NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF PARKS PRESS RELEASES, JANUARY-JUNE 1941
http://home2.nyc.gov/html/records/pdf/govpub/41961941_press_releases_part1.pdf
Text extracted from PDF scan by pdftotext 3.03.
Corrected by Frank da Cruz, June 2014.
Original order preserved (reverse chronological).
Paragraphs reformatted by recombining hyphenated words and filling to 78 cols.
Duplicate entries omitted.
Tabs converted to spaces.
Coding: ISO 8859-1 (for cent signs and some fractions).
Note: Thursday January 25 was really January 23 [typo in original].
Search Terms relevant to New Deal:
WPA [11]
W.P.A. [2]
relief funds [2]
Work Projects [24]
relief workers [1]
federal assistance [1]
federal government [4]
New Deal Projects in this archive:
27 Jan 1941 Manhattan Installation of Dodge statue in Bryant Park.
14 Mar 1941 Bronx Reconstruction of Owen F. Dolen Park
12 Apr 1941 Brooklyn New playground at Avenue H and Kings Highway.
19 Apr 1941 Brooklyn New bleachers and fence in City Park.
22 Apr 1941 Manhattan Restoration of General Worth memorial.
23 Apr 1941 Brooklyn New playground and athletic field by Lincoln H.S.
28 May 1941 Queens Three new play areas in Forest Park.
30 May 1941 Manhattan Peter Stuyvesant monument and park.
5 Jun 1941 Brooklyn New playground on Avenue V between 13th-14th Streets.
5 Jun 1941 Manhattan Reconstructed playground in St. Catherine's Park.
13 Jun 1941 Bronx Reconstructed playground on Strong and 197th Streets.
14 Jun 1941 Manhattan Reconstructed playground in Inwood Hill Park.
18 Jun 1941 Queens Eight new ball fields and two locations.
20 Jun 1941 Manhattan New playground in Central Park at West 76th Street.
21 Jun 1941 Manhattan Reconstruction of John J. Murphy Playground.
22 Jun 1941 Bronx North Bronx Park (playgrounds, paths, athletic fields).
23 Jun 1941 Queens New playground at Steinway Street and 35th Avenue.
24 Jun 1941 Brooklyn Rehabilitation of Betsy Head Park.
25 Jun 1941 Bronx New playground in Bronx Park at 227th Street.
27 Jun 1941 Bronx Opening of 3 reconstructed playgrounds in Crotona Park.
27 Jun 1941 Bronx Opening of 7 new playgrounds in Crotona Park.
27 Jun 1941 Brooklyn Reconstruction of playground on Prospect Avenue.
5 Jun 1941 Manhattan Three new playgrounds in Washington Square Park.
All year (All) WPA Federal Music Concerts
(begin archive)
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Index January - June
1941
1/3/41 1 Celebrations at opening of three new parks
1/8/41 2 Opening ceremonies for ice and roller rinks at Flushing Meadow
1/9/41 3 Bids for lighting of Flushing Meadow Park
1/ll/41 4 Bids for general construction, lighting, and planting
City Park in Brooklyn
1/11/41 5 Ice skating exhibition in Flushing Meadow Park
l/l4/41 6 Highbridge play center activities extended to adults
1/17/41 7 New Jersey State Building in Flushing Meadow
1/18/41 8 Finals of lational Indoor Singles Paddle Tennis Championships
1/22/41 9 Flushing Meadow roller and ice rink events
l/24/41 10 Bids for plumbing and ventilating and electrical work on
swimming pool in New York state building, Flushing Meadow Park
1/25/41 11 Three new pelicans to replace old-timer
1/26/41 12 Pedestrian Overpass 148th Street
1/27/41 13 Dodge Statue--Bryant Park
1/27/41 l4 Memorial Flagpoles Central Public Library and Mitchel Square
1/31/41 15 Bids for improvement of Jacob Eiis Park
2/2/41 16 Bids received in connection with improvement of Flushing Meadow
Park east of Grand Central Parkway extension between the Long
Island RR and Horace Harding Boulevard
2/4/41 17 Bids received on lighting part of Flushing Meadow Park
between Long Island RR and Horace Harding Boulevard east
of Grand Central Parkway extension
2/7/41 18 Schedule for demonstartion of recreational activities in
various gumnasiums and indoor pools, Feb. 7-19
2/17/41 19 Memorandum on Park Department Budget Request for 1941-42
2/20/41 20 Awards for city-wide contest in snow sculpture and architecture.
