53-04 97th Place, Corona, L.I. 667,514. 3. Tully & DilNapoli, Inc. 30-11 12th Street, Long Island City 689,890.25 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Monday afternoon TEL. REGENT 4-1000 January 15, 1940 The Department of Parks announces that the Mayor will open two playgrounds at 3:30 P.M. tomorrow, one at Alexander Avenue and 136th Street, The Bronx, and the other at Hamilton Place and 141st Street, Manhattan. The playground at Alexander Avenue and 136th Street is a new facility and will be officially opened with a ceremony in which Mayor La Guardia, Borough President James J. Lyons and Colonel Brehon Somervell, Work Projects Administrator of New York City, will participate. Park Commissioner Robert Moses will preside. The three-quarter acre Alexander Avenue playground was acquired with funds made available as a result of a transfer of park land at the northerly end of Mullaly Park, in the same borough, to the Board of Education for school purposes. It contains four handball courts, a large, open, biuminous-surfaced play area for group games, small and large swings, see-saws, slides, a jungle gym, a completely equipped playground with sand pit and wading pool for smaller children, and a comfort station. A planting area with shade trees borders the playground. Numerous concrete benches have been provided. At the Hamilton Place area, the old playground has been entirely reconstructed to provide for wider and more intensive usage. Besides a new modern comfort station, there is now a wading pool, volley ball and handball courts, a jungle gym, swings, slides and see~saws, The entire area has been resurfaced with bituminous material to provide for continuous usage throughout the year. The opening of these two areas, designed by the Park Department and built by the Work Projects Administration, makes a total of 308 new and reconstructed playgrounds completed by the Park Department since 1934. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Friday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 January 5, 1940 Bids were opened today by the Department of Parks at the Arsenal Building for the improvement of Coney Island between Ocean Parkway and West 15th Street, Borough of Brooklyn. The General contract provides for the relocation of approximately 3800 feet of existing boardwalk eighty feet in width, starting approximately at West 15th Street and extending easterly to Ocean Avenue, thus widening the existing beach about 300 feet and adding 24 acres to the beach area. This contract includes also covering the widened beach with white sand and repairing the boardwalk damaged by fire last fall; the utilization of space under the boardwalk for a combined Comfort Station, Life Guard and Red Cross Building between West 5th Street and Ocean Parkway and a similar arrangement of a combined Life Guard, Red Cross and Concession Building at Stillwell Avenue; the realignment of Surf Avenue and other incidental work. The Electrical contract will provide the necessary lighting for the relocated boardwalk and for the new buildings, including fire and police alarms and beach telephone systems, as well as for the realigned Surf Avenue and Seaside Park. The Plumbing contract includes the necessary plumbing in conjunction with the construction of the two buildings indicated above, and the heating and ventilating contract provides the necessary heating and ventilating for the combined Comfort Station, Life Guard and Red Cross Building. The low bidders are as follows: GENERAL CONTRACT 1. A. A. Johnson Co. & Necaro Co., Inc. 2928 Hunter Avenue, Long Island City $767,808.86 2. Reiss & Weinsier, Inc. 105 Court Street, Brooklyn, N.Y. 779,811.56 3. John G. English Co, & H.L, Fischer, Inc, 12 East 41 Street, Hew York City 835,119.50 ELECTRICAL 1. Simpson Electric Company $ 36,100. 71 East 116 Street N.Y.C. 2. Regent Electrical Institute Co. 250 East 43 Street, N. Y. C, 42,500. 3. T. Frederick Jackson, Inc. 1165 Broadway, N. Y. C. 44,000. PLUMBING 1. Snyder Plumbing & Heating Corp. 333 viest 52 Street, N. Y. C. 21,097. 2. George J. Kay 1960 Flatbush Avenue, Brooklyn, N.Y. 21,970. 3. Astrove Plumbing & Heating Corp. 353 West 25 Street, N. Y. C. 23,218. HEATING & VENTILATING 1. Jacobs Engineering Co. 103 Park Avenue, N. Y. C. 816.00 2. Edward Kiss, Inc. 207 West 43 Street, N. Y. C. 905.00 3. Clermont Heating Co. 480 Clermont Avenue, Brooklyn, N. Y. 1282.00 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Wednesday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 January 3, 1940 The Department of Paries announces that, ireather permitting, an Ice Skating Carnival will be held on Conservatory Lake, opposite 74 Street and Fifth Avenue, in Central Park, Manhattan, on Sunday, January 7, at 2 P.M. Entries for the events listed below are being received in all Park playgrounds throughout the Borough of Ilanhattan, and will also be received by mail or telephone at the Arsenal Building, 64 Street and Fifth Avenue, New York City, telephone Regent 4-1000, Extension 89. Entries close on Friday, January 5, 1940 at 5 P.M. SKATING RACES AGE BOYS GIRLS Juvenile 9- 11 years 75 yards 75 yards Junior 12- 14 years 220 " 100 " 440 " 220 " Intermediate 15- 17 years 220 " 220 " 880 " 440 " Senior Unlimited 880 " 220 " (over 17 years) 1 mile In addition to prizes to the winners, the first four in each event will be eligible to compete in the City finals which are scheduled for a week later, January 14, at Conservatory Lake. During the racing events, there will be an exhibition of figure skating in the center of the arena. Seating accommodations will be provided for spectators. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Index July-September 1940 7/l/40 96 Bids on East River Park, Brand Central to Montgomery 7/2/40 97 Jurisdiction over Columbus Circle 7/3/40 98 Programs announced for children for Independence Bay 7/3/40 99 Official openings of 22 Park Dept. playgrounds 7/5/40 100 City-wide finals of hoMeshoe-pitching tournament 7/6/40 101 Reopening of Annunciation Playground announced 7/9/40 102 Fireworks at Jacob Riis Park every Wednesday during July and August 7/10/40 103 Newbold Morris golf trophy on display 7/10/40 104 Bids on sidewalks for Fort fatten 7/ll/40 105 Fifteen running tracks to ffeeilitate bicyclists 7/ll/40 106 Completion of Forth Section of Lincoln Terrace Park 7/13/40 107 Track meet at Randall's Island on July 13 7/13/40 108 City-wide sports carnival announced 7/13/40 109 Resignation of A.R. Jennings, General Superintendent of the Park Dept.; other changes 7/19/40 110 Eighty entries for Queens Men's Singles tournament 7/19/40 111 Kite flying contest on July 25 7/19/40 112 Renovation of bathhouse and swimming pool at 5 Rutgers Place 7/20/40 113 Entries for golf and tennis championships due July 21 7/22/40 ll4 Complaints of residents near Belt Parkway heard 7/23/40 115 Bids on life guard and comfort station at 135th St. 7/26/40 116 Largest metropolitan tennis tournament begins July 27 7/27/40 117 New Lots playground reopened without ceremonies 7/29/40 118 Reconstruction of N. end of Bronx Park begun 7/30/40 119 Bids on paving Shore Parkway at 69th Road 7/30/40 120 Repairs to Steeplechase pier complete 8/1/40 121 Opening of four improved park facilities 8/3/40 122 Entries for swimming meet due Aug. 10 8/3/40 123 Need to water newly planted street trees cited 8/3/40 124 Eleanor Tennant will conduct free tennis clinic 8/3/40 125 Children's recreational activities for August 8/6/40 126 Softball league finals 8/6/40 127 City-wide golf championships August 10 8/8/40 128 Amateur Junior Fife and Drum Corps competitions 8/8/40 129 Correspondence re volunteer life saving corps dance 8/9/40 130 AAU diving championship August 10 8/9/40 131 Municipal golf championships for women and jr. boys 8/10/40 132 Bushwick playground reopened 8/10/40 133 Tennis finals announced 8/16/40 134 Manster Dance Festival with Brooklyn girls Aug. 17 8/19/40 135 Bids on demolition at 17th Ave. 8/19/40 136 Board of Estimate approves Stewart Railroad rt-of-way 8/2O/40 137 Third annual life guard tournament announced 8/21/40 138 Children's Dance Festival postponed 8/23/40 139 Final game of junior Softball tournament Aug. 24 8/23/40 140 Girls' softball tournament Aug. 24 8/23/40 141 Newbold Morris Trophy golf tournament opening 8/26/40 142 Pedestrian overpasses over Belt Parkway open 8/26/40 143 New playground at Stuyvesant Ave., Brooklyn 8/27/40 144 Bids on reconstruction of W. part of St. Gabrielle Park 8/26/40 145 World's Fair commissioner wants Flushing Meadow converted to a military camp 8/27/40 146 Inter-pool swimming championships at Astoria Pool, Aug. 30 8/28/40 147 Pedestrian access t© be provided from Bronx to N. end Randall's Island 8/28/40 148 Addition to recreation area at Howard Ave., etc. 8/30/40 149 Lefty Gomez will award prizes at softball tournament 8/31/40 150 Special programs for 17 playgrounds 9/2/40 151 Reopening of southern portion of Alley Pond Park 9/5/40 152 Demonstration of recreational activities of parks. 9/5/40 153 Finals of intermediate softball game postponed. 9/7/40 154 "Animal Naming Contest" by children to select names for new animals in zoo. 9/7/40 155 Closing of outdoor pools and conversion to play area. 9/7/40 156 City-wide Softball championship for men over 21. 9/10/40 157 Construction of recreational facilities, passive and active, adjacent to Queensboro housing 9/12/40 158 Bids received for work at Borden Ave*, Queens* 9/13/40 159 Finals of Children's Amateur Singing Contest. 9/14/40 160 Three new playgrounds opened* 9/18/40 161 Japanese World's Fair pavilion presented to city as permanent Japanese exhibit 9/20/40 162 Finals of largest bolf tournament at Dyker Beach Golf Course 9/26/40 163 Borough Hall park reconstructed. nd/40 164 25-page speech by Robert Moses. 9/28/40 165 Amateur photo contest. 9/28/40 166 Children's handcraft exhibition at the American Museum of Natural History. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Saturday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 September 28, 1940 The Department of Parks announces that the annual playground children's Handcraft Exhibition will take place in the Education Hall of the American Museum of Natural History, 79 Street and Central Park West, Manhattan, beginning Sunday, September 29, and running through Sunday, October 6, from 10 A.M. to 5 P.M. On Sundays, the hours will be from 1 P.M. to 5 P.M. There will be no admission charge. This Handcraft Exhibit will be held in conjunction with the display of pictures which were submitted for the recent Amateur Photo Contest conducted annually under the auspices of the Park Department. The pictures were reviewed by the board of judges and the prizes shall be awarded to the winning contestants at the Museum of Natural History on Saturday, October 5, at 2 P.M. The Handcraft Exhibition will include objects made by children of all age groups in the various Handcraft Classes supervised by the Department of Parks at the numerous playgrounds under its jurisdiction as an integral part of a comprehensive all year-round recreation program. The heterogeneous collection will reveal leather, soap and chip carving, raffia, reed, bead, weaving and basketry work. Useful and decorative articles for home and school have also been made from such materials as cork, wood, metal, leather, wool, beads, crepe paper, cord and felt. Discarded materiai of all sorts has been salvaged from the waste heap by the young craftsmen and converted into instruments of practical value, viz., rugs made of rags, lamps made of bottles, and flower vases made from cardboard milk containers. Other contributions to the handcraft display consist of wearing apparel such as sweaters, scarfs and hats with singular designs and beautiful color schemes. Demonstrations in the technique of handcraft will1 be given during the exhibition by children from each of the boroughs in the following: leather and chip carving, basketry, bead-work, metal work, loom weaving and hook rug construction. *** ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Saturday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 September 28, 1940 The Department of Parks announces that the 350 photographs submitted for the Amateur Photo Contest conducted by this department were reviewed by the board of judges at the Arsenal Building, Central Park, Manhattan. The entrants were divided into two age groups as follows: Junior Division - Children up to 16 years of age Senior Division - Persons 17 years of age and over Each competitor was permitted to submit as many pictures as he desired, provided all the photographs were taken during 1940 and depicted "Youth or Age" in the parks, pools, beaches or playgrounds under the jurisdiction of the Department of Parks. The following contestants were adjudged the winners: Junior Division; 1st place: Sol Tauber - 611 East 6 Street, New York City. Age - 16 years Title of Picture - "Last One in Is a Sissy" 2nd place: Robert Schneider - 66 Bloomingdale Road, Prince Bay, S.I. Age - 14 years Title of Picture - "Old Skipper's Delight" 3rd place: Benjamin Levy - 656-8 Lafayette Avenue, Brooklyn, N.Y. Age - 15 years Title of Picture: "Winter Scene" Honorable Mention: Martin Walpow - 1023 Lafayette Avenue, Brooklyn, N.Y. Age - 15 years Title of Picture - "Duck Bath" Herbert Heller - 526 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn, N. Y. Age - 13f years Title of Picture - "Topsy Turvey" George Kafig - 1660 Crotona Park East, Bronx, N. Y. Age - 10 years Title of Picture - "Cacti" Louis Martin - 635 West 174 Street, New York City Age - 16 years Title of Picture - "Playground Celebration" Senior Division; 1st place: Ben Cooperman - 964 49 Street, Brooklyn, N.Y. Title of Picture -"Ice Skating" 2nd place: N. Field - 625 Caton Avenue, Brooklyn, N.Y. Title of Picture - "Little Fisherman" 3rd place: Mrs. John Tehan - 34 Hillside Avenue, Manhattan Title of Picture - "Fort Tryon Park in Winter" Special Honorable Mention: A. Schacht - 42 Elliott Place, Bronx, N. Y. Title of Picture - "Peek-A-Boo" Louis A. Monaco - 146 Hast 19 Street, Brooklyn, N.Y. Title of Picture - "Central Park Lake" Bernard Siegel - 102 East 52 Street, Brooklyn, N.Y. Title of Picture - "Temptation" Honorable Mention Herbert Hamburger - 322 East 8 Street, New York City Title of Picture - "Playmates" M. Mansfield - 297 Pulaski Street, Brooklyn, N.Y. Title of Picture - "Two Lads and a Boat" M. Solomon - 2255 Grand Concourse, B ronx, N.Y. Title of Picture- "Looking over the World from a Playground Slide" Albert Aboff - 40 Monroe Street, New York City Title of Picture - "Thirsty" Louis Kurnu - 19 Clinton Street, New York City Title of Picture - "Pensive" One Kodak 35 with K. A. f. 4.5 lens No. 1 Diomatic shutter, donated by R. H. Macy Company, will be awarded to the winner of the Senior Division; another valuable camera, donated by Davega Sporting Goods Company, will be the prize for the winning contestant in the Junior Division. Second and third place winners in both divisions will receive silver and bronze medals respectively. Certificates of merit will be awarded to the entrants receiving honorable mention. Presentation of prizes to the winning competitors will be made on Saturday, October 5th at 2 P.M. at the Education Hall, American Museum of Natural History, 79 Street and Central Park West. The judges of the contest were: Paul J. Woolf, Rodney McCay Morgan and Paul Schum. All the pictures submitted for the Amateur Photo Contest will be on display at the Museum in conjunction with the department's annual handcraft exhibition which will commence on Sunday, September 29, and run through Sunday, October 6. * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- [In handwriting: No Date (September?) 1940] Says R O B E R T M O S E S in conclusion "...I warned the Editor that this would be a rambling discourse - one of those stream-of-consciousness things which tell what goes on in the mind of an administrator who, if the truth be told, has very little time for thought," Pretty much everyone in the U. S. who pretends to know anything knows what Robert Moses has done for New York. But because Conmissioner Moses is more interested in works than words, rare is the occasion when he takes time out for reminiscing on paper. For all we know, and we tried to find out, this is the first piece the Commissioner has written in which he uncovers the technique which has given Hew York in recent years more public works to be proud of than any other world metropolis. Here then is no stuffy opus that seeks to impress with strange and large words, but a revealing, human document that tells much, invites reading the rest between the lines. Anyone who hopes to have a hand in the drastic changes which all of our cities are undergoing needs to read this article. Gentlemen, Mr. Robert Moses. CHANGE We are told from time to time, both by those who seem to approve and profess to admire and by those who are shocked and apprehensive, that some of us are changing the face of the metropolis and have designs on its character and personality as well. There is something in this, but neither the boosters nor the critics are quite right about it. We are the apostles of change but not of revolution. We do not advocate change as a philosophy. We are not iconoclasts by profession nor breakers of tradition by temperament nor, on the other hand, have we any predilection for keeping things as they are because they have been so for a long time. Least of all are we the slaves of any dogmatic new regional planning theories. What we are aiming at in New York and its suburbs is a series of reasonable nearby objectives to make this community livable and convenient according to modern standards, arresting and beautiful as measured by tried and ancient principles of design, and conmercially and industrially attractive because when such attraction weakens or is gone the reason for the existence of the metropolis is gone with it. The fundamental premise on which all change must be predicated is, of course, growth and distribution of population. This is just guess-work. The validity of the guess and the respect accorded to it must depend upon the character and reputation of the fellow who makes it. Not long ago our new City Planning Commission asked all sorts of people for their estimates. It was, as might have been expected, a field day for sensible people and crackpots. In such a situation I would rather have the opinion of the New York Telephone Company than that of scientists using elaborate formulas consisting largely of unknown quantities. The all-time absurdity in such calculations was reached a few years ago when the Regional Plan of New York printed, with apparent approval, a study of population growth in the metropolitan area based upon an analogy with the breeding of bluebottle fruit flies. My own opinion, for what it is worth, is that Manhattan will continue to decline in population, but not as rapidly as it has been decreasing; that Brooklyn will increase slowly but steadily as the presently undeveloped areas, especially those north of Jamaica Bay, are developed; that the Bronx population will also increase slowly and steadily as the areas in the east and north central sections fill up; that Queens will grow somewhat more rapidly than the Bronx, and that Richmond will have no great increase until it is made more accessible. I think it is silly to give any figures beyond I960, In that year my guess is that the population of Manhattan will be about 1,500,000; that of Brooklyn 3,250,000; that of the Bronx 2,250,000 and that of Queens also 2,250,000; and that of Richmond 250,000. This makes a total population in 1960 of 9,500,000 inhabitants, After 1960, I believe that the city's growth will be slow. You may, however, have a hearty laugh at my expense in I960. In a recent speech before a child welfare group in the White House the President enunciated a conclusion about New York's population which is neither new nor illuminating, if indeed it is true. He said that New York would be much better off if its population were six million instead of seven million, and he added that the Mayor had told him it ought to be five million. In the same speech the President quoted with approval the remark of a French scientist to the effect that every third generation of city-bred people require good healthy country blood to keep it from anaemia and disintegration. This is no doubt flattering to our rural neighbors and emphasizes a comparatively recent decision of the President to be regarded as a simple Hudson Valley farmer as sharply distinguished from a New York City boy. Such statements, of course, in spite of their high source, are just political hokum. New York, like a good many other cities, may have too large a population. Even this is debatable. Nothing, however, would be accomplished by merely cutting down the population, if such a crazy thing were possible, unless there were a redistribution on the basis of entirely new zoning and housing ordinances and regulations. We have plenty of vacant and thinly populated land in New York City. There are large areas more open and rural than the suburbs, just as there are others in which too many people are huddled together. In- cidentally, there are some areas in the city of Washington, D,C. in which there are slums more depressing than any I have seen in Hew York and where some mag- nificent experiments could be conducted by a paternalistic government. Similarly, all over this fair land of ours, there are rundown rural communities of no great population in which decent living must be much more difficult than in our larger cities. Somehow or other the itch of planners to take the big cities apart and reconstruct them nearer to the heart's desire is stronger than the itch to reorganize smaller communities. Perhaps it is because the planners can't find an audience and a living in the great open spaces. Those who would drastically decentralize the metropolis, break it up into satellite towns, rebuilt it in its entirety, make sheer logic prevail in the relocation of trade, residence, art and recreation, may continue to live in Ivory Towers, paint pictures and deliver homilies to long-haired listeners. This town is too tough for them and they had better keep out of the rough and tumble of the market place. You can make a lot of changes in New York with public support, but the limitations are quite definite and any one who goes beyond them is going to be very lonely. It all gets down to the matter of judgment. Judgment must be predicated on knowledge of the physical aspects of the community, acquaintance with its many people and neighborhoods, sympathy with its folk-ways, a not too slavish respect for its past and a not too exaggerated and roseate vision of its future, and finally, a balanced conception of the place of this metropolis in the state and nation, and of its advantages and disadvantages in competition with other great centers. This is a pretty elaborate formula demanding quite a little talent, but if there is to continue to be a New York, and if this city and the suburbs which depend upon it are not to be buried before long under tons of dust, just such talent must be available among its leaders. Let me be a little more specific. We have in New York an area known as Jamaica Bay. It includes most of the south shore of Long Island within the city limits, consisting of a flat apron of land representing the glacial run-off below the terminal moraine in the center of the island. There are vast stretches of meadow land, hardly changed since the time of the Indians, running to an enormous bay, contained by the barrier beach known as Rockaway. Rockaway Inlet, the funnel from bay to ocean, gave industrial planners of a generation ago the notion of a great harbor with deep waterways, immense piers and waterfront manufacturing plants approached by railroad spurs, including the bulkheading and filling of the islands in the bay itself and their connection with the mainland by numerous causeways and bridges. There was little or nothing in the history or prospects of the port of New York to justify the so-called Jamaica Bay Improvement, and in all of this mapping, planning and ballyhoo there was just a little too much evidence of the slick real estate promoter who raises the value of a piece of property from acreage to front footage, and from waste to teeming industry, by the simple device of publishing an elaborate and persuasive prospectus. In any event, the Jamaica Bay lads, with the help of senators, congressman and others, sold their idea to the city, state and federal governments and brought about an agreement under which the Army Engineers would do an immense amount of dredging in return for vague and grandiose industrial improvements to be made by the city, the railroads, the manufacturers, the shippers, the developers and other unnamed John Does and Richard Roes. Nothing of any consequence happened for a number of years and then some of us came along with plans for various improvements, all looking toward better traffic conditions, parkways, parks and public beaches -- all spelling residence and recreation rather than industry as the future of Jamaica Bay. My first thought was to take the problem on cold by publicly advocating the complete abandonment of the Jamaica Bay Improvement as indicated on city maps and plans, and as reflected in zoning and other ordinances and regulations. In spite of warnings from some of my staff and associates and from shrewd and friendly observers, I took the responsibility for issuing a pamphlet on "The future of Jamaica Bay". Let me make it clear that many tides had run over the meadows and marshes and had ebbed and flowed through Rockaway Inlet since anything active had been done about this particular port development, and that we had already made great strides toward the recreational and residential substitute. We had built the Marine Parkway from the end of Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn to the Rookaways and had completely reconstructed Jacob Riis Park. We had acquired the right of way for the Belt Parkway which was to encircle the whole city and include a great part of the shore front on Jamaica Bay. We were working on the reconstruction of Cross Bay Boulevard, the only other passage across the bay in addition to the New Marine Parkway, and not only the immense undeveloped area in Marine Park, Brooklyn, but other large tracts of meadow land were in process of acquisition for future recreation purposes. The great Rockaway shore front improvement was about to begin, including the elevation of the railroad tracks as part of the new State grade crossing program. Nevertheless, I could not get the Mayor and the other necessary city officials completely to abandon the Jamaica Bay Improvement, It was just too much corned beef and cabbage to feed a public brought up for many years on promises of a pate de foie gras and terrapin diet of port development. Matters were further complicated by an announcement by the Sanitation Commissioner that the ideal plan for Jamaica Bay should be centered around bulkheading and filling up the islands with refuse, ashes and