2/22/41 21 Schedule for lational Indoor Singles Paddle Tennis Championship,
February 22
3/5/41 22 Bids for improvement of Flushing Meadow Park in area
adjoining N.Y. State Exhibition Building
3/7/41 23 Bronze plaque placed on west face of base of Obelisk
in Central Park--Cleopatra's needle
3/8/41 24 Announcement of Tri-State Indoor Speed Ice Skating
Championships, March 9, 1941
3/10/41 25 Supplementary Statement with Reference to Castle Garden
as an immigration station
3/10/41 26 Explanation of l847 Board of Emigration Commissioners
and its makeup.
3/l4/41 27 Announcement of completion of reconstruction at Owen
F. Dolen Park, the Bronx
3/l4/41 28 Announcement of seasonal golf and tennis permits
3/16/41 29 Completion and opening of new playground east of the
Fort Hamilton High School
3/17/41 30 Schedule of recreational activities at three parks
3/l8/41 31 Bids opened for testing data in connection with bridge
consturction at Marine Park in Staten Island
3/2l/41 32 Bids received for construction of bridge over Grand Central
Parkway Extension plus paving and landscape work
3/25/41 33 Bids opened for further improvement of Flushing Meadow Park
3/27/41 34 Two flagpoles--Fifth Avenue side N.Y» Public Library
--Memorial to James Purroy Mitchel
4/1/41 35 Anniversary of opening of 12 Park Department play-
grounds to be celebrated by Birthday Pary programs
4/2/41 36 Regulations for planting of trees in Hew York
4/2/41 3@A Announcement that 138,926 people have used roller and
ice skating rinks in Flushing Meadow Park since January (missing)
4/2/41 37 Bids for contract for slope protection on Cross Bay
Boulevard
4/8/41 39 Bids for transplanting 60 trees from construction area
4/8/41 39 Opening of Easter Flower Exhibit on April 11
4/10/41 40 Bids for construction to Connection Highway at Intersection
with Grand Central Parkway Extension
4/12/41 41 Bids for pairing, drainage and grading of part of South
Service Boad of Grand Central Parkway
4/12/41 42 Schedule of events such as tournaments and athletic
meets for spring season of 1941
4/12/41 43 Completion and opening of playground at Avenue H in
Brooklyn
4/14/41 44 Bids for slope protection work on Cross Island section
of Belt Parkway
4/l8/41 45 After April 20, ice skating discontinued at City Building,
Flushing Meadow Park
4/19/41 46 Erection of chain link fence and 1500 bleachers at City
Building, Flushing Meadow Park
4/l9/41 47 Finals of One Act Plays contest on April 20 at 2 pm
4/22/41 48 General Worth Obelisk cleaned after 84 years
4/23/41 49 Opening of new playground and athletic field West
Avenue, West 5th Street, Ocean and Belt Parkways
4/23/41 50 7th Annual Championship in Barber Shop Quartet on
Mall, Central Park June 19
4/25/41 51 Opening of bids on 2 contracts for alterations to N.J.
Building on former Worlds Fair site
4/27/41 52 Two steel flagpoles and plaques as memorial to John
Purroy Mitchel, former N.Y. City Mayor completed
4/28/41 53 Completion of developing lake area in Crocheron Park West
4/28/41 54 Bids at U.S. Engineers office for work dredging Great
Kills Harbor, Staten Island
4/29/41 55 Contract for lighting part of Flushing Meadow Park-Queens
4/30/41 56 Flagpoles and plaques as memorial of Mitchel completed
(already released above 4/27/41)
5/1/41 57 Opening of Claremont Inn on Riverside Drive for dinner
and dancing
5/1/41 58 Recreation area in Prospect Park completed
5/1/41 59 Children of 20 Park Department playgrounds celebrate
anniversary of their official opening.
5/2/41 60 Contract bids opened for electrical work and heating
facilities for alteration of former Hew Jersey Building at
Flushing Meadow
5/4/41 61 Gowanus Parkway Extension of Belt Parkway progressing;
linkage with Third Avenue discussed
5/7/41 62 Ex-Governor Alfred E. Smith arrangements for donation of
five elks to Central Park Zoo
5/9/41 63 Opening of pitch and putt golf course at Jacob Riis Park
5/9/41 64 Spring summer schedule for Roller Rink at New York
City Building at Flushing Meadow
5/19/41 65 Completion of city-wide tree planting program discussed
5/20/41 66 Announcement of "tennis clinic" schedule sponsored by
Parks Department and U.S. Lawn Tennis Association
5/20/41 67 Reopening of Tavern-On-the-Green announced
5/22/41 68 Discussion in letter from Robert Moses of the classification by
court ruling of Stuyvesant Park
5/23/41 69 Announcement of Model Sail and Motor Boat rqees at Conservatory
Lake, 72nd Street and Fifth Avenue
5/23/41 70 Announcement of Spring-Stammer schedule of puppeteers
5/23/41 71 Announcement of City-wide finals of annual marble tournament made
5/26/41 72 Opening of 16 outdoor swimming pools announced
5/28/41 73 Opening of three new play areas in Fores Park, Queens
5/29/41 74 Announcement of schedule (summer) of four Naumberg Memorial
Concerts to be held on the Mall, Central Park
5/30/41 75 Opening of permanent boathouse facilities of John Jay
Pool announced
5/30/41 76 Announcement of four independent series of outdoor
concerts by the Goldman Band, Naumberg Orchestra, Amateur
City Symphony Orchestra, and the New York City WPA Federal
Music Project. Schedule attached.
5/30/41 77 Erection of statue of Peter Stuyvesant in Stuyvesant
Square Park announced. Diseussion of history of statue.
6/2/41 78 Annual "Learn to Swim" campaign begins
6/2/41 79 Outdoor social season opens, June 3, 8:30pm
6/4/41 80 Ceremonies will take place in connection with statue of Peter
Stuyvesant presentation.
6/4/41 81 (2nd release - note to disregard first one) ceremonies will take
place in connection with presentation of statue of Peter
Stuyvesant by Netherland-America foundation.
6/5/41 82 Installation of 3 small marginal playgrounds begun with W.P.A.
in Washington Square Park
6/5/41 83 Recreation building and comfort station Seward Park
6/5/41 84 New playground in Brooklyn
6/5/41 85 Reconstruction of playground at St. Catherine's Park completed
6/6/41 86 Finals of the handball tournament in North Meadow
6/6/41 87 Second concert of the Childrens Orchestra
6/6/41 87a Boys and Girls citywide athletic meet at Triborough Stadium
6/8/41 88 Opening of the first section of the bicycle path
6/12/41 89 Finals of barbershop quartet contest
6/13/41 90 Redesigning of play area or reservoir completed
6/13/41 91 Schedule of special events for summer season
6/14/41 92 Reconstruction of Inwood Hill Park playground completed
6/16/41 93 Softball games at Riis Park to start
6/18/41 94 2 new recreation areas completed in Queens
6/20/41 95 Completion of new playground in Central Park
6/20/41 96 Dance festival on Sheep Meadow
6/21/41 97 Opening of John J. Murphy Playground
6/21/41 98 Pools open later due to heat wave
6/22/41 99 Northern s ction of Bronx Park completed
6/23/41 100 New playground at Steinway Street
6/24/41 101 Work completed at Betsy Head Park
6/25/41 102 New playground on Bronx River Parkway opened
6/26/41 103 Barbershop quartet singing championship
6/27/41 104 Announcing article on J nes Beach to appear in Sat. Evening Post
6/27/41 105 Completion of reconstruction of Park in Brooklyn
6/28/41 106 Roller skating rink closed for season
6/28/41 107 Largest tennis tournament to date started June 23
6/29/41 108 The care of newly planted street trees
6/30/41 109 First of nine concerts by City Amateur Symphony Orchestra starts
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 FOR RELEASE Monday
June 30, 1941
The Department of Parks announces that the first of a series
of nine concerts by the City Amateur Symphony Orchestra, with Hon.