garbage, a comparatively inoffensive process, according to this official, which in the end would produce exactly what the Jamaica port developers wanted. The public did not take kindly to this scheme to create another noisome and offensive Riker's Island or Flushing Meadows dump. Under these conditions it was necessary to advance the park and conservation program for Jamaica Bay piecemeal by completing the acquisition of park and parkway land, rezoning the adjacent frontage for residence, adjusting the dredging program, defeating the sanitation dump plan and by other steps, too detailed to mention. There remain today, for all practical purposes, only two recognized industrial areas on the north side of Jamaica Bay -- at Mill Basin and at Head of Bay. The Jamaica Bay episode affords a good illustration of what can and can't be done in New York by way of change, and the method by which a controversial program can be carried through with public support. Even though the old Jamaica Bay industrial plan was a practical impossibility, the whole-hog-or-none policy as applied to the new program would not have worked. The park and parkway program won its way gradually, step by step, and any other procedure would merely have resulted in another ambitious report to gather dust on the shelves of municipal reference libraries. The timing of great municipal improvements is of the utmost importance. A thing can be done today after the proper groundwork has been laid, which could not have been done a month earlier and would be quite impossible a month hence. This may sound fantastic, but it is true. Government at best is a pretty freakish business and there are more factors, personalities and situations to be considered than, control business and other enterprises. The fifty million dollar state railroad grade crossing program which will eliminate all remaining surface intersections with streets had its psychological moment at the 1938 state constitutional convention. Two previous amendments had been duds, and this third effort succeeded at the polls. As Chairman of the committee which had this subject in charge I saw it through the convention and later, as Mayor LaGuardia's representative, through the other critical stages to actual construction. If advantage had not been taken of just these opportunities, the great Atlantic Avenue, Rockaway and other railroad improvements in the City and others upstate would have slumbered for another generation. The acquisition of the rights of way for the first state and federal parkway construction in New York City in 1929, that is, the Grand Central Parkway in Queens, could not have been accomplished at any other time than at the precise moment it was put through when we happened to have federal funds available, and when Mayor Walker was willing to leave condemnation to Comptroller Berry. I was representing the state at the time and General Berry was a former state official and a friend of mine. Even then it was impossible to acquire an adequate width. The Grand Central Parkway had been mapped many years before at a width of one hundred and fifty feet. The meaning of "parkway" was not known then. What the word connoted then was merely a wide boulevard with private property fronting on it and having access to it everywhere. In one section it would have been necessary to take hundreds of houses to get the proper width. Since then scores of people have critized our failure to provide a separating strip between the two streams of traffic traveling in opposite directions, space for six lanes instead of four, and retaining walls and slopes so steep that erosion presents serious problems no matter what kind of ground cover is used. There are plenty of ex post facto oritics who are ready to confound the pioneers, but the critics did not have to live through the early days. What was crazy in 1930, was progressive in 1935; is universally accepted today, and may be outmoded tomorrow. Therefore don't blame General Berry for refusing to go along on an adequate right of way for the Grand Central Parkway. He couldn't see the traffic and the accidents of the near future, and probably could not have persuaded the appropriating authorities of the city to yield to what looked like the unreasonable demand of an irresponsible enthusiast. Practically the same condition arose a little later when we decided to push the Grand Central Parkway on into Brooklyn. We had to use the so-called Interboro Parkway, part of the land for which had been acquired a few years before. This consisted of a tortuous ribbon winding its way along the cemetery ridge in the form of not one but a series of letter "S" curves. All religious denominations were represented in the condemnation proceedings, and the wailing, cries of anguish and gnashing of teeth at the Board of Estimate hearings could be heard blocks away. No doubt this was due in part to the very natural objection to moving even a few graves, but the net result was that the land cost the city an average of #130,000 an acre, which would seem to represent considerable balm for the living as well as the dead. It is interesting to note that when the five scattered city park departments were consolidated and responsibility fell upon the new administration, we succeeded in buying additional cemetery land for $35,000 an acre. Even the new administration could not straighten out very much the original snake run in the cemetery section. We built adequate approaches on each side, flattened slopes, rebuilt walls, planted ivy, added a tremendous timber guardrail in the center mall, put up warning signs to slow down traffic, but we could not entirely undo the mistakes of former officials. We were up against too much sentiment to go further. Nevertheless, the smart alecks of today scoff at what they are pleased to call the bad planning and poor workmanship of those who built the Interboro Parkway. They know nothing of its history. They have no idea what our troubles were, and probably would not themselves have done half as well. This kind of thing is tough on those of us who hate compromise anyway, but we learned not to waste time on explanations and post mortems, and to go on to the next thing, always hoping that it will be a fresh, new project, without unfortunate inheritances. The extension of the Grand Central Parkway through Flushing Meadow and along Flushing Bay into the Triborough Bridge has an even more interesting history. Here we had a very bitter fight with some of my upstate Republican friends in the legislature, who insisted that there must be an end to parkway construction with state funds in New York City, and arbitrarily fixed the terminus of the Grand Central Parkway at Northern Boulevard. The fact that New York City contributes to the state a very substantial part of all license plate and gasoline tax revenues has never made much of an impression on some upstaters who feel that no city ought to get any state or federal highway moneys. There is no logic in it, but it is part of a good, healthy, well nourished prejudice and dies a hard death. Of course we took what we could get and arranged to have the rest of this parkway built by the Triborough Bridge Authority, Construction through the Flushing Meadows was a bold adventure. This was no unspoiled tidal marsh. On half of it a huge ash dump, with plenty of garbage and refuse, had been reared foot by foot over many years. The accumulated clinkers, dust, offscourings, waste and junk of hundreds of thousands of Brooklyn families had their monument in this horrendous mountain. It was necessary to drive the parkway right through the center of it after acquiring the dump itself and the land adjacent to it, and settling all sorts of incidental quarrels between the city and the Brooklyn Ash Removal Company, and then to flatten and plant the hills or to remove them entirely as part of a gigantic reclamation project. By the greatest stroke of luck, the progenitors of the World's Fair came along at just this time, and asked me to go into partnership with them in the location of the Fair in the Flushing Meadows. Nothing could have been more opportune. It was the beginning of the reclamation of this entire section of Queens, and our part of it was to level the dumps, straighten out the water courses and make all the permanent improvements, which ran to a total of some $50,000,000, I have always been frank to say that the Fair meant nothing to the park and parkway boys exoept as the answer to our prayer for allies in our reclamation program. By way of further emphasizing the importance of timing in connection with projects of this sort, 1 might say that land for the Belt Parkway now under construction, and for the extension of the Westchester parkways southerly through the Bronx, could not have been acquired at any other moment excepting the one which we selected as psychological for this purpose. We just got under the wire, because a little later official opinion veered away from projects of this kind, and the competition for remaining federal grants and city capital and assessment funds became so bitter that our solution of this arterial problem would have been impossible. We might have had odds and ends of parkways, but nothing like the connected system we are about to open to the public. Obviously, the occasion for obtaining greater protection of parkways through zoning arises just after the rights-of-way have been acquired. This is the time to appear before the Planning Commission and Board of Estimate to urge that the adjacent areas be zoned for residence as distinguished from business and industry, and to obtain the maximum protection against disfiguring billboards and signs. If this process is delayed until construction is completed, the chances of jacking up the zoning requirements are much smaller because of the pressure of selfish local ovmers to cash in on the public improvements. We have made it a universal practice to insist on the establishment of protective zones adjacent to parkways and, so far as possible, on the borders of parks. The advertising sign and billboard nuisance must also be attacked independently through rigid enforcement of existing and additional new ordinances. We have also obtained protection of parkways built with state and federal funds within the city limits through a special state law. In all of these proceedings we have had the bitter and unremitting opposition of stupid representatives and undercover agents of the billboard companies, who cannot realize that public opinion is massing against them and the products they advertise. It may be added that the normal pressure for private gas stations adjacent to parkways has been met by providing publicly owned stations of appropriate design at intervals along the parkways. I do not intend to create the impression that our group of executives and technicians win all the battles and get everything we go out for. As a matter of fact we have our setbacks and our apparent defeats. The Brooklyn-Battery Bridge is an illustration. Almost every one agreed that there must be a crossing between the Battery and Hamilton Avenue, Brooklyn, as part of the Belt system and in order to give access to the piers and industries of South Brooklyn, The first attempt to finance a tunnel by federal loan and grant failed. Some of us then suggested a bridge, or rather two bridges. Immediately there were howls of disapproval from various sources. One source was the real estate, financial and industrial interests in Manhattan who don't want to see that borough go back any farther in population or influence, and who hate to see anything done to improve access to Brooklyn. Another group consisted of misguided artists, architects, sculptors and the supporters they could drum up, who insisted that we were going to destroy Battery Park and the skyline of Manhattan by so hideous a structure as a bridge. The fact that the planners of this bridge had just completed the Bronx-Whitestone crossing, one of the simplest and most beautiful steel structures in the world, made no impression on these people, most of whom, I am sure, never saw the Bronx-Whitestone Bridge and would not have recognized its beauty if they had seen it. Similarly, none of these critics had previously evidenced the slightest interest in Battery Park, and one of them had proposed a huge and hideous obelisk in the center of this park, much higher than the bridge towers. Still another group consisted of military people who claimed that this bridge could be bombed in the case of an aerial attack and that the channels leading into the East River and to the Navy Yard would be blocked. These people carefully refrained from emphasizing the fact that there were two other bridges seaward of the Navy Yard. The pressure of these groups on official Washington resulted in the refusal of a permit to construct the bridge on the ground of war danger. It was therefore necessary to come back to a tunnel, which will cost twice as much to build and three times as much to maintain, will take twice as long to finish and will accommodate only half as many vehicles. I felt, however, as did my associates, that it was our duty to help put through the tunnel and to construct adequate approaches if we could not get a bridge which we still believed represented the most intelligent, economical and esthetic solution of the problem. We also took a licking on other occasions, for example, we did a pretty drastic job of reorganization when we took over the old Triborough Bridge Authority. The old set-up was fantastic. The chief engineer had planned a sixteen lane bridge with two levels. There was no conceivable need of sixteen lanes and there would have been no possible way of getting the number of vehicles he had visualized on and off the approaches. As a matter of fact, approaches did not concern him. On the other hand, vast quantities of ornamental granite seemed to be of first-rate importance. I found out where this granite was to come from, but that is another story. When I sent for the chief engineer and asked him which he thought was more important -- adequate approaches or ornamental granite, he unhesitatingly replied, "granite." This ended the conference, and I told hin to resign and get hia pension. A reorganization of this kind did not require any superlative courage, nor did the scrapping of the plans. When it came, however, to a complete relocation of the Manhattan crossing we ran into real trouble. Anyone who looks at the great Triborough crossing, with all of its approaches and ramifications, from the air or on a map, figures the distance he travels in a car, will see that the Manhattan arm should have gone across Ward's and not Randall's Island, a mile or more south of its present location. This was one of the first things we took up when the Authority was reorganized, but we found that the same Harlem real estate and business interests which had brought about the acquisition of land at 125th Street for the Manhattan arm would undoubtedly have blocked a shift to the south. Certainly there would have been a protracted debate into which the P. W. A. would inevitably have been drawn, not to speak of the city administration. We therefore concluded to leave the Manhattan arm of the bridge where it had originally been placed, and not to start a controversy which might have jeopardized the entire undertaking. We did, however, insist on something by way of compromise and this was the building of the first link in the East River Drive from 125th Street to 92nd Street, as part of the Triborough approach, and as a way of making up some of the loss in time in traveling up to Harlem. There were two public institutions on Randall's Island when it was turned over to the Park Department and Triborough Bridge Authority for the construction of the Triborough and incidental recreational facilities. One was an ancient barracks some eighty years old, with a variety of inmates, known as the House of Refuge, operated by a self-perpetuating board, and drawing on the state for support. The other was the so-called Childrens Hospital, an institution for feeble-minded, operated by the City of New York. There were endless difficulties in getting rid of these institutions and moving the inmates after all statutory and administrative requirements had been complied with. These institutions were literally driven off the island by construction forces, beginning with the sinking of the caissons in the ferry slips themselves, for the Manhattan arm of the bridge. Ward's Island, like Randalls, is owned by the City of New York, Curiously enough the land under water surrounding it was privately owned, and had to be condemned by the City at the instance of the Park Department. This island is occupied by a state hospital for the insane. Its buildings are almost all obsolete. Segments of the island have been turned over at various times to the connecting railroad for the Hell Gate Bridge, to the Triborough Bridge Authority for the Triborough Bridge, and to the Department of Public Works for a sewer plant. The remainder, under a special act of 1933, now incorporated in the Code of the City of New York, is to be vacated by the State Hospital and turned over to the City not later than 1943, when all of the inmates will have been moved off to new state institutions in the suburbs. Recently a piece of land between the two bridges was conveyed to the City Park Department by the State, and old civil war buildings razed as a start on the future city park. There is, of course, the same opposition on Ward's Island that developed on Randalls Island on the part of doctors, nurses, relatives of inmates, and particularly minor hospital employees, to moving out into the country from the heart of the city. Every year efforts are made in the State Legislature and City Council to scuttle the plan for a park on the Island, and to keep the state institution there indefinitely. Incidentally, there are some votes on Ward's Island which election captains hate to lose. In changing the face of the city, one of the first principles is not to be too far ahead of the procession. This may appear cowardly and unimaginative. Actually it gets down to leadership. The leaders should, of course, be at the front and not merely in safe dugouts in the rear, but if they are too far ahead the procession will turn up a side alley and disappear. For example, it is clear as crystal that Staten Island, with its large and attractive acreage and small population, constitutes the only remaining borough in New York where a really fine and enlightened job of planning can still be done. The borough is remote only because it is comparatively inaccessible from Manhattan and Brooklyn as distinguished from New Jersey, It has been said that it logically belongs to New Jersey and not to New York, but this point is not worth arguing. In colonial times the direct route from New England to Washington and the South was by way of Staten Island, and all that is needed today to populate this Island and put it on the main thoroughfare is a vehicular tunnel from Fort Wadsworth to Fort Hamilton connecting with the Belt Parkway system. More than ten years ago I worked on a plan for parks and parkways on Staten Island. Some progress has been made in carrying out the program but it has been simply impossible to obtain funds even for surveys of the arterial and recreational system which will inevitably be needed on this Island, We did succeed recently, by good luck, in fixing definitely the location of the backbone of the future parkway system. The opportunity came when the state acquired land for a new hospital which necessitated cooperation between state and municipal officials in the exchange of lands and location of present and future roadways. The trouble is that the appropriating bodies of the city will not spend much money now on a borough which has a thin population and less urgent immediate needs than other and more congested parts of the town. In the end, this neglect will be expensive and people will be asking why the conditions of 1960 were not anticipated twenty years earlier. I hope that the proposed Boston to Washington inter-regional highway project will put Staten Island back on the direct route of Revolutionary days, and establish the fork which will connect the Bay-Ridge-Richmond tunnel with the Goethals and Outerbridge Crossings, Staten Island's opportunity is much more likely to come as the result of such a big arterial project than through public realization of the soundness of theories of advance planning. The only land we have acquired without difficulty for the expansion of the park system has been property on which obsolete structures and eye sores are located such as abandoned ferry terminals, old state barge canal terminals, reservoirs no longer required by the Department of Water Supply, Gas and Electricity, and swamps such as Juniper Valley in Queens and Soundview in the Bronx, which the public are glad to have us fill up and transform into play areas provided that the filling process is neither noisy, smelly nor otherwise objection- able. Public reaction to the removal of landmarks is a fascinating and astonishing study. It is possible to stir up sentiment for structures which mean nothing at all to the average citizen. We had quite a time combating the machinations of the Columbia Yacht Club, coal pockets and the U.S.S. Illinois which had the effrontery to attempt to hold up the entire West Side Improvement and Henry Hudson Parkway so as to remain at their old locations along the waterfront. Neither the Improvement nor the Parkway could have been built with these structures in the way. The Columbia Yacht Club was a private club in which, of course, the rank and file of our citizens never set foot. It had no architectural merit, paid little or no rent and occupied valuable city land on a permit obtained from complacent city officials. The coal pockets did not belong where they were on any theory. The U. S. S. Illinois was a sort of club for the state's Swiss Navy, and had a permanent berth in the very center of one of the most important grade eliminations. We moved this ancient hulk uptown to a place where the parkway is elevated and had the devil's own time with the land sailors in the process. From the hullabaloo in the press, an outsider would have thought that we were laying impious hands on the Liberty Bell, Faneuil Hall and the Ark of the Covenant itself. The opposition of nature lovers to the location of the Henry Hudson Parkway in Inwood Hill Park was more understandable although in the light of what has actually been done their fears and prophecies were quite groundless. It was amusing, however, to see this group joined by real estate interests in the Bronx who wanted the bridge approach to run through some ancient shacks formerly oc- cupied by employees of the Johnson Iron Works, and regional planning experts who thought a low level bridge on the route advocated by the real estate boys would be a fine solution of the problem in the face of the fact that no one could have sold a single bond for a lift bridge. Nowhere is opposition to change so vociferous as in the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the older squares and historic mansions. We have had some fine rows over these places. I don't know yet how we got away with the Bryant Park reconstruction with so little difficulty. Perhaps it was because people were sick of the constant digging up and exploitation of this area, and because it was a shambles when the present administration took office. Most of these old squares require improvement because their original design no longer meets present day conditions, because the neighborhood has changed and because overcrowding, neglect and decay have made them little more than mud and dust bowls. At Stuyvesant Square we ran into the bitter opposition of certain adjacent, property owners, including hospitals of all denominations. They wanted quiet, and objected to our setting aside certain patches for active play. All this led to a lawsuit, in which the City never had a chance, but which did not nocessitate much of a compromise. We had similar arguments in a dozen other quarters, notably at Washington Square, where we simply struck the improvements off our list of work relief projects and left the field to local residents to battle over. At Bowling Green we had little trouble. I have already referred te the argument over Battery Park. At Herald Square the removal of the Sixth Avenue elevated structure gave us an opportunity to restore the old clock and bell ringers which used to grace the front of the Herald Building, and to bring back a charming memory of old New York. Even this was not without its difficulties, because of opposition from business interests who foresaw that their advertising signs would be less conspicuous under the new plan. At City Hall Park we had a grand debate over the restoration, in the course of which we were accused of substituting for a lovely old village green a rigid, formal design resembling a bath mat or a pair of suspenders. At this writing final decision on the moving of the statue of Civic Virtue, more popularly known as the Tough Guy, has not been made. Our plan is to store him at Randall's Island pending a decision as to his ultimate resting place. The symbolism in this statue is completely lost on most New Yorkers who regard the tough boy as nothing more than an athlete who has no place in City Hall Park. Of course the distinguished sculptor who made him has his friends and defenders, who will not concede that Mr. Macmonnies, like Homer, nods occasionally. Historic mansions have also given us trouble. Most citizens know little about architecture and hare no idea of the difficulties of restoring old buildings, providing authentic period furniture for them, and running them as museums. They are, however, easy prey for patriots, architects and actiquarians. I recall the fuss that was made over the so-called Marshall Mansion in Pelham Bay Park, This was a box-like house built after the Civil War, to which an imposing Greek facade had been added. There was nothing in it. It had no history of consequence. It was just the roomy country home of a family of some means. It was of no earthly use for park purposes. There was no appropriate furniture for it. It leaked, peeled, settled and did everything else that neglected old buildings do. Nevertheless there was a great deal of moaning at the bar when, after vandals had broken in and smashed up most of the interior, we finally took the building down and substituted park facilities. At no time could we get from our lyrical opponents a coherent statement as to what should be done with this mansion. Something about the old firetrap roused the deepest and wooziest statements of patriotism, home and auld lang syne. The Chisholm House at College Point Park is another illustration. We fixed it up one year for the Mayor to use as a summer City Hall. It gave us endless trouble after that, and there proved to be no way within our means of making it either useful or ornamental, so we are tearing it down. We completely rebuilt the Oracle Mansion at