Leopold Prince as conductor, will be given on the Mall, Central Park,
Tuesday, July 1, at 8:30 P. M.
The program for this opening concert will include well known
selections, by Beethoven, Shubert, Gounod, and Tschaikowsky,
Four more concerts of this series will also be given on the
Mall, Central Park, on consecutive Saturday evenings - July 5, 12, 19
and 26 at 8:30 P. M.
The remaining concerts will be presented on successive Sunday
evenings at the Music Grove, Prospect Park, Brooklyn, beginning July 6
and continuing through July 27.
* * * * *
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Sunday,
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 June 29, 1941
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 a 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.
* * * *
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK For Release Saturday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 June 28, 1941
The largest tennis tournament ever held in the metropolitan
area got under way on Monday, June 23rd, when the Juniors started play for
the Borough Championships. The men's singles and doubles will start
Saturday, June 28th and the women's singles and doubles on July 4th. Nearly
twenty-four hundred men, women and juniors entered the preliminary round
held on all of the park courts. Park champions were crowned in the Junior
singles, men's singles and doubles and the women's singles and doubles. The
eight quarter-finalists in each park tournament qualified for the borough
championships. City-wide public parks borough tennis championships are
conducted annually by the Department of Parks as a part of the Annual Sports
Tournament.
The eight quarter-finalists in each borough will qualify for
the city-wide finals to be held at Randall's Island, beginning July 19th.
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 Fort Green
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 travel to Forest Park to watch the men
and Alley Pond Park for the women and juniors. Staten Island has held their
elimination rounds at Walker Park and are awaiting the city finals.
Manhattan with seven hundred and twenty-two entrants has the
largest group of all five boroughs. Queens is next with five hundred and
forty-two, while the Bronx and Brooklyn follow with four hundred and
ninety-five and four hundred and sixty-one respectively. Richmond, the
smallest of all boroughs, contributed its share of one hundred and
sixty-eight.
Never in the history of Public Parks Tournaments have so many
stars entered; included in the list are players of national prominence - such,
as Helen Germaine, National Public Parks Champion, Municipal Public Parka
Champion for the past eight years, finalist in the N. Y. State Championship
last week and finalist in the New Jersey State Championship, now being
conducted at Hackensack, New Jersey. Miss Betty Grimes, finalist in girl's
junior metropolitan tennis championship, now being held at Jackson Heights;
Natacha Irwin, holder of the Bronx and metropolitan singles championships and
the most outstanding feminine performer in the Bronx.
In the men's division some of the outstanding players are Vincent
Paul of Queens, who has been playing in tournaments all through the winter and
spring. In the eastern Florida championships, held during the winter months,
he took a set from Bobby Riggs. Bill Lurie,finalist with Hartman last year and
three times the winner of the Metropolitan Public Parks Championship; Al
Doyle, seeded in the National Public Parks Tournament; Jerry Norman, seeded
star in the American Lawn Tennis Association and former doubles champion in
this division; Ernie Koslon, former N.Y.U, Captain, New York State
Intercollegiate Champion, a conqueror of Jean Boratra and Frank Bowden in
indoor play, former nationally ranked junior players; Koslon plays a smart
game, the result of experience in so many championship matches and is expected
to extend anyone who tries to defeat him. Saul Siepser, winner in the Junior
Division last year, number two man of the City College Tennis Squad and
quarter finalist in the men's singles last year, is in tournament form and
should go far. This spring, he was recommended by the Junior Davis Cup
Committee of the Eastern Lawn Tennis Association, for further coaching by
George Agutta, at the West Side Tennis Club.
The junior division looks like the Interscholastic Championships
replayed. Harold Levine will be fighting to retain his Bronx Junior Crown,
Paul Hockwalski, Boys High School star and undefeated in P.S.A.L. competition
is slated to retain his in Brooklyn. Out in Queens, Leonard Ericksson of
Flushing is expected to find stiff competition in retaining his Queens crown
from Tom Burke, number one netter from the Queens P.S.A.L. Championship
Newtown team. In Central Park, Mel Kahn, present title holder, is expected to
move through to a repeat performance without much opposition.
Trophies have been donated by the Park Association of New York
City and will be presented to the winners.
* * * * *
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Saturday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 June 28, 1941
The Park Department announces that after the
evening session at the City Building, Flushing Meadow Park
on Sunday night, June 29, the roller skating rink will be
closed for the summer season.
Since the combined ice and roller skating rinks
were opened on January 12, 1941, 174,943 people have availed
themselves of thesefacilities. During the free periods
held each Saturday morning, 20,747 children attended the
sessions.
The roller rink will reopen early in September
and the ice rink in October.
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Saturday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 June 27, 1941
Department of Parks announces the completion of work in in connection
with the reconstruction of a playground on Prospect Avenue between Fort
Hamilton Parkway and Greenwood Avenue in the Borough of Brooklyn.
This rectangular plot, slightly more than 1 acre in area, extends
374 feet along Prospect Avenue and is 130 feet deep. The property which was
transferred from the Board of Transportation to the Department of Parks in
1934 to be opened as a playground on a permit basis was provided with court
games, a wading pool, kindergarten and playground apparatus, drainage,
paving, floodlighting, fencing and planting. It was partially completed and
opened to the public on December 19, 1935. The Board of Transportation
reserved a 50 foot wide underground easement, for subway purposes, which
runs diagonally through the property.
The original plan of development has now been completed. A standard
brick comfort station has been added to the wading pool and kindergarten area
at the north end of the development. It is also convenient to the single
entrance from Prospect Avenue and to the large open play area at the south end.
This formerly earth surfaced, fence enclosed compartment which is subdivided
by a string of typical playground apparatus along the west boundary and four
handball courts at the extreme south end has been completely repaved with
smooth bituminous macadam. A new drain inlet and a 136 foot vitrified tile
sewer line have been added for more efficient drainage of the new play surface.
The west half of the 25 foot wide sidewalk area between the Prospect
Avenue curb and the east property line fence has been paved with bituminous
macadam except for a 20 foot strip on each side of the playground entrance
which has been surfaced with precast concrete blocks. A row of thirteen
Norway Maple trees, 2-l/2"-3n in diameter have been planted in this panel
immediately adjacent to the existing concrete sidewalk which reaches to the
curb. The spotting of these supplementary trees alternates centrally between
the existing street trees and the playground border trees which are opposite
each other. A row of eleven 4-unit wood and concrete benches have been
centered between the new trees against the property line fence.
Repairs to the existing chain link fence, resetting entrance gates,
removal and resetting of existing concrete block paving and replacement of a
maidenhair fern tree adjacent to the wading pool were included in the work.
All work was performed by the Work Projects Administration from
plans prepared by the Department of Parks. In 1934 there were 119
playgrounds in the five boroughs; 56 of these have been reconstructed. At
the present time there are 428 in the Park System.
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C
O
p
Y
LONG ISLAND STATE PARK COMMISSION
BELMONT LAKE STATE PARK
BABYLON, L. I., N. Y.
June 27, 1941
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
An article on Jones Beach State Park entitled: "New Swimmin' Hole",
has been scheduled t o appear in the July 5 issue of the Saturday Evening
Post. The article which is accompanied by a two-page spread of full color
photographs will be of particular interest to Long Island residents.
END
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MEMORANDUM
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
CITY OF NEW YORK
TO: MR. SPARGO
FROM: COMMISSIONER MOSES: June 25, 1941
SUBJECT:
Proposed Release- Crotona
This release is all right, but how about trying one or two
airplane pictures which show the whole Park or the greater part of it?
We ought to get out first rate pictures of as big an
improvement as this.
RM:HT COMMISSIONER
Attachs.
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D R A F T
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE_____________
TEL. REGENT 4-1000
[this document omitted, the final release appears next]
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Friday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 June 27, 1941
The Department of Parks announces the completion and opening
of seven new marginal playgrounds, three reconstructed playgrounds, a
children's farm garden and two comfort stations in Crotona Park, The
Bronx. These playgrounds represent part of a larger program of park
reconstruction which will be completed this fall.