tremendous expense. It was a fine house, not as old as most people thought, because it was not the original mansion. Pretty nearly everything we used in the way of building material and hardware had to be made to order. This was a work relief job, so that the actual cost will never be known. When the restoration was completed we had to look around for exhibits and after an immense amount of searching, begging, and arguing, we managed to get some appropriate pictures from the Metropolitan and City Museums. Mantelpieces and colonial furniture were supplied by the late Francis Garvin. We never did get either rugs or hangings, and we had the devil's own time getting a curator to show the mansion to the public. We also restored the Jumel Mansion. Mr. Embury and others who worked on it did a splendid job, but we still have an inferior collection of furniture and other objects. The ultimate disposition of Hamilton Grange is still in doubt. Claremont was partially rebuilt to provide a suitable restaurant. It is not the original Claremont as most people suppose. This building burned down. The present building is brick veneered with wood, and while it has associations which should be preserved as long as possible, it is a pretty unsatisfactory structure. We were lucky indeed to escape having the old Prince House in Flushing moved into Flushing Meadow Park. This building was a wreck and would have had to be moved in pieces. It had interesting associations, but there was no conceivable way of making it fit for modern use or of providing a permanent exhibit in it which could constantly attract visitors. We dug up the stone out of which the old Gowanus House in Brooklyn was made and built something on a smaller scale which was supposed to look like it. It should be noted that in most cases there are no plans, sketches, pictures or even contemporary descriptions to help establish what the building really looked like, and almost never anything to show how it was originally furnished. At the height of the federal work relief program one of the white collar projects disclosed the existence of a shell of an old Dutch building in lower Manhattan. Nothing was left but the walls and a few timbers, and yet pressure was put on us to sponsor the restoration of this house. There was a little shack at Alley Pond in Queens, a few feet away from the new Belt Parkway, which served half a century or more ago as a post office and storage place for an old mill. When I first saw it, a contractor was using it as an office and depository for minor construction materials. There was no conceivable way of restoring this structure or of incorporating it into the parkway design, no convenient way of reaching it, no data on which to base reconstruction, nothing to put in it and not the remotest chance of obtaining through the budget authorities a custodian or guard to take care of it. Nevertheless a movement was promptly started to keep and restore this valuable relic, and I have no doubt that this movement would have assumed considerable proportions if a large tractor had not got out of control and knocked the shack over. There were even unkind, and of course, wholly false accusations that some of my boys had ordered the tractor to run it down. As a state official I had considerable experience with historic mansions long before I became City Park Commissioner, and nothing gave me greater relief as head of the state park system, than divorcing them from the parks. They are now floating kidneys in the Conservation Department. I don't know why the good people who are vitally interested in such matters eat up so much time, have so vague an idea of what they want, and manage properties so badly. Perhaps it is because they have so much leisure, are out of tune with the time, and seek escape into the past. The anniversaries at historic places aro something to write homeabout. Like powerful magnets, these occasions draw out of old clubs, Victorian mansions, and ancient cellars and attics a bizarre collection of stuffed shirts which would make Madame Tussaud's and the Eden Muses faint with envy. How these people manage to hide between ceremonies is one of the world's greatest mysteries. Not long ago we had a most impressive One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary ceremony at Stony Point Park. All the old boys came out in their high hats and the old ladies in their bombazine dresses. To make the occasion quite authentic half a dozen grenadiers from an old Philadelphia regiment with Revolutionary associations were brought on and dressed up in shakos and colonial uniforms. They were a trifle awkward in their manoeuvres and one of them, in lowering his sword from a gallant salute, cut a neat gash in the calf of the local Congressman's right leg. One of the choice spirits of the park system, who wanted to see just how brave the congressman was, poured an entire bottle of iodine on the cut, which made the statesman dance around like a white truck horse which had been given ammonia to pep him up for the St. Patrick's Day Parade. This untoward event was the only human thing that happened in the course of the ceremony. I made some mention of the Tough Guy in City Hall Park. His is not the only statue which has caused us grief. As a matter of fact New York has some of the most hideous and inexcusable statuary in the world, but he who touches a hair of green bronze head stands a good chance of dying like a dog, if I may paraphrase Barbara Frietchie. We tried, for instance, to move the equestrian statue of General Grant from Grant Square in Brooklyn, which is just an island in the middle of traffic, to a position of prominence and honor in front of the reconstructed Grant's Tomb. At the first scream of rage from Brooklynites we gave up. It would have precipitated a civil war between the boroughs. Again we narrowly escaped the wrath of Brooklyn when a crew of relief workers, who were cleaning and restoring statuary under competent direction, got out of hand and proceeded to use some inventions of their own on the famous Henry Ward Beecher group in front of Borough Hall. This group includes Beecher and some colored folks who are admiring him. Apparently the relief clients applied acid to the colored folks and made them white, and then put a coat of shellac on Henry Ward which gave him a distinctly African hue. Frantic telephone calls from the office of the Borough President led to quick action. We covered the group with a canvas tent which was not removed until the damage had been undone. Of course we have very little luck in getting rid of recent war memorials including incredible doughboys, cannon, tanks and other mementoes, but with the help of the Art Commission we have at least succeeded, in controlling new war memorials. We had quite an experience with the so-called Monitor Monument. Funds for this monument were provided by the state. It was to commemorate the battle of the Monitor and Merrimac in Winthrop Park, Greenpoint, near the shipyard where the Monitor was built. The local assemblyman was, of course, chairman of the state commission. He spent almost all of the first appropriation on beer and skittles. As a result there wasn't much left for the memorial. The assemblyman then decided to plan it himself, and offered some terrible sketches. At our suggestion he finally employed a talented young W.P.A. sculptor who made a sketch of a sailor straining at a rope which he was winding around a capstan. The burghers of Greennoint objected to this because the statue was apparently nude. This, of course, was easily repaired by adding bell bottom trousers and a jersey. It then turned out that the assemblyman had engaged a local tombstone cutter to do the monument. This in turn necessitated making a full size model because it was the only thing this marble cutter could work from. When it came to the inscription, the assemblyman substituted his name for that of Ericsson. There wasn't room for mention of both on the memorial, and the assemblyman naturally felt that his name was the more important. In the end, Ericsson won by a whisker. The assemblyman managed to get a second appropriation. The monument was dedicated with great ceremony, and is now the pride of what my friend, Peter McGuinness, Boss of Greenpoint, calls the Garden Spot of America. Pretty nearly as much time was spent by us on the Monitor Memorial as on the construction of the Henry Hudson Bridge and Parkway. In the face of all this we were foolhardy enough to attempt to have the best of the World's Pair statuary carved or cast in permanent form, but we couldn't raise the funds anywhere. Park architecture presents even more problems than sculpture because there is more of it. Few people seem to realize that there is a vast gap between private and public architecture. It is not merely a difference of scale, although this is an important factor. The landscaping of a private estate is one thing; that of a public park is quite another. A private estate is designed for the use of a comparatively few discriminating people. A public park is used by millions with conflicting needs and purposes. The same applies to structures. Not long age an intelligent woman with a flair for gardening insisted that we use in our parkway work plants of Asiatic origin which are hardy, attractive and require little water. We could not make her understand that it was impossible to obtain public funds to buy enough of them to make an impression on miles of planting strips along a shoestring park. In my opinion public officials have no right to experiment beyond a reasonable point with new forms in architecture, I do not mean that they should merely imitate, try nothing new, or be hostile to all change. A public building has to last for a long time. It has to wear well not only physically but esthetically. It is not a thing which can be lightly torn down if in a comparatively short time it proves objectionable, clashes with surrounding buildings or does not continue to be useful. It was quite obvious in the rebuilding of the Central Park Zoo not only that the size of the plot was limited to the old area, but that the style had to be based on that of the restored Arsenal as the central key structure and motif. Mr. Embury began with this and the rest followed logically. On the other hand he had a wider opportunity in the case of the Brooklyn Zoo, but here again size of the plot, the setting and other factors spelled conservatism. Conservatism, however, means nothing to some people. A distinguished architect employed by the Brooklyn Museum, proposed to add to the present somewhat massive pseudo-classical building an ultra modern addition in the form of a wing. The same architect proposed a new Children's Museum of the most streamlined horizontal character in an old residential section of Brooklyn. The plan for the Museum wing was rejected and that of the Children's Museum was toned down. It has been said that we went modernistic in the design of our new bathhouse play centers. I think they represent a reasonable compromise between modernists and traditionalists. The nost interesting of these structures are those at Tompkinsville, Colonial and Astoria Parks. If an illustration is needed of the limits of ultra modern design as applied to structures of this kind, it is only necessary to compare the original East Bathhouse at Jones Beach with the later West Bathhouse. The West Bathhouse presented a somewhat different problem because it was built around swimming pools, but no discriminating person will fail to see that it lacks the dignity, simplicity and beauty of the original East bathhouse. The architect was just a little too gay and playful with the West Bathhouse, especially with the facade toward the ocean. It is interesting but not first rate, and it would have been better to have followed the severer lines of the earlier structure than to try to do something entirely new and different. Similarly, at Orchard Beach, in striving for an effect of height as seen from the water, we ran up a building which is just a little absurd from other vantages and wasteful from the point of view of space and cost. The most futile thing a public official can do is to be drawn into arguments over naturalism and functionalism. These are two of the most overworked words in the lexicon. Planting of native material is often the best solution of a landscape problem, but naturalism pushed to extremes may result in something which cannot be maintained in the face of pressure of population and hard usage. Rejection of silly ornamentation is the first negative standard of good taste, but all architecture, even that of bridges where bare steel is used, requires a more or less sophisticated form which if we look at it honestly, involves some kind of structural ornament. There is no such thing as pure functionalism. It is part of the modern cant not to acknowledge the sources of our architectural inspiration, just as we do not admit those of our vocabulary. Many of the apt phrases that stick in our crops, if we speak English and have any pretensions to education, came straight from the Bible and Shakespeare. It is so also with the arts, and here again we quote and plagiarize the best of the ancients. The architect and engineer invent something quite new, and it turns out to be nothing more than the sub-conscious remembrance of a Roman viaduct. The Striding Russian on top of the Soviet World's Fair buildings at Paris and New York was a feeble imitation of the Colossus of Rhodes, and other supposedly ultra modern exhibits at these Fairs were on show when the Cook's tourists of the third century B. C. bought their commutation tickets for the Mediterranean winter cruises to the Seven Wonders of the World. As for the notion that ornamentation and disguise are the property of the ancients, and simplicity and functionalism the mark of our time, the poet exposed the shallowness of this generalization when he said: "We shift and bedeck and bedrape us. Thou art noble and nude and antique," This brings me logically to Lady Godiva. It will be recalled that after dinner speakers of a generation ago used to conclude their remarks with the following jape: "And now as Lady Godiva said at the end of her ride, I am approaching my close." I warned the editor that this would be a rambling discourse - one of those stream of consciousness things which tell what goes on in the mind of an administrator who, if the truth be told, has very little time for thought. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Thursday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 September 26, 1940 The Department of Parks announces the completion of the reconstructed and rehabilitated Borough Hall Park at Court and Fulton Streets, Brooklyn, on Thursday, September 26th. The park has been enlarged to include the subway entrance on the north side formerly on a separate island. A mall lined with benches and trees and at the north end of which is located a monument of Henry Ward Beecher leads from the subway to Borough Hall. In addition to new landscaping the walks of the park have been entirely repaved. The reconstruction of this park designed by the Park Department and built and landscaped by the Work Projects Administration makes for a larger and more impressive setting for the seat of borough government. *** ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Friday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 September 20, 1940 The largest golf tournament ever held in the Metropolitan Area will reach the final rounds this weekend, when the four semi-finalists out of the 2000 entrants, will play 36 holes of match play at Dyker Beach Golf Course, Brooklyn, on Saturday, and the finals on Sunday for the "Newbold Morris Trophy". In the first round of play last weekend Joe Sage, course champion at Mosholu, won 4-2 from Bob McFarland who in turn had defeated Frank DeCaprio, the 1938 and 1939 champion, 5-4. Sage, a former N. Y. U. collegiate linksman and runner-up in the New Jersey Public Links Championship last year, is the dark horse in this tournament. Playing his first year on the municipal courses, he was unnoticed until he won the course championship at Mosholu with a 68. His scintillating play continued in the qualifying round when he finished sixth out of 80 players, with a 79-76 for 155, six strokes behind the medalist. Sage, who hits a long ball, will play John Mikrut, another hitter who was captain of N. Y. U. Golf team in 1933 and 1934, the champion of Dyker Beach for the past four years and the winner of the Daily News Driving Contest in 1934. Mikrut is one of the best match players in the Metropolitan Area, and plays his best when the pressure is on. With such outstanding amateur golfers as Joe Oleska, Frank Strafaci, Dom Strafaci and Olin Cerrocki as club members, one can get a good idea of Mikrut's ability as the course champion for the past four years. A score of 78-76-154 qualified Mikrut for the National Amateur Championship for the third straight year. The second half of the bracket will bring together Tom Strafaci, one of the many Strafaci brothers who can be found in every championship tournament in the Metropolitan Area and Andy Timoshuk, the former Interscholastic ace from Newtovm High School. Tom Strafaci has many notable achievements attached to his name having qualified for the National Amateurs in 1936, 1937, 1938 and 1939, Staten Island Open Champion in 1938, runner-up in the Long Island Championship in 1938, runner-up to Frank DeCaprio in the Municipal Golf Championship in 1939 and the finalist with Johnny Burke in the Metropolitan Championships held at the Century Club in White Plains this year. Andy Timoshuk the former interscholastic ace from Newtowm High School, who won the City Championship in 1933 and 1934, was third in the Municipal Championship last year. In playing for the course championship at Kissena, Timoshuk's 69 gave him the title for the second year in a row, and his 75-76-151 was two strokes behind the medalist in the qualifying round at Clearview when he placed third, in a field of 80. If Timoshuk continues his play of the past few weeks, he will be the heavy favorite in Saturday's match. On Saturday and Sunday the 36 holes of match play will start at 9 A.M. with the second round at 1 P.M. The winner of the Municipal Golf Championship will have his name inscribed upon the "Newbold Morris Trophy", a sterling silver cup donated by Newbold Morris, President of the City Council, which will be in compe- tition for sixty years. In addition, the winner will be presented with a sterling silver replica of the Trophy, which he will retain. * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Wednesday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 September 18, 1940 Commissioner Moses announces that he has been notified by the Honorable Kaname Wakasugi, Commissioner General for Japan's participation in the New York World's Fair, that the Japanese Pavilion and Garden at the World's Fair have been presented to the City of New York as a permanent Japanese exhibit. The Garden and Pavilion have been extremely popular with Fair visitors and should continue to be a point of interest in the Flushing Meadow Park. Included in the gift are various items of exhibit as follows: Murals of the Four Seasons Gold Lacquer Screen showing map of the world and Ogata Landscape Bronze Statue of Laborer Photo Mural of Mt. Fuji Brocade Tapestry by Jiyu Gakuen Silk Wall-Covering of Pavilion Stone Lanterns and other Garden decorations. One section of the building will be operated as a Japanese tea room. Plans have been prepared by Tamura & Sakurai, well-known Landscape Architects of Tokyo, for the extension of the Garden to the north. Upon completion of this development, the total area covered by this facility will be two and a half acres. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Saturday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 September 14, 1940 The Department of Parks announces the opening without ceremonies on Saturday, September 14, of three new marginal playgrounds in Claremont Park, The Bronx. The balance of the park which is now being redesigned and reconstructed will remain closed until completion of the improvement later in the fall of this year. Two of these small children's playgrounds, one at Teller Avenue directly opposite Morris Avenue and the other in the northeast section at Mt. Eden and Topping Avenues are completely equipped with kindergarten swings, slides, sand pits and see-saws while the third playground at the northwest corner at Mt. Eden and Morris Avenues has in addition a free play space with a shower basin and a pipe frame exercise unit. Adjacent to the playground at Mt. Eden and Morris Avenues is a softball diamond. All the areas have been surfaced with bituminous material to provide all year round usage and are landscaped with shade trees and numerous concrete benches. The opening of these three playgrounds designed by the Park Department and built and landscaped by the Work Projects Administration makes a total of 291 new playgrounds completed by the Park Department since January 1, 1934. At that time there were 119 playgrounds in the five boroughs, 52 of these have been redesigned and reconstructed. At present there are 410 playgrounds in the City Park System. * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Friday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 September 13, 1940 The Department of Parks announces that the finals of the Children's Amateur Singing Contest will be held on Sunday, September 15th at 2:30 P.M. on the Mall, Central Park. Playground children, including boys and girls, whose eligibility to qualify for the finals has been determined in preliminary contests held in the various boroughs during the past two weeks, will be divided into two age groups as follows: 8 to 12 years, and 13 to 16 years. Of course, the boys' and girls' compe- tition will be entirely separate. Each borough will send four representatives for the finals on Sunday, one boy and one girl from each age group. This means that 10 boys and 10 girls will compete for the city championship in amateur singing among Park Department playground children. Silver loving cups will be awarded to the winner in each age group of both the boys1 and girls' classification. Silver medals will be presented to those attaining second place in the finals and bronze medals to those competitors who won first place in the borough preliminaries. Judges for the finals will include the following: Mrs. Hugh Hawley, National Broadcasting Corporation; Harry Barnhart, well-known leader of community singing; and Murray D. Welch of the Associated Glee Clubs of Greater New York. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Thursday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 September 12, 1940 Bids were received today by the Department of Parks at the Arsenal Building on two contracts for work at the Cloverleaf intersection, Borden Avenue and the Connecting Highway, Borough of Queens. The contract work consists of the installation of wrought iron and chain link fence, construction of pedestrian walks, incidental work, planting of trees and shrubs and seeding where necessary. The three lowest bidders on each of the contracts were the following: FOR FENCE, WALKS AND INCIDENTAL WORK: 1. Melwood Construction Company $24,835.00 507 Fifth Avenue, New York City 2. Independent Fence Company 26,441.60 189 Seventh Street, Brooklyn, N.Y. 3. Harris Grand 29,472.50 156 Beach 125 Street, Belle Harbor, N.Y. FOR PLANTING: 1. Grandview Nurseries, Inc. $2,963.60 6 Grandview Avenue, Mt. Vernon, N.Y. 2. General Landscape Corporation 3,221.30 Chrysler Building, New York City 3. Roman Landscape Contracting Co., Inc. 3,331.00 551 Fifth Avenue, New York City * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Tuesday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 September 10, 1940 The Department of Parks announces that in cooperation with the Work Projects Administration it is constructing recreational facilities, both passive and active, adjacent to the new Queensbridge housing development. Originally, a large part of this property belonged to the State of New York and was used as a barge canal terminal. There was not sufficient business at the terminal to warrant continuing it, and the Park Conmissioner arranged with the state to have the land transferred to the city so that it could be used for park and playground purposes. The balance of the land in the area was acquired by the Housing Authority and has been assigned to park and playground use for the life of the housing project. Prior to the start of construction, the area was a typical piece of run-down waterfront property. The area under the bridge was used as a junkyard and the property north of the barge canal terminal was used as a dump. The old dilapidated bulkhead has been completely rebuilt and some land under water has been reclaimed for park use. Present plans include development of a play area, located directly under the Queensborough Bridge span from the East River on the west, easterly to 21st Avenue, and another larger area north of the bridge and between the East River and the housing development. This latter area will be landscaped with trees and grass and a circulating walk system provided with numerous benches. This reclaimed area will contain an oval bicycle and roller skating track encircling an acre of lawn. Adjoining the track to the north is a semi-circular area to be provided with a comfort station and which will ultimately be developed as a concert grove with band shell, a dance mall and concession building. An oval athletic field; including four softball diamonds and a football gridiron, i s being developed south of the bicycle track. A sand pit with sitting area for mothers and children is being constricted adjacent to the riverfront promenade. The improvement, which is a vital recreational need to this part of Long Island City, will be available to the public generally as well as to new housing development tenants. A greater part of the facilities of the projected development will be available for public use the end of October. Landscaping and planting, will be done next spring, during the planting season. A prominent feature of the new improvement is the construction of a promenade along the new bulkhead, about a quarter of a mile in length, along which benches will be arranged facing the river. The concrete coping on the new bulkhead will be surmounted by a four-foot iron picket rail. playground construction is under way from about Ninth Street at Bridge Plaza South to Twelfth Street south of the new housing development. The playground tract, extending under the bridge, will include swings, slides, a sand pit, a jungle gym, wading pool and volley ball section, comfort station, and basketball, volley ball and handball courts. The entire area will be surfaced with permanent materials and enclosed by a chain link fence. * * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Saturday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 September 7, 1940 The Department of Parks announces that the championship game of the city-wide Softball tournament for men over 21 years of age will take place at Jacob Riis Park, Queens, on Saturday, September 7, at 3:00 P.M. 44 leagues, comprising 269 teams have participated in this division of the tournament. Inter-playground, inter-district and inter-borough contests totaling 1024 games, were played during the last 7 weeks on the various Park Department Softball diamonds of which there are 170 throughout the city. Besides gold medals, the members of the winning team will receive complete Softball uniforms and equipment. At the invitation of the Long Island State Park Commission, both the winning and losing team at Saturday's game, will play the winner and runner-up of a similar tournament, recently conducted by the Commission for Softball leagues of Nassau and Suffolk Counties, on Sunday, September 22, at Jones Beach. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Saturday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 September 7, 1940 The Department of Parks announces the closing of the 16 outdoor swimming pools and 5 beaches under its jurisdiction on September 8, 1940. No charge will be made for parking facilities after that date at either Jacob Riis Park or Orchard Beach. The Pitch Putt Golf Course at Jacob Riis Park will remain open for play until November 30th. Immediately after closing, the following listed pools will be converted into active play areas and reopened for use on Saturday, September 14th: MANHATTAN Hamilton Fish Pool - East Houston & Sheriff Streets Colonial Pool - Bradhurst Ave. W. 145th to 147th Sts. Highbridge Pool - Amsterdam Ave. & 173rd Street Thomas Jefferson Pool - lllth to 114th Sts. & first Avenue BROOKLYN Sunset Pool - 7th Avenue & 43rd Street McCarren Pool - Driggs Avenue & Lorimer Street Red Hook Pool - Clinton, Bay & Henry Streets Betsy Head Pool - Hopkinson, Dumont & Livonia Sts. BRONX Crotona Pool - 173rd Street & Fulton Avenue QUEENS Astoria Pool - 19th Street & 23rd Drive RICHMOND Faber Pool - Faber St. between Richmond Terrace and Kill Van Kull Facilities will be provided for paddle tennis, shuffleboard, basket ball, soft ball and various group games. Leagues will be formed in these sports and regular scheduled games will be held between the pool clubs. These play centers will be opened free to the public from 2 P.M. until 10 P.M. daily except on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays when the hours of operation will be from 10 A.M. until 6 P.M. On Monday, September 9th, the indoor pools at 60th St., Carmine, and 23rd Street will reopen, making available for the winter season the following indoor pools, open daily from 2 P.M. to 10 P.M. weekdays, and 10 A.M. to 6 P.M. Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. MANHATTAN E. 23rd St. Baths - 3. 23rd St. & East River Dr. B. 54th St. Baths - 342 Sast 54th Street Rutgers Pl. Baths - 5 Rutgers Place Carmine St. Baths - Clarkson & 7th Ave, South W. 28th St. Baths - 407 West 28th Street W. 60th St. Baths - 232 West 60th Street W.134th St. Baths - 35 West 134th Street BROOKLYN Metropolitan Baths - Bedford & Metropolitan Aves. During the season, now closing, 2,071,449 persons have availed themselves of the swimming facilities provided by the 16 outdoor pools , of these 749,020 were children admitted during the free periods; 780,620 were children who paid 10¢ and 541,809 were adults who paid 20¢ for admission. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Saturday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 September 7, 1940 The Department of Parks announces that an "Animal Naming Contest" will be conducted for elementary school children for the purpose of selecting appropriate names for the new arrivals at the Zoo in both Central Park, Manhattan, and Prospect Park, Brooklyn. Beginning Monday, September 9 and continuing through Wednesday, September 25, boxes will be placed at a designated point in each zoo area. Every child, who is desirous of participating in this contest, is requested to write the suggested name for any of the animals included in the contest, on an ordinary slip of paper, together with his name, address, age, school and class, and place it in the box. As a guide to the contestants, it is suggested that the proposed names reveal something of the animal's habits, actions, attitudes, color, physical appearance or place of origin. Perhaps, the reading of some book on animals, with particular reference to the animals to be named, would be a very interesting and informative preliminary to the observation tour of the zoo. The animals to be named in this contest, at the respective zoos, are as follows: Central Park Zoo, Manhattan: Black Leopard, Two Sea Lions, a Thar, a Yak, an Antelope, a pair of Red Deer, a Buck, and a Doe. Prospect Park Zoo, Brooklyn: Four Lion Cubs, a Tiger Cub, Two Monkeys, a Buck and a Doe. Any of the attendants, at either of these Zcos, will point out the exact location of any animal listed above, and will supply any information concerning the animals that may be desired by the contestants. At the close of the day on Wednesday, September 25, all the slips, containing the suggested names, will be taken to the Park Department Headquarters, Arsenal Building, Central Park, where they will be reviewed by the board of Judges. The winners of the contest will receive gold medals at a public ceremony, on a date to be determined later, at which appropriate signs, bearing the winning names, will be hung en the cages of the respective animals. * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Thursday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 September 5, 1940 The Department of Parks announces that because of inclement weather, the final game of the Softball tournament in the intermediate division, which includes boys ranging from 17 to 21 years of age, originally scheduled for Saturday, August 31, at Macombs Dam Park, East 161 Street and Jerome Avenue, Bronx, will take place on Friday, September 6 at 3:00 P.M. at the same location. Gold medals will be presented to the members of the winning team. The Yankee Baseball Club of the American League, has donated funds to purchase uniforms and equipment, which will be awarded to the championship team of this age classification. The presentation of this prize will be made by Charles T. McManus, Superintendent of the Yankee Stadium. The Yankees have also officially consented to permit the intermediate division to bear their name in future Softball tournaments to be conducted by the Department of parks. * * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Thursday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 September 5, 1940 The Department of Parks announces that on September 6, 7 and 8, at various designated locations, approximately 3000 playground boys and girls will participate in a demonstration of recreational activities embracing in part, team and group games, folk dancing, singing, dramatics, musical instrument contest, handcraft and magic. One of the feature attractions of this comprehensive program will be an operetta entitled "It Happened in Holland", which will be presented by the Bronx Playgrounds Junior Operetta Club on the Sheep Meadow, Central Park, Friday, September 6, at 2:30 P.M. The cast will consist of 100 boys and girls appropriately attired in costumes of native Hollanders. Each of them has attended rehearsals diligently for the past two months where they learned the intricate dancing steps and group songs included in that well-known operetta. The Park Department Band will furnish the music. From 10 A.M. to 5 P.M. on Friday, September 6, there will be an exhibition of handcraft at Heckscher Playground, Central Park. This display will include objects made by children of all age groups in the various handcraft classes supervised by the Department of Parks at the numerous playgrounds under its jurisdiction as an integral part of an all-year round recreation program. The championship games of two tournaments will also take place on Friday, September 6: baseball for boys up to 16 years of age, at Randall's Island, at 2:00 P.M.; and Softball for girls over 16 years of age at Heckscher Playground, Central Park, at 4:00 P.M. The finals of the musical instrument contest will be the closing event on Friday's program and is scheduled to take place at the Mall, Central Park, at 8:00 P.M. The outstanding event on the program for Saturday, September 7, will be the mass demonstration of calisthenics, including approximately 300 boys, which will be held on the Sheep Meadow, Central Park, at 2:30 P.M. At Jacob Riis Park, the championship game in the Softball tournament for men over 21 years of age, is scheduled to take place on Saturday, September 7, at 3:00 P.M. On Sunday, September 8, at the Sheep Meadow, Central Park, about 800 girls ranging from 8 to 16 years of age will give an exhibition of folk dancing. A magic show, including ventriloquism, shadow puppetry, juggling and a host of various tricks usually found in the repertoire of a magician, will be held at the Park Department gymnasium,located at 407 West 28 Street, on Sunday, September 8, at 2:30 P.M. Attached is a copy of the complete program of activities which have been planned for the three d«y demonstration. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- CITY OF NEW YORK DEPARTMENT OF PARKS DEMONSTRATION OF PARK RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES SEPTEMBER 6, 7, 8, 1940 FRIDAY - September 6th HANDCRAFT EXHIBITION All Day A display of the types of handcraft made by the children of the Park playgrounds will be exhibited at HECKSCHER PLAYGROUND, CENTRAL PARK during the three days of the demonstration. OPERETTA - "It Happened In Holland" 2:30 P.M. Presented by the Bronx Playgrounds Junior Operetta Club at the SHEEP MEADOW, CENTRAL PARK at 2:30 P.M. BASEBALL GAME 2:30 P.M. The citywide finals of the tournament conducted by the Department of Parks for boys up to 16 years will take place at RANDALLS ISLAND. SOFTBALL - GIRLS and BOYS 3:00 P.M. 4:00 P.M. The final game of the citywide tournament for girls over 16 years will take place at HECKSCHER PLAYGROUND at 4:00 P.M. The finals of the tournament for boys 16 to 21 years will take place at MACOMBS DAM PARK, BRONX at 3:00 P.M. DEMONSTRATION OF GROUP GAMES at HECKSCHER PLAYGROUND 3:00 P.M. CHILDREN'S MUSICAL INSTRUMENT ASD HARMONICA CONTEST 8:00 P.M. Citywide finals of the contest for the children of the Park playgrounds will be held at the MALL, CENTRAL PARK. OUTDOOR SOCIAL DANCING 8:30 P.M. ROOSEVELT PLAYGROUND, Chrystie & Forsyth Sts., Man. RIVERSIDE PARK, 105 Street & Henry Hudson Pkwy., Man. RED HOOK POOL, Clinton, Bay & Henry Streets, Bklyn. BAND CONCERTS 8:30 P.M. FOREST PARK, QUEENS - N.Y. Civic Orchestra PROSPECT PARK, BKLYN. - N.Y.C. Symphonic Band SATURDAY - September 7th DEMONSTRATION OF PRE-SCHOOL AGE ACTIVITIES 10:00 A.M. GULICK PLAYGROUND, Columbia, Delancy & Broorae Sts. BOYS CLUB MEETING at HECKSCHER PLAYGROUND 11:00 A.M. DEMONSTRATION OF WADING POOL ACTIVITIES 11:30 A.M. HECKSCHER PLAYGROUND, Central Park MASS DEMONSTRATION OF CALISTHENICS, PYRAMIDS & MIMETICS 2:30 P.M. This demonstration will be presented by the boys of the Park playgrounds of Queens on the SHEEP MEADOW, CENTRAL PARK. PLAYGROUND ORCHESTRA & JUNIOR CHORAL GROUPS 2:30 P.M. Performance by the children of the Park playgrounds of Richmond INDOOR SWIMMING MEET at the East 54th Street Gym. 2:30 P.M. SOFTBALL GAME - MEN 2:30 P.M. The final game in the tournament for men over 21 years will take place at JACOB RIIS PARK, Queens BAND CONCERT on the MALL, CENTRAL PARK 8:30 P.M. New York City Symphony Orchestra SUNDAY - September 8th MODEL YACHT & SAILBOAT REGATTA 2:00 P.M. This event is opened to anyone interested in sailing model boats and will be held at CONSERVATORY LAKE, CENTRAL PARK CHILDREN'S FOLK DANCE EXHIBITION 2:30 P.M. Presented by the Park playgrounds of Manhattan and Brooklyn on the SHEEP MEADOW, Central Park. BAND CONCERTS 8:30 P.M. Mall, Central Park, Manhattan FOREST PARK, Queens MAGIC SHOW 2:30 P.M. Talent Review by the children of the magic clubs and classes of the Park Playgrounds will be presented at the 28th STREET GYMNASIUM, MANHATTAN Music for dancing and concerts provided by the New York City WPA Music Project. Public Address facilities provided by Station WNYC. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMUT OF PARKS FOR RELEASE: Monday ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK September 2, 1940 TEL. REGENT 4-1000 The Department of Parks announces the reopening of the reconstructed southern portion of Alley Pond Park, bordered by Cross Island Parkway on the east, 73rd Avenue on the north and Grand Central Parkway on the south, an area of 41 acres, on September 2. The natural beauty of this heavily wooded park, with its rough terrain, has attracted visitors from all parts of the city for picnicking, hiking, and nature study. As the area grew in popularity the facilities had to be expanded. In 1932 and 1933 the Long Island State Park Commission provided a parking field, comfort station, concession building, playground apparatus for small children, a nature trail, bridle paths, walks and some picnic tables and fire places. In 1939 two large playgrounds were built with apparatus and a wading pool. These areas give the children a place to work off excess energy which otherwise would find an outlet in the destruction of trees and park facilities. The Nature Trail, built in 1935, is located in a wooded section north of the newly developed area. The combination of mature trees, a natural pond, a small swamp and rolling topography make it especially adaptive for nature stiady. It has served as an outdoor laboratory for classes in biology for both children and adults. A large collection of native plants, - ground covers, shrubs and trees have been neatly labeled, including Scarlet Oak, Pin Oak, Sycamore, Sweet Gum, Witch Hazel, Ash, Sweet Bay, Paulownia, Hawthorne, Iron Wood, Dogwood, American Elm, Tulip, White Birch, Black Birch and Red Maple. The Trail, at the fringe of an extensive wooded area harbors a wide variety of birds and other wild life including frogs, rabbits, turtles, red fox, wild ducks and squirrels. The popularity of the area forced the Department to widen and extend the walk system, to install extensive drain lines and drinking fountains; to improve the parking area; to provide protective fences and walls, a Softball diamond and 225 new picnic tables; to recondition 113 others; to build new fireplaces, and to do grading, topsoiling and planting throughout the area. These new improvements permit approximately 1200 additional people to enjoy the natural beauties and outdoor pleasures of the park without overcrowding and the destruction which invariably goes along with overtaxed facilities. It is reached by access roads from the Grand Central Parkway near the intersection of the new Cross Island Parkway. This area ties in with the developmsnt completed last year bordered by Springfield Boulevard, 73rd Avenue and Adelphi Academy where extensive facilities for picnicking were provided in the birch groves at the east end. Included in this development are a comfort station, open play fields, an archery range, walks and a parking area adjacent to Springfield Boulevard. The opening of this park designed by the Park Department and built by the Work Projects Administration, makes a total of 289 new areas completed by the Park Department since January 1, 1934. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Saturday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 August 31, 1940 The Department of Parks announces that special programs of recreational activities have been prepared for the boys and girls of 17 Park Department playgrounds during the month of September in commemoration of their official opening to the public. These anniversary celebrations will include horseshoe pitching contests, checker and chess contests, handball matches, track and field meets, Softball and baseball games, and gymnastic exhibitions. The programs will also feature such activities as solo and community singing of patriotic songs, recitations, concerts by playground children's bands, one-act plays, and group games. The September schedule for playground birthday celebrations is as follows: TIME OF BOROUGH PLAYGROUND & LOCATION OPENED CELEBRATION Manhattan Fort Tryon Park playground, Sept.3, 1934 2:00 P.M. Broadway & Dyckman Street Sara D. Roosevelt Playground Sept.14,1934 2:00 P.M. Canal, Chrystie & Forsyth Sts. Thomas Jefferson Playground Sept.23,1935 2:00 P.M. East 111 Street & First Ave. Tompkins Square Playground. Sept.5, 1936 2:00 P.M. 10 Street bet.Aves. A & 3 Brooklyn Riverdale & Snediker Avenues Sept.2, 1935 10:15 A.M. McCarren Park Playground Sept.2, 1936 1:00 P.M. Driggs Avenue & Lorimer St. Sunset Park Playground Sept.23,1935 3:30 P.M. 6th Ave. & 44th Street New Lots Avenue & Elton St. Sept. 4,1938 10:00 A.M. Queens 45-46 Streets & 30th Road Sept.10,1937 10 A.M. to 4 P.M. Bronx Crotona West Playground Sept.2, 1935 2:00 P.M. Fulton Avenue & E.173 St. Cauldwell Ave.bet.l6l & 163 St. Sept.23,1935 2:00 P.M. Williamsbridge Playground Sept.11,1937 2:00 P.M. E.208 St. & Bainbridge Ave. Bronx Park East & Brady Ave. Sept.12,1938 2:00 P.M. Bronx Park East & Boston Road Sept.12,1938 2:00 P.M. Bronx Park East & Waring Ave. Sept.28,1939 2:00 P.M. Mott Haven Health Center Sept.20,1938 2:00 P.M. East 140 St. & Alexander Ave. Richmond Winter Playground Sept,19,1936 2:00 P.M. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Friday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 August 30, 1940 The Department of Parks announces that Lefty Gomez, the famous Yankee pitcher, will award the prize to the winner at the final game of the intermediate division in the city-wide softball tournament, which will take place on Saturday, August 31, at 2:00 P.M., at Macombs Dam Park, East 161 Street and Jerome Avenue, Bronx. 44 leagues, comprising 302 teams, have participated in this division of the tommamait, which i s composed of boys ranging from 17 to 21 years of age. Inter-playground, inter-district and inter-borough contests totaling 1249 games, were played during the last 6 weeks on the various Park Department softball diamonds, of which there are 170 throughout the city. Gold medals will be awarded to the members of the winning team at next Saturday's game. The Yankee Baseball Club of the American League, has donated funds to purchase uniforms and equipment, which will be awarded to the championship team of the intermediate age group. The Yankees have also officially consented to permit the intermediate division to bear their name in future softball tournaments to be conducted by the Department of Parks. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Wednesday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 August 28, 1940 The Department of Parks has for the past three years urged the acquisition by the city of the balance of the block bounded by Howard Avenue, Pacific Street, Ralph Avenue, and Dean Street in Brooklyn. The existing play area which occupies less than half a block is adjacent to the proposed Kingsborough Houses and was never adequate to serve the neighborhood as it exists at the present time. Because the Housing Authority recommended the acquisition of this property for use in connection with the housing development, it has now been decided that the only addition that can be made to the playground is the parcel 140 x 200, Consequently, this playground will have to take care of the neighborhood and many of the 1,166 new families who will eventually move into the Kingsborough project. The Park Department reached an agreement with the Hebrew Orphan Asylum for the acquisition of this property at a fraction of its assessed value. Thio property has been acquired and after the demolition of the buildings, the area will be developed by the Work Projects Administration so as to provide an additional softball diamond and a basketball court to supplement the existing comfort station, wading pool, play apparatus, softball diamond, roller skating track, handball, snuffleboard, and horseshoe pitching courts, and form part of the recreational facilities available, not only to the adjacent community but also to the housing development. The Park Department has been informed by the Housing Authority that within the main housing area bounded by Ralph Avenue, Pacific Street, Rochester Avenue and Bergen Street, there will be three other playgrounds, also open to the children of the neighborhood as well as to the children living in the Kingsborougfr Houses. One is in the center of the development and the other two on the westerly end. The existing park playground, with its addition, will serve the easterly end of the housing development. * * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Wednesday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 August 28, 1940 The Department of Parks announces another stop towards the provision of adequate recreation facilities for the crowded section of southerly Bronx, which has been very inadequately provided with playgrounds, A pedestrian access will be provided from the Bronx to the northern end of Randall's Island by means of the existing dyke across the Bronx Kills and a pedestrian overpass across the adjacent New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad Yard to 132nd Street and St. Ann's Avenue. The completion of the reconstruction of St. Mary's Park and the development of Pulaski Playground were the first steps in this direction. The improvement, costing $125,000, is to be done by the Borough President of the Bronx, and is included in his capital outlay request for 1941. The Triborough Bridge Authority is designing the structure. In the past 6 years the City of New York, through the Triborough Bridge Authority and the Department of Parks, has transformed Randall's Island from a neglected, inaccessible area in the heart of the city, to an important municipal recreation center. Three years ago, as a last step in the completion of the extensive development of the Island, the War Department's approval had been requested for the improvement of the Bronx Kills, a shabby and unwholesome fringe to this development, to permit shallow, draft boating from the Harlem River to the East River. This was rejected on the grounds that the benefits would not justify the cost. In addition to the already existing facilities on the Island, the Park Department will develop as a part of its 1940-41 program, the large northerly area recently reclaimed with fill construction in connection with the Benjamin Franklin High School on the East River Drive, Manhattan. Five softball diamonds will be provided, as well as a promenade along the Bronx Kills and Harlem River, and access to the Bronx pedestrian approach. The existing gas station, south of this area, will be remodelled to serve as a Field House and Station. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Tuesday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 August 27, 1940 The Department of parks Inter-Pool Swimming Championsnips will be held at the Astoria Pool, Queens, on Friday, August 30. Teams from fifteen Municipal pools located in the five boroughs will compete. The meet is described by pool officials as "the most amateur of the amateur swimming events." Its purpose is to develop interest in water-safety and swimming and to promote a wholesome spirit of competition with a view to producing future champions. There will be events for children of all ages up to seventeen in the junior, intermediate and senior divisions. The Rogers Classification Test will be used to group the contestants. Over five hundred boys and 5irls will participate in sixteen events. During the past two years the members of the team representing the Astoria Pool have carried off the highest honors, but it is expected that the teams from Sunset Pool, Brooklyn, and Tompkinsville Pool, Staten Island, will offer the Astoria aggregation severe competition on this occasion. The trial heats will take place at the Astoria Pool on August 30 commencing at 10 A.M., with the finals scheduled for the same day at 1 o'clock. The public is invited to attend. Trophies will be awarded to the pool team that &ains the greatest number of points in swimming; another trophy for the pool that acquires the greatest number in diving, while a plaque will be presented to the team which amasses the largest total of points in both swimming and diving. Medals will be given also to individual winners in the various events. Many of the topnotch swiiumers and divers in the leading Metropolitan swim clubs got their start in these Department of Parks inter-pool championships. A few are Robert De Groot, of the Dragon Club, senior Metropolitan 100-meter backstroke champion, Sue Hernstorf, Shelton Dolphins, who is the New York State 50-yard indoor ana former New York State 100-meter-outdoor champion, Eileen Safarik, Dragon Club, former junior Metropolitan diving champion, William Pauelson, present P. S. A. L. diving champion, Jean Weslowski, Dragon Club, backstroke star who lost the New York State backstroke championship to Rita Weaver of the Troy Swimming Association by l/lO second in the recent A.A.U. Championships; also moraine Fisher, W.S.A., present national champion; and many others. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Monday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 August 26, 1940 My attention has been called to a statement made by Theodore T. Hayes, Acting U. S. Commissioner to the World's Fair, I do not enjoy Mr. Hayes' acquaintance and have never heard from him on this subject. Mr. Hayes wants Flushing Meadow Park converted into a military camp to house 500,000 poople. He says it would be a pity to destroy the present World's Fair buildings and that the park can be fixed up later. Mr. Hayes apparently has some extraordinary notions of the site required for 500,000 people. The Fair thinks it has a pretty good day when it has 100,000 Visitors. Camp Upton, with some 6,000 acres, has never had more than 75,000 troops on it. Flushing Meadow has at most 400 acres outside of the water areas, which could conceivably be used for a camp. It looks as though Mr. Hayes added a couple of ciphers for good luck. It now develops that the idea of establishing the camp originated with Harvey D. Gibson, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Fair. Mr. Gibson was supposed to be working in close harmony with the city officials responsible for demolition after the close of the Fair, but I have only just learned from him that he communicated with the Secretary of War and Secretary of the Navy some time ago suggesting to them that the Fair buildings and grounds would make a good camp. Mr. Gibson admitted that his purpose was to save money by not demolishing the Fair buildings and clearing the site in accordance v/ith his contract with the city. This saving would amount to approximately $750,000, assuming that the sub-contracts of the Fair with industrial corporations, foreign governments, states and concessionaires as to demolition of their buildings and clearance of their sites were carried out. The Fair is, of course, responsible to the city for any failure of these people to perform their contracts. It should be noted that the responsibility of the Fair for demolition and clearance comes ahead of further payments to the bondholders. So far ten cents on a dollar has been paid the bondholders. There is a possibility that another five cents will be paid. Interest up to a certain date has also been paid. The bonds are selling for not more than ten cents on the dollar in the market and are probably not worth that. There is even a question whether Mr. Gibson had the right to make the last payment to the bondholders in the face of formal written demands from the city that he set aside this money to keep the prior obligation to the city with reference to demolition and clearance of the site. My own feeling as the City official closest to the problem is that the Corporation Counsel should ask that a receiver be appointed promptly so as to protect the City's interests in the face of the Fair's financial involvements. We have reluctantly become reconciled to the fact that there is going to be no profit from the Fair available for the completion of Flushing Meadow Park. We are not, however, reconciled to Mr. Gibson's cute device by which a financially busted World's Fair will escape its responsibility for clearing the site so as to pay an extra dividend to Mr. Gibson's friends. The relations of the World's Fair, Inc., 1939, to the City are governed by the World's Fair Act adopted by the State Legislature in 1936. Subject to this law a contract was made with the City. This contract was signed by the Comptroller and the Commissioner of Parks and the latter is responsible among other things, under both the law and the contract, to see that the site is cleared within the time fixed. I have had a great deal of trouble, as the City's representative, in getting anywhere with Mr. Gibson who has never been frank and straight-forward and has impeded in every possible way arrangements for demolition and site clearance. It has been obvious for some time that Mr. Gibson had some scheme in mind by which he could abrogate the law and void the contract. It is now clear that his scheme is to take advantage of war hysteria and to get either the War Department or Navy Department to agree to take over the World's Pair with the present buildings and to convert them into a camp. His assistants in this scheme appear to be the Acting United States Commissioner, who has no responsibilities whatever in this context excepting for the federal building and Mr. George Creel, a publicity man who seems to be associated with the Federal Commission. This scheme to use Flushing Meadow Park as a camp for 500,000 men is so fantastic that it is hard to believe it would receive any support from official quarters even under war conditions and with an approaching national election. As the matter stands, a tremendous amount of public money, city, state and federal, has been spent upon public improvements in the reclamation of Flushing Meadow in making it accessible, in improving living conditions around it, and in encouraging people to build residential communities on its borders. This entire investment will be jeopardized and at least in part destroyed by a military camp. The notion that such a camp would only remain for a short time is contrary to all past experience in the World War. I disposed of the remains of one of these camps in 1934, 16 years after the World War ended. All the underground connections, not to speak of surface improvements, at Flushing Meadow have been, made with a view to park usage. These facilities cannot be expanded for camp use without tremendous expense and substantial destruction of the Flushing Meadow area. The temporary buildings proposed to be used for cantonments were never built for any such purpose, have only a short life, have no heating facilities whatever, and few other sanitary facilities. Provision for heating and other utilities alone would be enormously expensive and prodigiously wasteful. The buildings would never be livable anyway. When the Special code authorized by the World's Fair Act was adopted for the Fair buildings, all established construction standards were lowered on the plea that the buildings must necessarily be flimsy and cheap and that this was justifiable because there was only a temporary use for exhibition purposes. The suggestion of using these buildings without complete reconstruction to house a large military force is crazy. A single fire, a serious collapse or settlement would send a number of public officials to jail. Surrounding Flushing Meadow Park are not only buildings which were there before the Fair, but new structures, public and private, built solely because of the assurance of the park improvements. This applies not only to such public buildings as the New Queens Civic Center and the new high school, but also to the housing developments on the golf club properties, and south and west of Forest Hills and Kew Gardens. The establishment of a camp will make a shambles of Flushing Meadow. It will ruin most of the new housing developments. It will destroy trees and shrubbery, a good many of which have to be moved in connection with the demolition program. It will create the most undesirable uses surrounding the park area. There never has been a camp without camp followers since the dawn of time and there will be plenty of camp followers around Flushing Meadow. A considerable part of Flushing Meadow Park is water and is of no use for a camp. What remains does not lend itself to this purpose either. A camp is thoroughly undesirable in the center of a city with a great and growing population around it, and Flushing Meadow Park happens to be both the population and geographical center of New York City. Camps should be established on vacant property in the outskirts of cities or in the open country They should be built by people who know just what they want in the way of cantonments and who are not satisfied to have the army or navy roost in temporary non-fireproof buildings without heat or other facilities, and who don't want to create an impossible policing problem around the camp area. It is foolish to assume that only those interested in the park program object to the camp. There will be plenty of other opposition and it will be vocal and effective. In the end any administration will make itself ridiculous if it lends support to such a scheme. The basic questions, of course, continue to be those of public need and common sense. There is no public need of creating a colossal mess in the heart of the city, and certainly all the objections should be made fully known to those who want to take advantage of war hysteria to do something very foolish for which others, in the end, will have to pay the penalty. ROBERT MOSES Commissioner ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Monday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 August 26, 1940 Bids were opened today by the Department of Parks at the Arsenal for the General Reconstruction of the westerly portion of St. Gabriel's Park between 35th and 36th Streets, East of 2nd Avenue, Borough of Manhattan. This reconstruction was caused by cutting a street through the park to give access to the new Queens-Midtown Tunnel. This contract provides for the relocation of trees, benches and playground areas, erecting fences, landscaping, repaving certain areas and adjusting of existing utilities to new conditions. The three low bidders were: 1. Frank Mascali & Sons, Inc, $12,977.00 4634 Third Avenue, Bronx, N.Y. 2. Colmar Construction Co., Inc. 13,872.00 15 East 40th Street, New York City 3. Melwood Construction Corporation 14,178.50 507 Fifth Avenue, New York City * * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Monday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 August 26, 1940 The Department of Parks announces the opening without ceremonies of a new playground at Stuyvesant Avenue and Marion Street, Brooklyn, on Monday, August 26. This land was acquired March 16, 1939 under permit from the Board of Transportation for an indefinite period. This small children's playground consists of kindergarten swings, see-saws, slides, a sand pit and a free play space with a shower basin and has been surfaced with bituminous material to provide for all year round usage. The entire area is landscaped with shade trees and concrete benches have been provided. The opening of this playground designed by the Park Department and built and landscaped by the Work Projects Administration makes a total of 288 new areas completed by the Park Department since January 1, 1934. At that time there were 119 playgrounds in the five boroughs; 52 of these have been redesigned and reconstructed. At present there are 407 playgrounds in the City Park System. * * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Monday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 August 26, 1940 The Department of Parks announces the opening to the public of two pedestrian overpasses and approaches leading from the Old Shore Road over the new Belt Parkway to the promenade and recreational areas along The Narrows in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. The approaches consist of steps, walks and ramps. The overpass opposite 92 Street has four spans over the parkway and two spans of stepped ramps parallel to the parkway leading to the wide promenade at the water's edge. The sub-structure consists of a reinforced concrete deck and rolled structural steel floor beams which frame into built-up girders. The piers and abutments are of stone-faced reinforced granite. All piers and abutments are supported by piles. The overpass at Old Glory Overlook, approximately opposite 81 Street, consists of three spans over the parkway and two spans of step ramps parallel to the parkway leading to the promenade. The structure is similar to that opposite 92 Street, with the exception that the east abutment is a stone-faced gravity type concrete wall extending about 160' in each direction parallel to the parkway. These approaches and overpasses provide access for local residents of tile adjacent communities to the promenade and bicycle path along the waterfront. They were constructed with Belt Parkway funds. A considerable force is also working on the immediate construction of passive and active recreational and landscaped areas strung out along a two and one-half mile strip of reclaimed land extending from 69 Street to Fort Hamilton. This work is being done largely by the W.P.A. according to plans prepared by the Department of Parks, following the construction of a new sea wall in what was previously the water of The Narrows, pumping in sand and placing other fill back of the sea wall and thus manufacturing new land for recreation purposes. There will be five playgrounds and two athletic fields including baseball diamonds, field houses, a dancing and roller skating area, handball, tennis, horseshoe pitching and shuffleboard courts, playground apparatus, wading pools, sand pits and bicycle paths. When this part of the Belt System is completed, Bay Ridge will have a shoestring waterfront park similar to the one developed in Riverside Park, Manhattan, in connection with the West Side Improvement. * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Friday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 August 23, 1940 Some of the best amateur golfers in the Metropolitan area have entered the Golf Championship Tournament conducted by the Department of Parks for the "Newbold Morris Trophy" which will start Sunday, August 25, at 9 A.M. on all of the ten Municipal Golf Courses. This trophy, a handsome sterling silver cup donated by Newbold Morris, President of the City Council, will be in competition for the next sixty years, and the name of the annual winner of the New York City Golf Championship will be inscribed upon it. In addition, the annual winner will be presented with a six-inch replica of the larger trophy, also in sterling silver, which he will retain. For the past four months, anyone desiring to qualify for this tournament turned over to the course supervisor his three lowest gross soores attested to by the three other manbers of his foursome. The thirty-two low gross scorers on each course will compete on Sunday, August 25, at 9 A.M. in eighteen holes of medal play for the course championship and for the right to be included in a team-of-eight which will represent their respective course in the citywide course championship. In a sense, this is a preliminary qualifying round. Trophies will be awarded by the Department of Parks to the individual course champions. The teams-of-eight which have been selected '.Till compete on Sunday, September 1, at Clearview Golf Course in 36 holes of medal play for the citywide course team championship. The four low gross scorers from any one course will decide the team championship. The winning team will receive a team trophy that will remain permanently on display in the clubhouse of the course represented by the team. On Saturday, September 14 and 15, the sixteen low gross soorers will begin eighteen holes of match play on the Dyker Beach Course, Brooklyn, to determine the trophy winner. The semi-finals will be played on the same course on Saturday, September 21 with thirty-six holes of match play. On Sunday, September 22, the two finalists will tee off at 9 A.M. to decide the New York City Golf Championship. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Friday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 August 23, 1940 The Department of Parks announces that the city finals of the Girls' Softball Tournament will be held on Saturday, August 24, at 2:00 P. M. at Heckscher Playground, 62 Street and West Drive, Central Park. The city-wide handball championship, among girls of Park Department playgrounds, will also be determined on Saturday, August 24, at 2:00 P. M., when the inter-borough winners will meet in a series of matches scheduled to take place at North Meadow Playground, 100 Street and West Drive, Central Park. Girls in both these tournaments are 16 years of age and over, and have been competing for the past 5 weeks in inter-plr.yground and inter-district contests to determine the various borough representatives who will be eligible to participate in Saturday's championship games. Gold, silver and bronze medals will be awarded to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners in each tournament. In addition, sweatshirts, with a maple leaf, the Park Department emblem, sewed on the front, will be presented to the members of the championship softball team as well as to the winner of the handball tournament. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Friday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 August 23, 1940 The Department of Parks announces that the final game of the junior division in the city-wide softball tournament will take place on Saturday, August 24, at 2:00 P. M., at Jacob Riis Park, Queens. 46 leagues, comprising 305 teams, have participated in this division of the tournament, which is composed of boys under 17 years of age. Inter-playground, inter-district and inter-borough contests totaling 1309 games, were played during the last 6 weeks on the various Park Department softball diamonds, of which there are 170 throughout the city. Gold medals will be awarded to the members of the winning team at next Saturday's game. The Giants Baseball Club of the National League, has donated funds to purchase uniforms and equipment, which will be awarded to the championship team of the junior age group. The Giants have also officially consented to permit the junior division to bear their name in future softball tournaments to be conducted by the Department of Parks. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Friday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 August 23, 1940 The Department of Parks announces that because of inclement weather, the children's Dance Festival, originally scheduled for Saturday, August 17, at 2:00 P.M., at Long Meadow, Prospect Park, Brooklyn, has been postponed to next Saturday, August 24, at the same time and place. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Tuesday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 August 20, 1940 The Third Annual Life Guard Tournament conducted by the Department of Parks, will be held at 2 P.M. on Tuesday, August 27, 1940 at Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York. It has for its objectives the development and demonstration of improved methods of life saving at beaches and fostering of a healthful competitive spirit among the life guards. Life guards at all the beaches have been practicing daily for these events. On Friday, August 23rd, 1940, eliminations will be held among the life guards at each beach to determine the make-up of the teams which will represent the respective beaches in the tournament. Each beach is limited to an eight man team with the two best life guards from each beach competing for the individual championship. The beaches under the jurisdiction of the DepartnBnt of Parks cover approximately seventeen miles, and are staffed with 390 life guards. Teams from the following beaches will compete: Orchard Beach, the Bronx, South Beach, Staten Island, Rockaway East, Rockaway Park, Rockaway West and Jacob Riis Park, Queens, Coney Island East and Coney Island West, Brooklyn. The "Mayor's Trophy", emblematic of the Municipal Life Guard Team Championship will be awarded to the winning team. This trophy put in competition annually was won last year by Jacob Riis Park with Rockaway West and Rockaway Park tied for second place. An individual trophy known as the "Department Trophy" will be awarded to the life guard securing the highest number of points in the individual championship events. John Driscoll, a member of the team from Rockaway Park, carried off the individual honors in last year's competition. The events scheduled to determine the beach championship and the individual life guard championship will be an Individual Surf Rescue, Team Surf Rescue, Team Rescue Race with equipment, Individual Boat Race and a Two Man Boat Race. Beside the trophy, medals will be awarded to those men who finish first, second and third in each event. * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Monday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 August 19, 1940 Collaboration between George U. Harvey, Borough President of Queens and Park Commissioner Robert Moses has resulted in the approval of the Board of Estimate at its last meeting to acquire and develop for recreational, sewer and highway purposes, that portion of the abandoned Stewart Railroad right-of-way which extends from the northeastern corner of Flushing Meadow Park through Kissena Park to Fresh Meadow Road, Queens, In addition to the approved taking of the old ettbankmont which passes through low-lying meadow and swamp land, it was considered essential to acquire some parcels of adjacent marshy areas wbJcb have little value for building sites. In general, the tract is an irregular shaded, eighty-two acre gore about one mile long and an average of five hundred feet wide, broadly bounded on the north by Crommelin and Peck Avenues, on the east by Kissena Boulevard, on the south by North Hempstead Turnpike, 56th Road and Elden Avenue and on the west by Lawrence Street. The development of this narrow connecting shoe-string park will serve not only the local recreational needs but will also solve the difficult problems of storm drainage for the Borough President and mosquito elimination for the Department of Health. The great extent of this natural drainage basin which serves the northeastern portion of the Borough of Queens requires a storm water trunk sewer of such extraordinary size that it cannot be accommodated within the limits of an ordinary city street. The latitude afforded by the new right-of-way will simplify the problem. Development plans for this new recreational area to be known as Kissena Corridor Park, include four marginal playgrounds with typical apparatus and court games spaced along the edges of the park. Some of the open landscaped ovals will have soft ball as well as regulation baseball diamonds. The predominant note, however, is passive recreation. A system of winding walks, informal landscaped areas and high point overlooks will be generously furnished with comfortable benches. Underpasses are indicated at Main Street and Kissena Boulevard. The marginal park walks and bicycle paths will have convenient entrances from tht adjacent streets and will afford a fairly direct connection between the two more extensively planned regional parks at either end of the Corridor. The west end of this new corridor will connect with the 1,255 acre play center which will soon be under construction on the site of and upon the termination of the New York World's Fair. A complete variety of facilities for both active and passive recreation will be provided on a scale unprecedented in New York City and equaled only in a few city parks in the country. The existing facilities in Kissena Park at the east end of the Corridor will be increased in extent by the acquisition of the railroad right-of-way through the park from Kissena Boulevard to Fresh Meadow Road. This narrow strip, about one mile long and an average of eighty-five feet wide is to be incorporated in the general park area and also in the athletic field which will be built in the low-lying section north of North Hempstead Turnpike. Preliminary studies have been made by the Borough President of Queens and the Park Commissioner to extend the Corridor easterly to Cunningham Park. It is expected that plans will be submitted to the Board of Estimate at its next meeting in September and, with the approval of the City Planning Commission, favorable action seems assured. The ultimate development of this one mile extension to the above regional park might approximate the character of the westerly section but the immediate needs of the area will be satisfactorily taken care of by providing pedestrian and bicycle paths. The latter would tie in with the existing two mile stretch through Cunningham Park which has been built over the old Motor Parkway road bed from Horace Harding Boulevard to Springfield Boulevard. This three mile project consists of the development of approximately 120 acres of new park areas and thirty-five acres of reclaimed land in Kissena Park. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Monday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 August 19, 1940 Bids were opened today by the Department of Parks at the Arsenal for demolition at 17th Avenue, Shore Parkway section of the Belt Parkway, Borough of Brooklyn. This contract provides for the demolition and removal of all buildings in the right-of-way, including fences, posts, walls, gas tanks and other miscellaneous structures. The three low bidders were: 1. Barr Wrecking Corporation $1,090.00 4802 17th Avenue, Brooklyn, N.Y. 2. Greater New York Wrecking Corporation 1,343.00 110 West 42nd Street, Hew York City 3. J. Klotz 1,397.00 2064 Harrison Avenue, Bronx, N. Y. * * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Friday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 August 16, 1940 The Department of Parks announces that approximately 2000 girls ranging from 8 to 16 years of age and representing 115 Park Department playgrounds in the Borough of Brooklyn will participate in a Monster Dance Festival scheduled to take place on the Long Meadow, Prospect Park, Brooklyn, Saturday, August 17 at 2:30 P.M. This dance festival is one of the outstanding features of the recreational program prepared for the children of Park Department playgrounds in Brooklyn and has been presented each year since 1916. For the past five weeks, the children have attended regularly the various instruction classes in playgrounds, where they have been taught dance steps, which require poise, grace and rhythmic coordination to bring about that precision in execution so necessary in group dancing. In addition, each member of the dancing class is taught how to make the costumes which she will wear at the performance. These costumes are designed in accordance with the particular type of dance and they play an important part in the decision of the judges since the appearance of the costume will affect considerably each dancing performance. Prior to the exhibition, there will be a colorful procession of all the dancers, in costume, from the Union Street entrance to Prospect Park, through the park to the Long Meadow, where the afternoon's performance will take place. The opening number on the program will be the "Indian Dance" followed in order by the "Harvest Dance", the "Minuet", "Cowboys", "Virginia Reel", "New Orleans Mardi Gras", "Sports Dance", "Radio Dance", "Interpretation of Modern Dances", "Military Dance", "Sailor's Dance", "Airplanes" and the "Spirit of Peace and Happiness". The final event will consist of a patriotic tableau, featuring Miss Liberty, Uncle Sam, and a Color Guard. Music for this occasion will be furnished by the Park Department Band. At the close of the program, the dancers will parade to the picnic grounds to enjoy their annual picnic which has become a traditional part of the affair. * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Saturday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 August 10, 1940 For the past two weeks over4 700 tennis players in the five boroughs have taken part in the preliminary rounds of the Department of Parks Annual Sports Tournament. The singles champion has been chosen in the Men, Women and Junior Boys division in all five boroughs. The eight borough quarter finalists in each division will meet at Randall's Island, Saturday, August 10th, and Sunday, August 11th, at 10 a.m. to start the final round in quest of the City Championship, Play will continue through the week with the finals on the same courts at 2 p.m. on August 17th. Leonard Hartman, seeded number one, is expected to defend the title that he won last year. The present Manhattan Borough Champion, former Columbia University Captain, and seoond ranking National Public Parks player, Hartman, has been playing excellent tennis all season. Bill Lurie, finalist with Hartman last Sunday at Central Park, three times a winner of the Metropolitan Public Parks Championship and seeded second, is expected to extend Hartman should they meet in the finals. Seeded third, is big, red-headed Vincent Paul from Queens who has played such sensational tennis in the leading amateur tournaments played at the Seminole Club, Sea Bright and Rye and the victor over Al Doyle in a five set semi-final match which gave him the virtual championship of Queens. Paul will meet Jerry Norman, seeded star in the American Lawn Tennis Association and former doubles champion in this division, on Saturday to decide the Borough of Queens champion. Paul is expected to win in straight sets. In back of Paul and the "dark horse" of this tournament is Ernie Koslan, probably