Crotona Park is one of the most heavily used parks in the
City. Prior to the start of rehabilitation work the pressure of a congested
neighborhood had overflowed play areas onto the park lawns, injuring the
vegetation, causing erosion and miniature dust storms thus destroying the
usefulness of the area.
The first major effort to provide much needed recreation
facilities and restore the scenic values of the park was the construction
of a swiming pool in 1936 together with the rehabilitation of the
adjoining unit of park land lying between Fulton and Crotona Avenues. In the
following years two new playgrounds were laid out along Crotona Park East
and various other minor improvements were made.
Plans for the present project, embracing the complete
reconstruction of the remaining sections of the park were prepared early in
1940 by the Department of Parks and the work was started shortly thereafter
by the Work Projects Administration. The main features of this work
include the following items:
Ten additional marginal playgrounds
Reconstruction of the children's farm gardens
Four baseball diamonds with concrete bleachers
One softball diamond with concrete bleacher
Construction of a wall around the lake
A boat house and concession building on the lakeside
Thirteen double handball courts
Reconstruction of athletic field on Crotona Park North
Demolition of many outworn paths and roadways and
construction of a complete new path system
with curbs, asphaltic pavement, steps, ramps,
benches, lights, fencing, etc.
General reconstruction of the park storm drainage system
Landscaping of the entire park including new topsoil and
planting of 2800 new trees, 18,000 shrubs and lawns.
Realignment of the south end of Orotona Avenue within the
park, for better traffic circulation.
The only section of the park which remains untouched by the current
operations is the area along Third Avenue to the north of last 175 Street,
This section contains the old Borough Hall which should be demolished.
Repeated requests to the Board of Estimate for assignment of this to the
Park Department have been refused.
The reconstruction of Crotona Park represents a major effort in the park
improvement field and when completed its results will be increasingly
appreciated as the new plant growth becomes established and the various
recreational facilities attain their full use.
All work was performed by the Work Projects Administration from plans
prepared by the Department of Parks. In 1934 there were 119 playgrounds in
the five boroughs; __________ of these have been reconstructed. At present
there are __________ playgrounds in the Park system.
* * *
[NOTE: the press release has blanks for the numbers, but the draft (not
included here, but visible in the original PDF) has 119 and 425 penciled in]
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE WEDNESDAY
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 June 26, 1941
The 7th Annual city-wide championship in Barber Shop Quartet
Singing will take place on the Mall, Central Park, 71st Street and Center
Drive, Thursday, June 26th, at 8:30 P. M. In the event of rain the contest
will be held in the auditorium of the Museum of Natural History, 79th Street
and Central Park West, New York City.
All of the old gang will be there. Brothers Mark Hawley, Ben
Grauer, Harry Von Zell and George Hicks, radio announcers, will be on hand
to give some well-known renditions. They will appear under the title
"Hawley's Tonsorial Twitterbugs". "The Southernaires", famous radio
quartet, also members of the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement
of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America, will be on hand to greet the
thousands who have followed this contest around the city.
The judges are composed of genuine experts in the field of song
and others who have qualified through past service. Fred Waring, the best
known orchestra leader in the country, famous for his glee club and
orchestra, has been invited to participate as a judge. Some of his
co-workers in the judges/ box are Mayor LaGuardia, Governor Al Smith, Park
Commissioner Moses, Harry Barnhart, the vocal instructor, Jack Norworth and
Geoffrey O'Hara, song composers, George E. Rea, president of the New York
Curb Exchange, Frank W. Smith, president of the Consolidated Edison Company,
Paul Winslow of the Taconic State Park Comaission, and James F. Evans,
secretary of the State Council of Parks.
During the past two weeks, the preliminaries were held in each of
the five boroughs. After listening to a rendition of such popular barber
shop ballads as: "Dear Old Girl"; "Let Me Call You Sweetheart"; "Mandy Lee";
"Sweet Adeline", and many other songs made famous by the harmonizers of the
old tonsorial parlors in the early part of the present century, the judges
of the respective borough contests decided that 18 quartets qualified for
the city-wide finals on June 26th. This selection was predicated on a
comprehensive variety of factors including rhythm, intonation, tone quality,
diction, precision, dynamics, voice blending, harmonic originality,
phrasing, costume and stage presence.
These 18 groups of balladeers are composed of men drawn from
every walk of life embracing commercial, industrial, social and civic
organizations.
We will have the old faithful winners in previous contests such
as the "St. Mary's Horseshoers" and the Police Department Quartet. In
addition to these, we will have real harmony presented by quartets who have
taken such names as the "Brass Rail Four", "Four Tune Hunters", "Three
Sharps and a Flat", "The Harmonizers", "Grand Central Red Caps", and "The
City of Light Four",
Each quartet will be permitted to sing two numbers which they
must choose from the approved list of appropriate barber shop ballads. The
time of both songs shall not exceed eight minutes duration.
Handsome prizes of substantial value will be awarded to each
member of the quartets which attain first, second and third place. In
addition, the winning quartet will represent New York City at the Nationals,
scheduled for St. Louis, on July 3, 4 and 5.
Community singing will precede the contest from 8:00 to 8:30
P.M. under the leadership of Harry Barnhart. Music for the evening's
entertainment will be furnished by the Park Department Band. The public
address system will be supplied by the Municipal Broadcasting Station WNYC.
Various portions of the program will be broadcast according to the following
time schedule:
WNYC - 8:30 to 9:15 P. M.;
WMCA - 9:00 to 9:15 P. M.;
WEVD - 10:00 to 10:30 P. M.
* * * *
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE WEDNESDAY
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 June 25, 1941
The Department of Parks announces the completion of a small
children's playground on the right of way of the Bronx River Parkway
opposite East 227th Street. This new facility will be opened to the public
on Wednesday, June 25th.
The new development covers an area of about two acres in the
sloping lawn between the Parkway and the Bronx River. The playground itself
is semi-circular in shape, contains various items of play apparatus
including swings, slides, see-saws, jungle gym, a sand pit and a shower
basin, and is paved with bituminous material. It is fenced with chain link
fabric for purposes of control and a number of trees have been planted
inside the area to provide shade. Numerous benches have been provided
adjacent to the boundary fence for parents and guardians watching the play
activities. The nearest street entrance is at East 226th Street where
traffic lights enable pedestrians to cross Bronx Boulevard in safety. With
the construction in the near future of the Bronx River Parkway to the west
of this playground much of this traffic will be taken off Bronx Boulevard.
A small brick structure in the park slope near the entrance to the
playground will be used for storage of tools by the Park Maintenance forces.
All work was performed by the Work Projects Administration from
plans prepared by the Department of Parks. This new facility brings the
total number of playgrounds in the Park system to 428. In 1934 there were
119 playgrounds in the five boroughs.
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE TUESDAY
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 June 24, 1941
The Department of Parks announces the completion of work in the
south section of Betsy Head Park, Brooklyn. The project was undertaken to
rehabilitate a worn-out area and to improve and greatly increase the
recreation facilities. Included in the eight and a quarter acre plot bounded
by Livonia and Dumont Avenues, Strauss Street and Hopkinson Avenue, is a
swimming pool, a familiar object in the neighborhood for many years, but
which was completely rebuilt and provided with a new bathhouse four years
ago. Certain uncompleted items remaining in the pool enclosure were
scheduled for correction in the current work project and the Betsy Head Pool
with its various facilities and mechanical equipment, is now completely
up-to-date.
The remainder of the plot, to the west of the pool has been
entirely reconstructed to meet the needs of a district vrell supplied with
children and young people and underpriveleged in the matter of play
areas. The new plan, designed by the Department of Parks, called for the
reconstruction of the baseball diamond, football field and running track,
v.iiicli have been provided with a set of concrete bleachers to seat 1500
spectators. A softball diamond has also been added to this field , and
surrounding the cinder running track a ten foot wide roller skating track
with bituminous asphalt pavement has been installed. Handball facilities
have been doubled by the addition of four new courts, A new comfort station
has been built at the corner of Strauss Street and Livonia Avenue. A
basketball and volley ball court and two horseshoe pitches are also features
of the new plan.