the best known player in the Bronx, a former N.Y.U. tennis captain, New York State Intercollegiate Champion, conqueror of Jean Boratra and Frank Bowden in indoor play, former nationally ranked junior player and present Bronx champion, Koslan plays a smart game, the result of experience in so many championship matches, and is expected to extend anyone who tries to defeat him. Queens stylist and 1939 Champion, seeded fifth, Al Doyle will be found right out front, battling with the best of theme Doyle, consistently one of the best in Queens, lost his first match on a Queens court in six years when Vincent Paul moved into the finals with the score of 6-2 8-6 5-7 2-6 6-3. After defeating his brother in a semifinal round on Sunday morning Don Hume, former Brooklyn College Captain, defeated Roy Groden,. a former team mate, in the finals on Sunday afternoon 6-3 6-2 6-0 to win the championship in Brooklyn. Seeded seventh in back of Don Hume is Bernard Freedman, former City College star and finalist in the Bronx borough championships. Roy Groden captured the eighth seeded position as a result of his excellent play in Brooklyn having reached the final round. Seeded first in the Womai's Division is Helen Germaine, National Public Parks Champion, Metropolitan title holder for the past eight years and present Manhattan title holder, Watacha Irwin, holder of the Bronx and Metropolitan singles championships and the most outstanding feminine performer in the Bronx is seeded right behind Miss Germaine, The third seeding goes to Ingrid Lokatos, finalist in Manhattan who lost to Helen Germaine 6-2 6-4. Following close behind and seeded in the order named are Helen Levine of Brooklyn, Ann Freeman, Manhattan, Barbara Kaminer of the Bronx, Janet Lorenz of Brooklyn and Claire Hotchner, Women's singles champion of Queens who is seeded eighth. Forty junior boys will compete for the singles title with Harold Levine, Junior Champion of the Bronx, seeded number one. Paul Hockwolski, Boy's High School s t a r and undefeated in P.S.A.L. competition is seeded second. The Bronx vans the next seeding with Saul Seipser, while Brooklyn's Champion, Irving Berkowitz, takes fourth place. The champion of Queens, Leonard Srickson. is seeded fifth with Milton Kahn, Manhattan Champion, sixth, and Al Range of Brooklyn, seventh. Arthur Seldin,finalist in the Bronx, completss tha seeding with eighth place. Arrangements have been made to handle a large crowd. Bleachers have been set up around the courts on which the finals will be played. There will be no charge, but admission will be by ticket only. Anyone desiring a ticket for any of these matches may do so by writing the Department of Parks, Arsenal Building, Central Park, Station WNYC, the Municipal Broadcasting Station, New York Public Parks Tennis Association, 120 Wall Street, New York City, or any Department of Parks tennis court. Trophies have been donated by the Park Association of New York City and will be presented to the winners. * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Saturday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 August 10, 1940 The Department of Parks announces the completion of work in connection with the redesign and reconstruction of Bushwick Playground on Knickerbocker Avenue between Woodbine Street and Putnam Avenue, Brooklyn, and its reopening without ceremonies on Saturday, August 10. This 2.8 acre recreation area has been redesigned to provide for wider all year round usage for all age groups. There is a small children's area with a wading pool, kindergarten swings, see-saws, slides, a sand pit and a large area for group games. Separated from the small children's area there is space for older children and adolescents containing play apparatus, paddle tennis courts and basketball and volley-ball courts with removable standards so that the court surfaces may be used for other types of group games. There is also a separate area containing two double handball courts, three horseshoe pitching courts and two softball diamonds, as well as a large bituminous surfaced area for roller skating and roller hockey which, during winter months when subfreezing temperatures permit, can be flooded and used for ice skating. The entire playground is landscaped with shade trees and numerous concrete benches have been provided. The old inadequate comfort station has been demolished and replaced with a new modern brick one to provide up-to-date sanitary facilities. The reopening of this playground designed by the Park Department and built by the Work Projects Administration makes a total of 339 new or reconstructed recreational areas completed by the Park Department since January 1, 1934. * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Friday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 August 9, 1940 As part of the Annual Sport Tournament conducted by the Department of Parks, twenty women and twenty Junior Boys will tee off this Saturday, August 10th, at Clearview Golf Course, Whitestone, Queens, to decide the Municipal Golf Champion in their division. They are the winner and runner-up in the Course Championships in their division held at the ten Municipal Golf Courses after two days of play. Over two hundred women and one hundred Junior Boys took part in the preliminary rounds. Mrs. Adele Ernst, of the Bronx, who lead all the qualifiers in the City with an 80 won the crown at Van Cortlandt Park with. Mrs. Ann Nelson, of Washington Heights, the runner-up. Mosholu's Champion, Miss Patricia Shanahan, a Hunter College senior, whose 81 was second best in the qualifying rounds, is expected to fight it out for first place with Mrs. Ernst. Miss Minnie Fullen, also of Mosholu, who led the city qualifiers the first day, was runner-up with an 84. The other qualifiers are Pelham, Rosetta Wallace and Bee Haskell; Split Rock, Mollie Newman, A. Rosenberg; Dyker Beach, Ava Spencor, Kay Olsen; Clearview, Annette Reyl, Stelle Jamieson; Kissena, C. Roth, Carol Kirkpatrick, a 17 year old Jamaica High School senior; Forest Park, Elizabeth Sneed, Gertrude Burrows; Silver Lake, Margaret Brook, Margaret Haverty; La Tourette, Lillian Kienzle and Jean Wikstrom. The qualifiers in the Junior Division look like a parade of Prep and High School stars, fighting it out to decide the City Championship. Bobby Newman, Bayside High Ace, who filled the role of the "villian" in reaching the quarter finals by defeating all the seeded favorites in the recent 10th Annual Queens Interscholastic golf championships. The runner-up was Nick Ben Venuto, the Jamaica Vocational High star. Bob Schlosser, a member of the Richmond Hill High team that won the City P.S.A.L. Cham- [TEXT MISSING] Bob Drasser and diminutive Gilbert Zizak, members of the Flushing High School squad that captured the borough team title in the 10th Annual Queans Interscholastic Championship qualified as the course champion and runner-up at the Kissena Course. Jack Amanna of Pelham led the city qualifiers with a 77 to make him the favorite to capture the title. Mat Genero, his runner-up, is expected to give him plenty of competition. Mosholu will send Jack Breakstone and Julius Begamj. Van Cortlandt's Champion James Lustgarten and Alex Sood will join them along with. John Ryan and Vincent Livoti of Split Rock in their attempt to carry the title back to the Bronx. Brooklyn's hopes will rest on the shoulders of young Joseph Kraska and Sam Schwartz, who will uphold the honors of Dykor Beach. Staten Island will send Dick Shephard and S. Martenson to represent Silver Lake, while J. Beagan and Nicholas Colucci will carry the banner from La Tourette. The match will be a 36 hole-Medal Play round, the Trophy going to the one with the lowest score. The trophies donated to the Park Department by the New York Park Association will be presented to the winners at the close of the first Annual Sports Tournament on the night of August 17th at Astoria Pool along with the champions of Tennis, Swimming, and Diving. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Friday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 August 9, 1940 At Sunset Pool, 7th/avenue and 43rd Street, Brooklyn, on Saturday, August 10th at 1 P.M. some of the leading divers in the Metropolitan area will compete for the A.A.U. diving championship. This event will open a series of swimming championship meets; a part of the Annual Sports Tournaments conducted by the Department of Parks. Among some of those who will compete are Carlos Fernandez of the Park Central A.A., Senior Metropolitan Indoor Champion; Sol Shrebnick of the Dragon Club, former Senior Metropolitan Outdoor Champion and Charles Batterman,, Dragon Club, Junior Metropolitan Champion; Danny Davis, former Senior Metropolitan Indoor and Outdoor Champion; Ann Ross of the Dragon Club, New York State, Senior Metropolitan Indoor and Outdoor Champion and considered the best woman diver in the East; Eileen Safarik, Dragon Club's 14 year old star and former Park Department Champion; Dot Williamson of the U.S.A.; and many others. On Monday, August 12th, at 1 P.M. Betsy Head Pool, Hopkinson and Livonia Avenue, hundreds of young stars from the five boroughs will gather together to take part in the Novice Swiinming Championships. All the pools in Brooklyn are sending representative teams hoping that they might win the trophy. There will be Patrick O'Brien from Red Hook; Stanislaus Fiunski from McCarren; Sam G-insburg of Betsy Head and Sven Sfrickson from Sunset; boys with different ancestry having some fun in a sportsman's way. Diving, free style , breast stroke and back stroke will be the order of the day for boys and girls under ten years of age, under 13, and no one will be allowed to compete if they have passed their 17th birthday. On Tuesday night, August 13th, the National Y.M.C.A. Outdoor Swimming Championships will be held at McCarren Pool, Driggs Avenue and Lorimer Street, Brooklyn. This is truly a national affair with entrants from Y's in many cities. Greenpoint, Eastern District, Central Bedford, Flatbush and Prospect Park Y's have each sent in a strong team. The City employees residing in Brooklyn, who are entered in the Municipal Championships, will travel to Crotona Pool, 173rd Street and Fulton Avenue, The Bronx, on Wednesday evening, August 14th. At 7:30 the starter's gun will announce the beginning of the first event. Thursday evening a strong contingent from the leading swim club in Brooklyn, the St. George Dragons, will travel to Highbridge Pool in Manhattan to compete with some of the best clubs in the East; such as: New York A.C., Women's Swimming Association and Shelton Dolphins. The Dragon Club under the direction of Al Johnson have such stars as Robert De Groot, Junior National and Senior Metropolitan indoor back stroke champion; Lester Kaplan, former City College star and former Senior Metropolitan and Junior National breast stroke champion; Edgar Blackledge, Junior National Breast stroke, 200 meter champion; Jean West, Phyllis Smithwick and many others. Those who qualify in each event will meet in the finals at Astoria Pool, 19th Street and 23rd Drive, Astoria, on August 16th and 17th at 8 P.M. Beautiful silver trophies presented to the Department of Parks by the New York Park Association will be awarded to the winners. * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Thursday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 August 8, 1940 Following are copies of correspondence for publication, between a citizen and the Park Department in connection with a Volunteer Lifesaving Corps selling tickets at Rockaway for a dance and entertainment: "Hon. Robert Moses Commissioner of Parks, City of New York Arsenal, Central Park New York, New York Dear Mr. Commissioner: During the past two weeks, we have been subject to persistent solicitation by several persons who claim to be members of a volunteer lifesaving corps, to purchase tickets for an entertainment and dance to be given on August 29tli. I am enclosing a copy of the face of the tickets which they are selling. These men do not claim to be Park Department employees, but maintain that they are rendering a supplementary lifesaving and first aid station based at a building on the boardwalk between Beach 26th and Beach 27th Streets. They state that the proceeds of this affair are needed to purchase supplies for this station and to compensate the men, all of whom volunteer their services, in the event of injury. TShen I declined to purchase tickets on the ground that I did not believe this method of financing lifesaving and first-aid services to be sound, they persisted in their efforts and returned to my home on two subsequent occasions. I wonder if you can tell me to what extent the statement that the City of New York does not provide the necessary lifeguard and first - aid services is correct. I should also be interested to know what official status, if any, the United States Volunteer Lifesaving Corps has and whether these persons have any authorization to solicit funds in its behalf. What accounting is made of the proceeds and is not a license from the Department of Welfare required for solicitation of this type;? Who is "Commodore Fischman" and whence does he derive the title? Incidentally, he was one of the two men engaged in the solicitation. I should be grateful for any information which you may be able to give me in this connection. I am sending a copy of this letter to Commissioner Hodson. Very sincerely yours, /s/Marcel Kovarsky Mr. Marcel Kovarsky 143-A Beach 25th Street Far Rockaway, New York Dear Mr. Kovarsky: I have your letter of July 23 requesting information as to representatives of the U. S. Volunteer Lifesaving Corps selling tickets for an entertainment and dance of the Sigemere Volunteer Lifeguards to be held on August 29 at Dick Smyth's Chateau on the Rockaway Peninsula. This group is composed of members who, to the best of our knowledge, are lifesavers in name only. This is really a private club located on private property, and unless they sell tickets on property under Park Department jurisdiction or claim they represent the Department, there is no way in which we can stop them. They are not permitted to operate as lifeguards on the beach or boardwalk. A block away from this volunteer station at 28th Street, the Park Department operates a first-aid station, adequately manned with experienced personnel, as well as another station at 34th Street. Rockaway Beach is manned daily, seven days a week, throughout the entire swimming season, with regular, Civil Service lifeguards, So far as the Park Department is concerned, there is no need for any volunteer lifeguard group in connection with the beaches under the jurisdiction of this department. Sincerely, / a / ROBERT MOSES Commissioner" ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Thursday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 August 8, 1940 The Department of Parks announces an Amateur Junior Fife and Drum Corps competition to be held at Jacob Riis Park on August 24th and 25th at 6:00 P.M. The contest is open to all organized Amateur Junior Corps in the City of New York. Each Corps will be judged on tone, time, execution, cadence, uniforms, and fifes, drums, and bugles. The winner will be presented with a trophy. Further information can be obtained from the Queens office of the Park Department at Kew Gardens. * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE TEL. REGENT 4-1000 Telephoned to City News - 8/6/40 The winners and runners-up of the women*s and juniors' (boys) eliminations for course championships held recently on the Municipal Golf Courses as part of the Park Department's Annual City-Wide Sports Tournament, will compete for the city-wide championships in their respective divisions at the Clearview Course, Belt Parkway, Bayside, L. I., on Saturday, August 10, commencing at 9 a.m. On the same day, starting at 2 p.m., the eight quarter-finalists in the men's, women's and juniors' borough tennis championships will start the play-off for the city-wide championships at Randall's Island. Also on this day, at 1 p.m., the A.A. U. Diving Championships will take place at Sunset Park Pool, Brooklyn. PHOTOGRAPHERS ARE INVITED. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Tuesday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 August 6, 1940 The Department of Parks announces that 134 softball leagues comprising 976 teams are presently engaged in playing off a total of 3582 games to determine the championship team of each borough in preparation for the city finals. The tournament is divided into three age groups: boys under 17 years; 17-21 years; and men over 21 years. Interest in softball is so widespread that each division has approximately an equal number of leagues. All the games are played on Park Department softball diamonds of which there are 170 throughout the city. The championship game in each group will take place as follows: Boys under 17 years - August 24- 2 P.M. - Riis Park, Queens Boys 17 - 21 years - August 31- 2 P.M. - Ma combs Dam Park, East 161 Street and Jerome Avenue, Bronx Men over 21 years - September 7- 2 P.M.- Randall's Island Stadium, East and Harlem Rivers, Manhattan Gold, silver and bronze medals will be awarded to the members of the teams which attain 1st, 2nd and 3rd place respectively in each division. In addition, the Yankee Baseball Club of the American League, has donated funds needed to purchase uniforms and equipment which will be awarded to the championship team of the intermediate age group. This substantial prize will certainly increase the competitive spirit of the leading teams in the 17-21 year classification when they meet at the city finals scheduled to take place at Macombs Dam Park, East 161 Street and Jerome Avenue, Bronx, near the Yankee Stadium, on Saturday, August 31, at 2 P.M. The Yankees have officially consented to permit the intermediate league to bear their name which is so well known to baseball enthusiasts. * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Saturday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 August 3, 1940 The Department of Parks announces that the children of 12 Park Department playgrounds will participate in special programs of recreational activities during the month of August in ccmmeinoration of their official opening to the public. Supplementing the regular schedule of playground activities such as handball, baseball and softbpll games, shuffleboard tournaments end group games, there will be e variety of special events including bathing beauty contests for children ranging in age from 2 to 5 years of age, wading pool games, birthday skits and community singing of patriotic songs. The August schedule for playground birthday celebrations is as follows: Time of Borough Playground Location Opened Celebration Manhattan Dr.Gertrude B.Kelly Playground West 1? St. between 8 & 9 Aves. August 11,1934 2:30 P.M. 95 Thompson Street August 11,1934 2:30 P.M. Lewis & Rivington Streets August 11,1934 2:30 P.M. 83 Roosevelt St. between Cherry & Oak Streets August 11,1934 2:30 P.M. Brooklyn Lincoln Terrace Playground, Buffalo & Rochester Aves. August 5,1939 2:30 P.M. James J.Byrne Memorial Play- ground, 3 St.& 4 Ave. August 11,1934 2:30 P.M. Queens Liberty Park Playground, Liberty Ave. & 173 S t . August 5,1937 2:30 P.M. Bronx 141 Street and Brook Avenue August 18,1934 2:00 P.M. St.Mary's West Playground,St, Ann's Ave. & E.146 St. August 15,1938 2:00 P.M. Waterbury,Edison,LaSalle and Bradford Avenues August 23,1939 2:00 P.M. Richmond Abraham Levy Playground, Jewett and Cestleton Aves. August 11,1934 Aug.12-2 P.M. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Saturday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 August 3, 1940 In conjunction with the Borough Finals in the Men, Women and Junior Tennis Championships conducted by the Department of Parks as a part of the Annual Sports Tournament, Miss Eleanor Tennant, world famous tennis teacher and coach, will conduct a free tennis clinic. Miss Tennant isworld famous in the tennis world having coached such stars as Bobby Riggs, National Singles Champion, Davis Cup Star, Wimbleton Cup Champion and ranked number one tennis star in United States; Miss Alice Marble, National Women's Champion, National Doubles Champion, Wimbleton Cup Champion, Wimbleton Doubles Champion, National Mixed Doubles Champion and number one ranking women player in the country; Welby Van Horn finalist with Riggs in the National Singles Championships last year; Mary Arnold, Wightman Cup Star and National Clay Court Doubles Champion with Miss Marble; Ronnie Lubin, National Tennis star and many others. The Eleanor Tennant Municipal Free Clinics which have been so successful in Chicago, Minneapolis, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Baltimore and California will be held on the Tennis Courts at Central Park, 93rd Street and West Drive on Sunday morning, August 4th, at 11 A.M. Miss Tennant will be assisted by Mary Arnold and Ronnie Lubin in giving her demonstrations. Instruction will be given in all shot and stroke technique; the proper method of serving, foot work and court strategy. At 2 P.M. on the same day the Borough Finals will be held on selected courts in all five boroughs. The quarter finalists in all boroughs will meet to decide the City Championships beginning August 10th and 11th at Randall's Island. The finals will be held on the same courts on August 17th at 2 P.M. Grandstand seats are being erected to accommodate spectators. No charge will be made to witness the exhibition or matches. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Saturday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 August 3, 1940 SUMMER CARE OF NEWLY PLANTED STREET TREES The Department of Parks announces that the need of water and cultivation of newly planted street trees during the dry periods of the summer months is most important. Many young trees are found to be suffering from lack of water and cultivation. In some cases, because of the presence of curbs, sidewalks and paved streets, such trees receive the benefit of only a small portion of the natural rainfall. A newly planted tree should be watered at least three times a week, especially on hot summer days. Two pails of water applied each time at sunset is sufficient for the average young tree. To assure deep penetration of the water, the surface soil of the tree pit should be loosened with a hoe or rake to make a good earth mulch. This should be done every week during the summer to prevent hard packing of the soil over the roots. Where the tree is provided with s grating, the latter should be lifted out and the soil loosened at frequent periods. Every effort by the property owner should be put forth to insure the good health and life of the newly planted tree. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Saturday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 August 3, 1940 Entries for the Championship Swimming Meet, a part of the Department of Parks Annual Sports Tournament, are pouring in daily. This Swimming Meet is unique in that it is not one swimming meet but is made up of five separate and distinct divisions. On Saturday, August 10, at 1 P.M., Sunset Pool, 7th Avenue and 43rd Street, Brooklyn, New York, will have some of the best of the amateur divers in the East compete for the A. A. U. diving championship. On Monday, August 12, at 1 P.M., Betsy Head Pool, Hopkinson and Livonia Avenue, Brooklyn, New York, hundreds of young boys and girls under eighteen years of age will race in the Novice events. Many youth groups, such as the Police Athletic League, Catholic Youth Organization, Junior Inspectors Club, and Boy Scouts of America will have teams represented. Tuesday night, August 13, at 7;30 P.M., McCarren Park, Briggs Avenue and Lorimer Street, Brooklyn, New York, will have the swimmers from the Y.M.C.A. in the United States and Canada, who will fight it out for the Y.M.C.A. Championships. Teams from many cities have already sent in their entries for these events. Wednesday night, August 14, at 7:30 o'clock, the officials will move to Crotona Pool, 173rd Street and Fulton Avenue, Bronx, to clock Municipal Employees as they thrash through the water. Here the policeman from the corner beat will toss aside his nightstick for a bathing suit; the fireman will climb down his ladder and plunge in after him; the sanitation man, the tax collector and the law-makers will all follow suit. All those who are on Father Knickerbocker's payroll are invited to "get in the swim" at the Swimming Meet for Municipal Employees. Highbridge Pool, Amsterdam Avenue and 173rd Street, Manhattan, will be the scene of the best swimmers in the country competing for the Senior Metropolitan and New York State Championships for Men and Women. All the best clubs in the City, such as the New York Athletic Club, St. George Dragon Club, Shelton Dolphins, Sutton Swim Club, Park Central A. A., Women's Swimming Association, Bayville Aquatic Club, Newark A. C. and many others have entered teams. On Friday night, August 16, at 8:30 o'clock, and Saturday afternoon, August 17, at 2 o'clock and at 8 P.M., the winners of the trial heats of all the swimming meets will compete in the finals at Astoria Pool, 19th Street and 23rd Drive, Astoria, Queens. The program will be varied with a water show of clowns, aqua belles and aqua boys and the Park Department Band. Saturday evening will be topped off with the presentation of the cups and medals to all of the winners of the City Championships in Tennis, Golf, Swimming, and Diving. All of these events are free to the public and the Department of Parks invites you to come and bring your friends to the various pools. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Thursday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 August 1, 1940 The Department of Parks announces the completion of construction in connection with four park improvements and the opening of the facilities to the public on Thursday, August 1, 194-0. One of these areas is in Manhattan and three are in Brooklyn. In Manhattan, Jasper Oval, on Convent Avenue between West 136 and West 138 Streets, south of the College of the City of New York, has been redesigned and reconstructed to provide a wider all year round usage of the area. The former earth surfacing has been replaced with bituminous material so that it can now be used for roller skating and roller hockey and during winter months when sub-freezing temperatures permit, for ice skating. Space is available for four softball diamonds, one of which has been provided with concrete bleachers. There are also nine horseshoe pitching, six shuffleboard, and six double handball courts, as well as a modern comfort station. In Brooklyn, at Red Hook, a combination roller skating rink and bicycle track has been built facing the east side of the large swimming pool and bathhouse bounded by Creamer, Clinton and Court Streets. The bicycle track encircles the roller skating rink and it is approximately one-sixth of a mile long. The rink is paved with permanent materials. In the block bounded by Oswego, Sigourney, Columbia and Halleck Streets, adjacent to the Red Hook Housing Development, 18 new tennis courts have been constructed. In Sunset Park, the westerly portion located at Fifth Avenue, 41 to 42 Streets, has been redesigned and reconstructed. The new work consists of the rearrangement of new bituminous walks, curbs, concrete stairs, entrances, concrete walls, new overlooks, benches, chain link and wrought iron fencing, a small children's play area with sand pit and play apparatus, and a new modern comfort station. The opening of these park areas designed by the Park Department and built and landscaped by the Work Projects Administration, makes a total of 338 new or reconstructed recreational areas completed by the park Department since January 1,1934. At that time there were 119 playgrounds in the five boroughs and at present there are 406. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Tuesday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 July 30, 1940 The Department of Parks announces that repairs to Steeplechase pier at Coney Island have been completed and the pier reopened t o the public and fishermen. 16,500 square feet of old unsafe decking had to be removed and replaced to render this popular facility safe for public usage. * * Telephoned City News - 7/30/40 " Brooklyn Daily Eagle - 7/30/40 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Tuesday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 July 30, 1940 Bids were received today by the Department of Parks on a contract for doing misoellaneous paving along Shore Parkway at 69th Road and Fort Hamilton, Kings County. The work under this contract consists of placing sheet asphalt paving, constructing an access drive, placing macadam sidewalk adjacent to sea wall in front of Fort Hamilton, setting timber and concrete curbing and other incidental work required to clean up the area within the contraot limits. The three low bidders on the work were as follows; 1. Mill Basin Asphalt Corporation $ll,958.30 5410 Avenue TJ, Brooklyn, N.Y« 2. Boulevard Contracting Corporation 13,820.80 218-02 118th Ave., St. Albans, N.Y. 3. B. Turecamo Contracting Company 15,077.50 Foot of 24th Avenue, Brooklyn, N.Y. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Monday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 July 29, 1940 The Department of Parks has started the reconstruction of the northerly end of Bronx Park. This is another step in the plan to build it so that in addition to housing the Zoological and Botanical Gardens, it will serve the neighborhood. For years all of the park was under the jurisdiction of the New York Botanical Garden and the New York Zoological Society. 1937 the Park Commissioner reached an agreement with these two organizations which provided for the release of property required for the southerly extension of the Bronx River Parkway through Bronx Park and also sufficient land along the easterly and northerly boundaries to provide recreation for the people living in the abutting areas. Up to this time, there was very little opportunity for active recreation in the park. Four playgrounds along the easterly boundary have already been opened to the public and the construction of this northerly area will fill a real community need. It will be developed with two children's playgrounds, one on the westerly side near 204 Street, and the other on Bronx Boulevard opposite Rosewood Street. Two softball diamonds and also a regulation baseball diamond will be provided. As a step toward the completion of this improvement the Transit Commission will start work Monday on the alteration and reconstruction of two bridges over the New York Central Railroad on the westerly boundary of Bronx Park. The existing bridge at Mosholu Parkway will be altered and added to in order to provide additional traffic lanes which will be a part of the Mosholu Parkway connection to the Bronx River Parkway Extension which is to be rebuilt on a new line through the easterly portion of Bronx Park. This bridge will be a link in what will be ultimately a parkway connection between the Henry Hudson Parkway in Van Cortlandt Park and Bronx River Parkway. The present Mosholu Parkway will form a portion of this link. The bridge at 204th Street will be remodeled for pedestrians use only. Automobile traffic will be eliminated and this bridge will become the principal pedestrian entrance to the portion of Bronx Park north of Mosholu Parkway now being developed by the Department of Parks as a recreation area. * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Saturday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 July 27, 1940 The Department of Parks announces the reopening without ceremonies of the reconstructed New Lots Playground bounded by Riverdale Avenue, Sackman Street, Newport Street and Christopher Avenue, Brooklyn, on Saturday, July 27. This two and one third acre playground has been redesigned and reconstructed to provide a wider, all year round usage. The old earth surface, previously unusable after heavy rains and periods of thaw, has been replaced with bituminous material. Approximately one half the area has been set aside as a children's playground completely equipped with apparatus such as swings, see-saws, slides, a sand pit, and a wading pool, which when not in use as such, can be used as a volley ball court. The rest of the area set aside for older children and adults, includes two double handball courts and a large open space containing two basketball courts with removable standards to permit softball. This area can also be used for roller skating as well as ice skating during winter months when sub-freezing temperatures permit. It is provided with floodlights so that those otherwise occupied during daylight hours may procure healthful recreation during evening hours. The entire park has been landscaped with trees and shrubs. The old, inadequate comfort station has been replaced with a new modern brick one to provide up-to-date, sanitary facilities. The reopening of this park designed by the Park Department and built by the Work Projects Administration, makes a total of 334 now or reconstructed recreational arose completed by the Park Department since January 1, 1934. * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Friday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 July 26, 1940 The largest Tennis Tournament ever held in the Metropolitan area will get under way Saturday, July 27, when over seven hundred men, women and juniors start the preliminary rounds* The selected courts in all five boroughs will be filled with contestants eager to carry off the crown for the singles championship in their respective division. This city-wide Public Parks Tennis Championship is conducted annually by the Department of Parks as a part of the annual Sports Tournament with the cooperation of the New York Public Parks Tennis Association. Joseph M. Carleton, President of the New York Public Parks Tennis Association, is referee. The eight quarter-finalists in each borough will qualify for the finals to be held at Randall's Island, beginning August 10, to determine the city champions. In the Bronx the men will play at Mullaly Park, while the women and juniors play at St. James Park. Brooklyn will see the men at McKinley Park and the women and juniors will use Ft. Greene Park. Manhattanites can see their favorites on the Central Park courts. Queens, the scene of so many matches of National and International flavor at Forest Hills, has only to oravel to Forest Park to watch the men and Alley Pond Park for the women and juniors. Staten Island will send their men to Walker Park and the women and juniors to Silver Lake. Queens with two hundred and nineteen entrants has the largest group of all five boroughs. Manhattan is next with one hundred and ninety-five, while the Bronx and Brooklyn follow with one hundred and twenty-two and one hundred and twenty-one respectively. Richmond, the smallest of all boroughs, contributes its share of fifty-nine. Never in the history of Public Parks Tournaments have so many stars entered; included in the list are players of national prominence - such as Leonard Hartman, former captain of Columbia University tonnis team and ranked second in the National Public Parks; Vincont Paul, the local Queens boy who was a recent sensation in the New York State Clay court championships at tho Seminole Club; Helen Germaine, former National Public Parks champion and Manhattan and Metropolitan champion for the past seven years; Jerry Norman, high ranking player in the American Lawn Tonnis Association; Ray Stone, another former Columbia University tennis toam captain; William Lurie, three times winner of Metropolitan Public Park championship; Nat Goldstein, Metropolitan Public Park champion and ranked sixth in National Public Parks; Al Doyle, Queens champion with a number nine national ranking in Public Parks; plus many College, Prep, High School and Club champions. The many thousands who were unable to enter Madison Square Garden when Donald Budge, the world's professional champion, played, and who have read about the coast sensation, Elwood T. Cooke, will be given the opportunity of seeing both when they play an exhibition match at Randall's Island on Friday, August 16. Ben Dwight, known to the tennis world as the number one umpire, will officiate at the finals held at Randall's Island at 2 P.M. on Sunday, August 18. The winners will receive handsome trophies and medals and have their names inscribed on a perpetual trophy which will be in competition for twenty-five years. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Tuesday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 July 23, 1940 Bids were received toda/ by the Department of Parks at the Arsenal Building on three contracts for the construction of a combined Life Guard and Comfort Station, at the foot of Beach 135th Street, Rockaway Beach, Borough of Queens. The work under these oontracts consists of the construction of a brick building on a wood pile foundation and includes complete electrical and plumbing facilities.. Facing a large elevated terrace will be a concession booth for dispensing foodstuffs. Adjoining one side of the terrace will be comfort stations for men and women and on the other side a completely equipped section for providing first aid treatment. Also included in this wing will be the headquarters for the Life Guard Corps servicing the beaches under Park Department supervision. The existing first aid station adjoining the new building will be removed. The three low bidders for each phase of contract work were the following : General Construction 1. George Hoffman & Sons, Inc. 1071 Washington Avenue, New York City $21,894.00 2. Schultz Construction Corporation 1819 Broadway, New York City 22,988.00 3. Balaban Gordon Company, Inc. 220 West 42 Street, New lork City 24,730.75 Electrical Work 1. Duxin Electrical Contracting Co. 124-05 1Q1 Ave., Richmond Hill, N. Y. 1,298.00 2. Werther Electric Contracting Co. 1165 Broadway, New York City 1,342.00 3. Sterling Sillman Corporation 1,476.00 200 West 42 Street, New York City Plumbing Work 1. Fox Plumbing Company, Inc. 103 Park Avenue, New York City 4,005.00 2. Albert Miller 62 Blake Avenue, Brooklyn, N. Y. 4,270.00 3. Thomas F. Mulligan 45-28 11th Street, Long Island City 4,275.00 * * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Monday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 July 22, 1940 My attention has been called to the complaint of several residents along the missing link of the Belt Parkway paralleling Bnmons Avenue. Only a minority of residents is affected, and they make up in noise what they lack in numbers and logic. A small group of local residents in this vicinity with the usual letterhead dressed up to look as though it represented a considerable number of members of an organization bitterly opposed the construction of the Belt Parkway back of Emmons Avenue and insisted that Emmons Avenue be used as part of the parkway. This opposition, although it never had any validity or sense held up this section of the Belt Parkway for about two years. Finally it became apparent to everyone that Emmons Avenue would never do as part of the Belt Parkway and that the original missing link would have to be constructed. Finally an agreement was made under which the City acquired the land and the Triborough Bridge Authority agreed to expend over $3,000,000. of the money of its bondholders to construct this link. In the meantime, precisely what we prophesied has happened. An immense amount of Belt Parkway traffic is fighting its way through Emmons Avenue interfering with local usage, endangering the lives of the fishermen along Sheepshead Bay, and visitors, choking back cars for miles on the Belt Parkway and other roads, and generally causing a mess where there ought to be order. Several serious accidents have already been caused by Belt Parkway cars speeding along Bimans Avenue, the drivers proceeding on the natural assumption that the same unimpeded flow of traffic prevails here as elsewhere. The problem which I have had to face as Park Commissioner and Chairman of the Triborough Bridge Authority has been to get the missing link constructed in time for the opening of the summer traffic of 1941, Everything possible was done by us to anticipate the present difficulties. Detailed plans and specifications were begun by the Triborough Bridge Authority long before the City acquired the land. Contracts have been let and work must proceed without any interruption if we are to be ready to open the missing link on May 30 of next year. This is an exceedingly complicated piece of parkway construction with many bridges and facilities for cars and pedestrians, landscaping, and even local play facilities. I do not know of another case of parkway construction where so many bridges have been built to facilitate access to the waterfront. It is obviously impossible for us to keep up with our construction schedule if every local resident who does not feel like moving can get a stay. It is essential that the sheriff proceeds to do his duty. These people have had several years of notice of this improvement. There is no mystery about it. The acquisition of this property and the building of the missing link was debated publicly over and over again, and there is no possible reason why every resident or property owner should not have made preparations to move long ago. If this kind of thing becomes a political football, the construction work cannot be done. The result will be that a very few obstinate people will interfere with the welfare of hundreds of thousands of travellers, visitors, fishermen and othor residents in this section who will have to go through another and much worse summor of traffic confusion and danger on Emmons Avenue if the missing link of the parkway is not completod at the beginning of next summer. This is another case where the community and the people of the City generally can't eat their cake and have it. - END - July 20, 1940 Sent to Brooklyn Daily Eagle ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Saturday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 July 20, 1940 The Department of Parks, City of New York, announces that entries for the Golf and Tennis Championships to be held as part of the City-Wide Sports Tournament, will close Sunday, July 21. Eligibility for the golf championships is confined to permit players among women and juniors on any of the ten courses operated by the City. Juniors must be under 18 years of age. The matches to establish the course championships will be 18 holes of medal play, to commence on Tuesday, July 23, and continue through Wednesday, July 24. Qualifiers, winners and runners-up will compete in the City-Wide Championships to be held at the Clearview Golf Course, Belt Parkway, Bayside, L. I., on Saturday, August 10. The match will be 36 holes of medal play for each division. Entries will be accepted by the supervisors of the various municipal courses up to closing time Sunday, July 21. Trophies and medals will be awarded to the winners and runners-up in both the course championships and City-Wide Championships, through the courtesy of the Park Association of New York City, Inc. The City-Wide Public Parks Tennis Championships is being conducted by the Department of Parks in cooperation with the New York Public Parks Tennis Association. It is open to all men, women and junior permit holders. The qualifying matches to establish the borough championships will be the best of three sets in men's singles, women's singles and juniors' singles. Play will begin Saturday, July 27, at 2 P.M. at the selected Municipal Courts and continue throughout the following day. If necessary, week day matches will be played at 6 P.M. Quarter-finalists will be qualified to participate in the City-Wide Championships to be held at Randall's Island, New York City, on Saturday, August 10. Eight from each borough will participate. The matches will comprise men's singles, women's singles and juniors' singles, best of three sets; men's semi-finals and finals, best of five sets. Joseph M. Carleton, President of the New York Public Parks Tennis Association, will be referee. Trophies will be awarded to the winners and runners-up of both tournaments by the Park Association of New York City, Inc. Entries may be submitted until closing time Sunday, July 21, to the attendants at the various Municipal Tennis Courts, or to the committeemen of the New York Public Parks Tennis Association. The qualifying tournaments will be held at the following Municipal Tennis Courts; Bronx: (Men) - Mullaly Park, 161 Street and Jerome Avenue (Women) - St. James Park, 193 Street and Jerome Avenue Brooklyn: (Men) - McKinley Park, 75 Street and 7 Avenue (Women) - Ft. Greene Park, DeKalb Avenue & Washington Park Manhattan: (Men and Women) - Central Park, 93 Street and West Drive Queens: (Men) - Forest Park, Park Lane South and 89 Street (Women) - Alley Pond Park, Grand Central Parkway and Northern Boulevard Richmond; (Men) - Walker Park, Bard Avenue and Delafield Place (Women) - Silver Lake, Hart Boulevard * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Friday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 July 19, 1940 The Department of Parks announces that the renovation of the bathhouse and swimming pool at 5 Rutgers place has been completed and that the facilities will be reopened to the public without ceremonies on July 19th. This bath was one of nine transferred from the jurisdiction of the Borough President of Manhattan to the Park Department by charter provision in 1938. The redesign and reconstruction planned by the park Department and performed by the Work Projects Administration with relief labor has increased the play and swimming facilities. Mechanical, purification and filtration equipment has been modernized and heating and ventilating equipment repaired. The roof of the bathhouse has been altered for use as a playground. The Board of Estimate has been requested to provide funds for the acquisition of adjacent private properties required in order to permit the opening of fdndows inside of the bathhouse for additional light and air, as well as for a small sitting park. The sitting area as planned will be landscaped, contain numerous benches, a surface of permanent material and a sand pit for small pre-school children to play in. The bathhouse and pool will be open daily from 10 A.M. to 10 P.M. The reopening of this facility makes a total of 333 new or reconstructed recreational areas completed by the Park Department since January 1, 1934. * * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Friday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 July 19, 1940 The Department of Parks announces that a kite flying contest for boys and girls between the ages of 8 and 14, will be held on Thursday, July 25 at 2 P.M. In the event of inclement weather, the contest will be held on July 26. The locations for these elimination contests are: Manhattan - Randall's Island Brooklyn - Long Meadow,. Prospect Park Bronx - Parade Grounds, Van Cortlandt Park Queens - Alley Pond Park, Grand Central Parkway, Northern Boulevard and 233 Street Richmond - Willowbrook Park, Richmond and Rockland Avenues, Staten Island The contestants will be required to fly a kite in a standing position with 100 yards of string and will be judged on the basis of altitude of the kite and the time required to fly the kite. Borough winners will receive medals for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places. Arrangements have also been made with the Boy Rangers of America to take the fifty best kitefliers of New York City to Montauk State Park, Montauk Point, L. I. on July 30. One adult will be permitted to accompany the children on this trip. These fifty finalists will also receive from the Boy Rangers, Benjamin Franklin Kite-Flying keys which symbolize the significance of kite-flying in the progress of civilization. Boys and girls desiring to compete should report on July 26th at 1:30 P.M. to the locations of the elimination contests. * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Friday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 July 19, 1940 More than eighty entries have been received for the Queens men's singles tennis tournament four days after the entry blanks were released. In 1939 the total number of contestants was only thirty-eight. The tournament is being held at Forest Park where seven clay courts are available. Play will start on Saturday, July 27. One of the first entries received was that of Nat Goldstein, Metropolitan Park titleholder and Brooklyn College captain. Goldstein will be favored to retain his title this year. He is an improved player and in the recent New York State championships held at the Seminole Club in Forest Hills, the stocky little lefthander reached the round of sixteen where it took a semi-finalist, Bob Harmon, to put him out. Harmon is co-holder of the intercollegiate doubles title. Another of the early entrants was Al Doyle of Woodhaven, who beat Goldstein for the Queens Championship a year ago in a five set, four hour match. Doyle lost to Goldstein in the Metropolitans however. These two rivals should again reach the finals at Forest Park, although there are several players entered who are capable of upsetting either or both. Among them are Jerry Norman of Flushing, one-time co-holder of the National Negro Mixed Doubles Championship, Vincent Paul, who reached the quarter-finals at Seminole, Joe Russo, Texas Christian University captain, and Frank Farrell, former North Carolina University player. * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Tuesday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 July 16, 1940 Mr. Allyn R. Jennings, General Superintendent of the Park Department, has resigned to become General Director of the Zoological Park in the Bronx and of the Aquarium, Mr. Harry Sweeny, Jr., one of our Park Directors, also goes to the Society as Assistant General Director. These changes have been made as part of a plan for coordinating the activities of these two institutions and the Park Department is glad to cooperate in this program. The New York Zoological Society has already announced the beginning of reconstruction of the Bronx Zoo and further progress and improvement will no doubt be announced from time to time. Mr. George S. Spargo, Executive Officer, will be the head of the permanent staff of the Park Department and its ranking officer. (Signed) ROBERT MOSES ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Saturday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 July 13, 1940 The Department of Paries announces a city-wide sports carnival consisting of golf, swimming and tennis eliminations and city-wide championships. This carnival of sports will start in July with golf eliminations, carry through with tennis at the city courts, and finally with swimming meets at the various outdoor Park Department swimming pools. These eliminations will culminate in a grand finale of championship events at the end of the season with a show at the Astoria Swimming Pool, Queens, at which time all city-wide awards will be made. Although many thousands of people make use of the revenue producing facilities for which a nominal charge is made, these are only a small percentage of the numbers that could be accommodated. Without doubt, there are many people in New York City not familiar with the facilities offered by the Department of Parks for the enjoyment of a pleasant, comfortable and healthful summer at a minimum cost. It is hoped that this carnival of sports will popularize and familiarize the general public with the recreation facilities which are available but are not used to their full capacity. The Park Association of New York City, Inc., a city-wide civic group interested in the preservation and extension of New York City Parks, at a special meeting of the Board of Directors, generously offered to sponsor this carnival and unanimously voted to purchase 7 permanent cups to be known as the Park Association Cups, and such medals that will be necessary. Should there be a sufficient public interest, the Park Association will seriously consider the possibility of presenting replicas of the cups in future years. The following is a schedule listing the various tournaments, qualification requirements, and the location and times at which the various eliminations will be held: ANNUAL SPORTS TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONSHIP SWIMMING MEET UNDER THE AUSPICES OF DEPARTMENT OF PARKS CITY OF NEW YORK FINALS TO BE HELD AT ASTORIA POOL 19th Street and 23rd Drive, Astoria, Queens FRIDAY, AUGUST 16th, at 8:30 P. M. and SATURDAY, AUGUST 17th, 1940 at 2 P.M. and 8 P.M. Sanctioned by the Metropolitan Association of the A.A.U., New York SCHEDULE OF TRIAL HEATS IN ALL EVENTS 1. A.A.U. DIVING SATURDAY, AUG. 10, at 1 P.M. SUNSET POOL, Brooklyn 2. NOVICE EVENTS MONDAY, AUG. 12, at 1 P.M. BETSY HEAD POOL, Brooklyn 3. Y.M.C.A. EVENTS TUESDAY, AUG. 13, at 7:30 P.M. McCARREN POOL, Brooklyn 4. MUNICIPAL DEPT. WEDNESDAY, AUG. 14 at 7:30 P.M. CROTONA POOL, Bronx 5. A.A.U. SWIMMING THURSDAY, AUG. 15, at 7:30 P.M. HIGHBRIDGE POOL, Manhattan IMPORTANT TO CONTESTANTS All Contestants Who Qualify in the Trial Heats Will Be Notified as to Time and Day of Finals in Their Events PRIZES Handsome Cups will be awarded to Team and Pentathlon Winners Park Association Medals will be awarded to 1st, 2nd and 3rd in all events including A.A.U. Medals in Championship Events ALL ENTRIES CLOSE ON AUGUST 4th, 1940 ADDRESS ALL ENTRIES TO: Vic Zoble, Supervisor, Astoria Pool, Department of Parks, Queens, New York City GENERAL INFORMATION THIS SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIP IS THE FINAL EVENT OF THE "ANNUAL SPORTS TOURNAMENT" SPONSORED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF PARKS Trophies will be awarded to the individual Pentathlon winners and also to the Team winner in the follow ing four classes: 1. Men's A.A.U. Championship 3. Y.M.C.A. 2. Women's A.A.U. Championship 4. Municipal Departmental POINT SCORE FOR TEAM TROPHIES Points will be awarded in the following order in the Relays and Pentathlon: 10 points for 1st 4 points for 4th 8 points for 2nd 2 points for 5th 6 points for 3rd In the individual events points will be scored as follows: 6 points for 1st place 2 points for 4th place 4 points for 2nd place 1 point for 5th place 3 points for 3rd place A.A.U. CHAMPIONSHIPS and PENTATHLON EVENTS count in point score ENTRANTS ARE LIMITED TO 2 EVENTS AND 1 RELAY EVENTS GROUP 1 The following events will be open to all MEN swimmers registered with the A.A.U. whether they represent a club or are competing unattached: 1. 100 Meters Free Style SENIOR METROPOLITAN CHAMPIONSHIP 2. 100 Meters Back Stroke SENIOR METROPOLITAN CHAMPIONSHIP 3. 100 Meters Breast Stroke Open 4. 300 Meters Medley Relay SENIOR METROPOLITAN CHAMPIONSHIP 5. 200 Meters Free Style Relay Open 6. Springboard Diving--3 Meter Board 5 Optionals (No Required Dives) 7. Pentathlon Championship Trophy to Winner Pentathlon Events: 100 Meters Free Style 100 Meters Back Stroke 50 Meters Breast Stroke 150 Meters Medley Springboard Diving, 3 Meter Board, 3 Optionals only GROUP 2 The following events will be open to all WOMEN swimmers registered with the A.A.U. whether they represent a club or are competing unattached: 1. 100 Meters Free Style N. Y. STATE CHAMPIONSHIP 2. 100 Meters Back Stroke N. Y. STATE CHAMPIONSHIP 3. 100 Meters Breast Stroke Open 4. 150 Meters Medley Relay Open 5. 200 Meters Free Style Relay Open 6. Springboard Diving--3 Meter Board 5 Optionals (No Required Dives) 7. Pentathlon Championship Trophy to Winner Pentathlon Events: 100 Meters Free Style 100 Meters Back Stroke 50 Meters Breast Stroke 150 Meters Medley Springboard Diving, 3 Meter Board, 3 Optionals only GROUP 3 The following events will be open to all members of the Young Men's Christian Association in the United States and Canada: 1. 100 Meters Free Style 2. 100 Meters Back Stroke 3. 100 Meters Breast Stroke 4. 200 Meters Free Style Relay 5. Springboard Diving, 3 Meter Board, 4 Optionals (No Required Dives) GROUP 4 The following events are open to all male employees of the City of New York: 1. 100 Meters Free Style Municipal Departmental Championship 2. 50 Meters Back Stroke Municipal Departmental Championship 3. 50 Meters Breast Stroke Municipal Departmental Championship 4. 200 Meters Relay Municipal Departmental Championship GROUP 5 The following events are open to all Novice swimmers and divers: 1. 100 Meters Free Style for Boys 17 years and under 2. 50 Meters Back Stroke for Boys years and under 3. 50 Meters Breast Stroke for Boys years and under 4. Springboard diving for Boys years and under--3 Meter Board-- 4 optionals (No required dives) 5. 50 Meters Free Style for Girls 17 years and under 6. 50 Meters Back Stroke for Girls 17 years and under 7. 50 Meters Breast Stroke for Girls 17 years and under 8. 50 Meters Free Style for Boys 13 years and under 9. 50 Meters Free Style for Girls 13 years and under 10. 25 Meters Free Style for Children (Boys and Girls) 10 years and under Tear off here TO: DEPT. OF PARKS DATE: Directors of Sports Tournament, N. Y. C. Please enter me in the following events: If diving, list optionals on back of sheet. 1. 2. 3. 4. In consideration of your accepting this entry I hereby, for myself, my heirs, executors and administrators waive and release any and all rights and claims for damages I may have against the Department of Parks, City of New York, the Directors of this meet, their agents, representatives, and assigns, for any and all injuries suffered by me at said Swimming Meet. Competitor's Name: Age: Address: Name of Club: A.A.U. Reg. No.: No entry fees will be charged for open A.A.U. events, but A.A.U. rules require an entry fee for Metropolitan and State Championships. These fees, 50c for individual events and $1.50 for relay events must be mailed together with entry directly to Metropolitan Association of A.A.U., Woolworth Building, New York City. All other entries to be mailed as indicated on entry blanks. Directors of Meet: Vic Zoble, Supervisor Park Operations, Department of Parks Lee Starr, Supervisor Park Operations, Department of Parks ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- This 1940 Sports Tournament sponsored by the Department of Parks is the first of 25 Annual Tournaments intended to familiarize the people of New York City with the facilities provided by this Department for their enjoyment and to promote active healthful sports among the City's younger generation. Following is a list of the facilities available: MANHATTAN: SWIMMING POOLS Hamilton Fish Pool East Houston and Sheriff Streets Colonial Pool Bradhurst Ave., W. 145th to 147th Sts. Highbridge Pool Amsterdam Ave. and 173rd St. Thos. Jefferson Pool 111th to 114th Sts. and First Ave. 23rd Street Pool 23rd St. and East River Drive Carmine Street Pool Clarkson St. and 7th Ave. 60th Street Pool 60th St. between Amsterdam and 11th Aves. John Jay Pool 78th St. and East River Drive BROOKLYN: Sunset Pool 7th Ave. and 43rd St. McCarren Pool Driggs Ave. and Lorimer St. Red Hook Pool Clinton, Bay and Henry Sts. Betsy Head Pool Hopkinson, Dumont and Livonia Aves. BRONX: Crotona Pool 173rd St. and Fulton Ave. QUEENS: Astoria Pool 19th St. and 23rd Drive RICHMOND: Faber Pool Faber St. between Richmond Terrace & Kill Van Kull Tompkinsville Pool Arietta St. at Pier No. 6 BROOKLYN: GOLF COURSES Dyker Beach Golf Course 86th St. and 7th Ave. BRONX: Van Cortlandt Golf Course 242nd St. and Broadway, Van Cortlandt Park Mosholu Golf Course Jerome Ave. and Holley Lane at Woodlawn Pelham-Split Rock Golf Course Shore Road, North of Hutchinson River Parkway, Pelham Bay Park QUEENS: Clearview Golf Course Belt Parkway, Bayside Kissena Golf Course North Hempstead Turnpike & Fresh Meadow, Flushing Forest Park Golf Course Park Lane South and Forest Parkway in Forest Park RICHMOND: Silver Lake Golf Course Silver Lake Park on Victory Boulevard & Park Road LaTourette Golf Course Forest Hill Road and London Road TENNIS COURTS Manhattan has 103 Tennis Courts Bronx has 105 Tennis Courts Brooklyn has 125 Tennis Courts Queens has 148 Tennis Courts Richmond has 13 Tennis Courts OPTIONAL DIVES List Type of Execution (a-b-c) 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ENTRY BLANK FOR CITY-WIDE MUNICIPAL GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPS OMITTED - SEE PDF. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Saturday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 July 13, 1940 The Park Department announces that a monster track meet for boys and girls of the Park playgrounds will be held at Randall's Island on Saturday, July 13 a t 2:00 P.M. The events on the program will be : Events for Boys Events for Girls 85 lb. class - 50 yd. dash 85 lb. class - 40 yd dash Potato race Egg & speon race Potato race 100 lb. class - Broad jump 60 yd. dash 110 lb. class - 50 yd. dash Basketball throw I2O lb. class - 70 yd. dash (for distance) High jump Unlimited class- 60 yd. dash Unlimited class-100 yd. dash ½ mile run Relay Events Unlimited Mixed Relay 100 lb. class - 220 yds. Girl - 55 yds. Boy - 110 yds. 180 lb. class - 440 yds. Girl - 55 yds. Boy - 220 yds. Unlimited class- 880 yds. Thousands of children have already competed in the various preliminary playground and district competitions held prior to the borough eliminations conducted during June. The Park Department Band will play for the procession of athletes and during periods between events. Gold, silver and bronze medals will be awarOed to the win- ners of each event. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Thursday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 July 11, 1940 The Department of Parks announces the completion of the reconstruction of the north section of Lincoln Terrace Park, Rochester Avenue, Eastern Parkway and Buffalo Avenue, Brooklyn. The reopening of this area, without ceremony on July 11, designed by the Department of Parks and performed by the Work Projects Administration, completes the reconstruction of the entire park. This hilly portion of the parks has been redesigned with broad sloping lawns and wide circuitous walks generously lined with continuous rows of benches. On the Rochester Avenue side of the park opposite Union Street, games tables have been provided for checker and chess players, many of i«hom have found quiet recreation in this park during recent years. New park lighting has been installed as well as numerous trees and shrubs planted, all in accordance with the landscape scheme. On the east side of Buffalo Avenue, a new brick building provides a headquarters for the park maintenance force, and storage for the concessionaire serving the public using the park. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Thursday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 July 11, 1940 The Park Department announces that fifteen running tracks throughout the City will be made available to bicyclists on Friday, July 12, 1940. Followers of this sport have increased in geometric progression in recent years. In 1932, bicycle sales totalled 180,000. Today, almost ten times as many sales are reported. The majority of the followers of this sport are youngsters of elementary and high school age. With the schools closed for the summer, the Park Department recognized the need for taking the thousands of the City's children off the congested city streets where they face the menace of injury, and create additional hazards to motorists. A study of recreational facilities in parks revealed less intensive use of running tracks during the summer months by the track teams of elementary schools, high schools and other organizations. In order to satisfy the persistent, urgent demands for additional local bicycling facilities, the running tracks at the following locations will be made available to bicyclists on the days specified and during the hours designated: (see attached) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Description Location Hours of Usage Manhattan Weekdays 8AM to 3:30PM Riverside Park Riverside Drive and 74 Street All day Sat and Sun East River Park 9 Street and East River Drive Weekdays 9AM to 12 Noon East River Park Paths Between Broome and Canal Sts Daily: All day Roosevelt Park Roller Hester and Canal Streets Mon, Wed, Fri All day Skating Track Brooklyn Betsy Hoad Playground Dumont and Hopkinson Avos. ) Weekdays 8 AM to 3 PM McCarren Park Driggs Ave. and Lorimer St .) Saturdays 8 AM to 1 PM Playground Neptune Ave. and West 25 St.) 7 PM to Dusk Street ) Sundays 8 AM to 11 AM Red Hook Recreational Foot of Henry St. on } Area Gowanus Bay ) Queens Liberty Park Liberty Ave between 172 Daily 8AM to 11AM and 173 Streets Astoria Park Ditmars Boulevard, 19 St., Daily 8AM to 11AM 25 Ave. and East River Victory Field Forest Park, Woodhaven Daily 8AM to 11AM Blvd. and Myrtle Ave. Jackson Heights 25 to 30 Aves.; 84 to 85 Daily 3:30 PM to 5:30PM playground Streets Bronx Williamsbridge 208 Street and Bainbridge Daily 8 AM to 12 Noon Playground Ave. 6 P.M. to Dark Van Cortlandt Park 241 Street and-Broadway Daily: 8A.M. to 12 Noon Macombs Dam Park l6l St. and River Ave Weekdays 8 AM to 12Noon Rice Stadium Pelham Bay Park, Middletown Weekdays 3 P.M. to Dark Road and Eastern Boulevard Saturdays 9 AM to 1 PM (Not on holidays) At all other times during the day the running tracks will revert to their regular track and field uses. Paths previously available to cyclists are located at: Borough Location Manhattan Central Park - 104 Street Cross Road Central Park - North End of Center Drive Riverside Park - 82 to 91 Street along east side of the mall Riverside Park - 101 to 106 Streets (The paths in Riverside Park are available for use all day on weekdays and until noon on Saturdays) Brooklyn Prospect Park - Central and Well House Drive Ocean Parkway - Park Circle to Coney Island Marine Park at Avenue IT &Gerritsen Avenue Coney Island Boardwalk (Fall, winter and spring only) Daily to 1 P.M. Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays to 11 A.M. Queens Alley Pond Motor Parkway at Winchester Boulevard Hollis Bicycle for Hire at a charge of 25¢ per hour, $2.00 deposit is required. Transportation from Manhattan: 8th Ave. Subway to Sutphin Boulevard, or Jamaica Line of the B.M.T. to Sutphin Boulevard. At Sutphin Boulevard take Bellerose Bus to Springfield Boulevard and Hillside Avenue. Walk east to Winchester Boulevard, turn north, 5 minute walk to Alley Pond Park. Subway Fare - 5¢. Bus Fare - 5¢. Brookville Park - 149th Avenue to Sunrise Highway, East of 216th Street Jackson Creek Boat Basin near 95th Street at LaGuardia Airport to the World's Fair Boat Basin at Northern Boulevard. (May be reached from the 94th Street bridge on the west end, and from Northern Boulevard and Grand Central Parkway Extension from the east) Rockaway Beach Boardwalk (Fall, winter and spring only) Daily to 1 P.M. Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays to 11 A.M. Bronx Aqueduct Property (Van Cortlandt Park) - Gun Hill Road to County Line Roads in Claremont Park, Mt. Eden and Teller Avenues (Closed temporarily on account of construction) Closed roads in Crotona Park, East of Crotona Avenue (Closed temporarily on account of construction) St. Mary's Park - East Mall St. Mary's Street to 148 Street Richmond Franklin D. Roosevelt Boardwalk, South Beach Fall, winter and spring only Daily to 1 P.M. Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays to 11 A.M. Silver Lake Park around the Reservoir, Victory Boulevard and Forest Avenue. In addition bicycle trails are being constructed in connection with the Belt Parkway along the Narrows, Jamaica Bay and Little Neck Bay in Brooklyn and Queens by the Work Projects Administration, These paths will be ready for use early next summer. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Wednessday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 July 10, 1940 Bids were received yesterday by the Department of Parks at the Arsenal Building, Central Park on contract work in the vicinity of Fort Totten, Borough of Queens, in connection with the construction of the new Belt Parkway which was formally opened to traffic on June 29, 1940. The work under this contract consists of the construction of a bituminous macadam sidewalk leading to the Fort Totten entrances; a concrete retaining wall at Millet's Point Boulevard between. Utopia Parkway and 200th Street; and drainage work consisting of cobble gutters and necessary catch basins. The three low bidders for the work were as follows} 1. Frank Mascali & Sons, Inc. $7,690.00 4634 Third Avenue, The Bronx 2. Murphy-Persicano Construction Company, Inc. 7,987.50 86-05 Justice Avenue Elmhurst, Long Island, N.Y. 3. Ross Galvanizing Works, Inc. 8,276.00 395 Kent Avenue Brooklyn, N.Y. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Wednesday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 July 10, 1940 The Newbold Morris Golf Trophy, upon which will be inscribed the names of the next sixty annual winners of the New York City Golf Championship, together with a replica of the trophy to be awarded each annual winner, was placed on display at the Clearview Clubhouse, Belt Parkway, Bayside, Queens, on Saturday, July 6. It will remain on exhibition at that clubhouse during the balance of the present week. During each of the following weeks it will be displayed in the clubhouses of the following golf courses operated by the Park Department. July 13 to 20 - the Van Cortlandt Course, 242nd Street and Broadway, Van Cortlandt Park. July 21 to 27 - the Kissena Course, North Hempstead Turnpike and Fresh Meadow Road, Flushing. July 28 to August 3 - LaTourette Course, Forest Hill Road and London Road, Richmond. August 4 to 10 - Mosholu Course, Jerome Avenue and Holley Lane, Woodlawn, Bronx. August 11 to 17 - Forest Park Course, Park Lane South and Forest Parkway in Forest Park, Queens, This tournament is open to men. Prizes are also to be awarded to the champions of each of the respective courses competing, with medals to the runners-up. A trophy will be presented to the low-gross team of four representing a single course. The members of each of these teams will receive medal awards. From September 14 to September 22, the trophy will be on display at the Dyker Beach Clubhouse, 86 Street and 7th Avenue, Brooklyn, at which course the semi-final and final rounds will be held on September 21 and 22. * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Tuesday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 July 9, 1940 The Department of Parks announces that commencing Wednesday evening, July 10th, at 9:00 P. M. there will be fireworks at Jacob Riis Park every Wednesday evening during July and August. These displays are presented with the cooperation of the Triborough Bridge Authority. Before and after the fireworks there is free dancing on the Mall. Ample parking space is available. Jacob Riis Park is reached by Flatbush Avenue and the Marine Parkway Bridge; also, Cross Bay Boulevard and Cross Bay Parkway Bridge. All of these traffic arteries connect directly with the new Belt Parkway which was opened to the public on June 29, 1940. * * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Saturday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 July 6, 1940 The Department of Parks announces the reopening without ceremonies of the reconstructed Annunciation Playground at Amsterdam Avenue and West 135th Street, Manhattan, on Saturday, July 6. This 1.2 acre reconstructed area designed by the Park Department and constructed by the Work Projects Administration with relief labor, now provides for greater recreational usage throughout the year. The old earth surface rendered unusable after heavy rain and periods of thaw, has been covered with bituminous material. It now contains a new modern comfort station and a completely equipped small children's playground, a large free play area ?dLth removable basketball standards to permit soft ball playing and other group games as well as roller skating and ice skating in the winter when subfreezing temperatures permit. The perimeter of the playground and the easterly portion of the area adjacent to the Croton Aqueduct Gate House have been landscaped. Continuous rows of concrete benches under shade trees have been provided for mothers and guardians of children. The reopening of this playground makes a total of 332 new or reconstructed recreational areas completed by the Park Department since January 1, 1934. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Friday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 July 5, 1940 The Department of Parks announces that the city-wide finals of the Horseshoe Pitching Tournament, singles and doubles, for boys and young men past 17 years of age, will take place at Circle Lawn, Central Park, 106 Street and West Drive, on Saturday, July 6, at 1:00 P.M. Each borough has been conducting inter-playground and inter-district horseshoe pitching contests, during the past six weeks, to determine its winner and runner-up in both the singles and doubles division, for the inter-borough competition on Saturday. Gold and silver medals will be awarded to those who attain 1st and 2nd place in the finals, both singles and doubles; bronze medals will be awarded to the borough winners. * * * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Wednesday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 July 3, 1940 The Department of Parks announces that the children of 22 Park Department playgrounds will celebrate the anniversary of their official opening to the public by participating in special programs of recreational acitivies. While handball and shuffleboard tournaments, softball games, track meets, roller skating contests and wading pool games will form part of the activities, the programs will feature a variety of other events, including magic shows, birthday skits, musical selections by children's bands, folk dancing, community singing of patriotic songs and group games. The July schedule for playground birthday celebrations is as follows: Time of Borough Playground Location Opened Celebration Manhattan 74 Street and Riverside Drive July 11, 1937 2:00PM McCray Playground - W. 138 Street between July 15, 1934 2:00PM 5th and Lenox Avenues Sauer Playground - E. 12 Street between July 15, 1934 2:00PM Avenues A and B 148 Street and Riverside Drive July 24, 1938 2:00PM East River Park, Eist River Drive & 12 St. July 27, 1939 2:00PM St. Gabriel's Playground, E. 35 Street and First Avenue July 31, 1936 2:00PM Brooklyn Pitkin and New Jersey Avenues July 28, 1937 10:00AM New York and Clarkson Avenues July 4 , 1938 3:00PM Lafayette and Reid Avenues July 25, 1937 2:00PM Sheridan Playground, Grand Street near Wythe Avenue July 16, 1934 6:00PM Howard Avenue, Pacific and Dean Streets July 30, 1937 2:00PM ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Wednesday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 July 3, 1940 The Department of Parks announces that special patriotic programs have been prepared for the children of Park Department playgrounds, in. commemoration of "Independence Day", Thursday, July 4. Track and field meets, handball and softball games, paddle tennis contests and wading pool demonstrations will form part of the programs. Special emphasis, however, will be placed on the historical significance of July 4th by such activities as: the reading of the Declaration of Independence, community and solo singing of the national anthem and other patriotic songs, pledges of allegiance and magic shows, exemplifying patriotism. Fourth of July will be celebrated on the Mall, Central Park, 71 Street and Center Drive, by a concert to be given at 8:15 p. M. by the Naumberg Orchestra, with Eugene Fuerst as conductor and Jeanne Palmer, soprano, as soloist. This is the second of a series of four memorial concerts contributed each summer season by Walter and George Naumberg in memory of their father, Elkan Naumberg, who donated the bandstand on the Mall. The fourth of a series of 20 concerts sponsored by the Associated Musicians of Greater New York, Local 802, Mayor La Guardia and Friedsam Foundation will also be given on July 4 at 8:30 P. M. at East River Park, Stanton Street and East River, Manhattan. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Wednesday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 July 3, 1940 Some time ago the question was raised with regard to permits for speakers in Columbus Circle. The Corporation Counsel has rendered the attached opinion on this subject ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- COPY THE CITY OP NEW YORK LAW DEPARTMENT Office of the Corporation Counsel William C. Chanler Corporation Counsel New York, June 26, 1940 57512 Hon. Robert Moses, Commissioner of Parks. Sir: I am in receipt of your communication of May 7, 1940, reading as follows: "I have your letter of May 1 stating that, in your opinion, this Department has no control over Columbus Circle and that jurisdiction of this area lies with the President of the Borough of Manhattan. In view of the provisions of Chapter 21, Section 532, paragraph 5 of the City Charter, there still seems to be some ambiguity as to the extent of the jurisdiction of this Department. I should appreciate a further opinion defining more exactly the limits of jurisdiction of the Park Department as to the area around the Columbus monument, the sidewalks and other areas at the 8th Avenue entrance to Central Park adjacent to the Maine Monument, and as to the jurisdiction of this Department, if any, over the use of Columbus Circle itself, not only by miscellaneous orators and their audiences, but also by peddlers, street hawkers and other Commercial and advertising enterprises." The problems you raise have been carefully considered by me not only from the theoretical angle of statutory intent but also from the practical angle of efficient administration. My Interpretation of the Charter has been supplemented by actual inspection of the Columbus Circle area. The general duties and powers of the Park Commissioner, as enumerated in subdivisions 1 and 5 of Section 532 of the New York City Charter, are limited by an "except as otherwise provided by law" provision. As a result of this proviso, the jurisdiction of your department over such an area as Columbus Circle must be read in the light of all other applicable provisions of law. In 1866, the area now known as Columbus Circle was designated a public place under the exclusive control and management of the Park Department. In 1913, the jurisdiction over that area was transferred to the Borough President of Manhattan for the purpose of concentrating in a single authority the responsibility for pavement conditions in the borough. This transfer was effected by a resolution of the Board of Estimate and Apportionment, concurred in by the Board of Aldermen and approved by the Mayor on August 14, 1913, in pursuance of the authority granted by Section 243-a of the Greater New York Charter (Section 69-1,0 of the present Administrative Code). Since this resolution only transferred the streets in that area, Columbus Monument and the grassplot, fence and sidewalk encircling it are still under your jurisdiction. The balance of Columbus Circle is now cleaned by the Department of Sanitation, paved and repaired by the Borough President of Manhattan and patrolled by the Police Department, especially to the extent of regulating meetings. While Columbus Monument and its encircling area, as described above, and the sidewalks and other areas at the Eighth Avenue entrance to Central Park adjacent to the Maine Monument are within the Park Department's jurisdiction, nevertheless the Police Department has the power and duty to patrol that area. By the terms of Section 435 of the Charter, the Police Department definitely has the responsibility for controlling all meetings and regulating itinerant peddlers and street hawkers, and the power to disband all assemblaged which obstruct the free passage of sidewalks and public places. Yours truly, / s / W. C. CHANLER Corporation Counsel. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Monday TEL. REGENT 4-1000 July 1, 1940 Bids were received today by the Department of Parks at the Arsenal Building for the contract in connection with the general park development of East River Park from Grand Street to Montgomery Street, Borough of Manhattan. Other contracts in connection with this improvement have already been let. Under this contract the contractor will grade the area, provide subsurface drainage and water system; construct necessary paths, walks and curbing; erect benches, fence, playground equipment and incidental structures. When completed, the East River waterfront from Montgomery to 12th Streets will have a modern park containing many types of recreational facilities. The portion of the park north of Grand Street previously completed has been in use for about a year. The three low bidders for the work are as followss 1. John Meehan & Son $293,435.00 90 West Street, New York City 2. Ross Galvanizing Works, Inc. 294,650.82 395 Kent Avenue, Brooklyn, N.Y. 3. Frank Mascali & Sons, Inc. 302,454.50 4634 Third Avenue, The Bronx, N. Y. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------