The various areas are segregated by chain link fencing, trees
have been planted around the borders, numerous benches have been added and
the surrounding street sidewalks have been rebuilt. The Betsy Head
playground will serve chiefly the needs of adolescents and young adults and
has been designed to withstand wear and tear, to make possible effective
control and supervision by the park recreation staff and facilitate routine
maintenance.
Construction was carried out by the Work Projects
Administration from plans prepared by the Department of Parks. In 1934 there
were 119 playgrounds in the five boroughs 55 of which have been redesigned
or reconstructed. At the present time there are 42? playgrounds in the Park
system.
* * * *
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Form 26A-5M-12241 114
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Monday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 June 23, 1941
The Department of Parks announces the completion and opening
of a new playground at Steinway Street and 35 Avenue, Borough of Queens.
This property, formerly under the jurisdiction of the Department of Water
Supply, Gas and Electricity, was transferred by the Board of Estimate to
the Department of Parks on June 27, 1940.
Approximately 1/4 acre in extent, this 100 foot square plot
provides recreational facilities for a densely populated neighborhood formerly
lacking a playground, the nearest play area, 1/2 acre in extent, being at 30
Road and 45 Street, 3/4 of a mile to the north.
Paved with bituminous material the area is completely enclosed
by an 8 foot chain link fence with one double gate entrance provided on the
west side from Steinway Street. Along the north property line at 35 Avenue
the fence is set back around an 8' x 50' rectangular bay which has been
retained by the Department of Water Supply, Gas and Electricity in
connection with the operation of an existing valve chamber. New concrete
street curbs have been installed along 35 Avenue and Steinway Street and the
existing concrete sidewalks have been widened to 18 feet.
A 5 foot wide granite block panel extends along the inside of
the fence with benches spaced between the new 3 inch calipher pin oaks. A
battery of kindergarten swings for pre-school children and large swings for
the adolescent group, each segregated by a 4 foot chain link fence,
parallels the east property line. The south side of the plot contains the
slides, see-saws and pipe frame exercise unit. A 6' x 10' brick tool house
lies adjacent to the entrance. The remainder of the plot may be used for
free play space or basketball practice with a single standard located at the
center of the north property line.
All work was performed by the Work Projects Administration from
plans prepared by the Department of Parks. This is the 427th playground in
the Park system. In 1934 there were 119 in the five boroughs, 55 of which
have been reconstructed or redesigned.
* * * *
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Form 26A-5M-I2241 114
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Sunday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 June 22, 1941
The Department of Parks announces completion of work in
the northern section of Bronx Park. The area of operations is bounded on the
south approximately by a line drawn between Allerton Avenue and Bronx Park
East and the Mosholu Parkway Railroad bridge. The triangular area lying
north of this line, with its apex at Magenta Street and Bronx Park East
was formerly largely under the jurisdiction of the Botanical Gardens and was
returned to the Department of Parks under a recent agreement in anticipation
of major highway developments in the area. The current project represents
the initial step in the conversion of the area to recreational
uses. Complete rehabilitation must await contemplated changes in the
alignment of Bronx River Parkway.
Certain features of the complete development plan
prepared by the Department of Parks have been embodied in the present work
performed by the Work Projects Administration. These include construction of
sections of the future path system, two softball diamonds, two comfort
stations and two marginal playgrounds. One of these playgrounds is located
in the northeast section of the area, adjacent to Bronx Park East at
Rosewood Street. Each playground covers about a quarter of an acre, is
paved with a smooth bituminous asphalt surface and is enclosed by an
eight-foot chain link fence. The equipment includes play apparatus such as
slides, swings, see-saws, a sand pit and a shower basin. Benches are
provided for adults in charge of the children. Drinking fountain and
flagpole are standard features. A brick comfort station is provided in the
easterly playground. A similar structure is located near the westerly end
of the two playgrounds, opposite East 203rd Street. The immediate
surroundings of both playgrounds have been attractively landscaped. Drainage
has been provided where necessary and a number of drinking fountains have
been placed at convenient points on the newly constructed path system.
All work was performed by the Work Projects Administration
from plans prepared by the Department of Parks. In 1934 there were 119
playgrounds in the five boroughs; 55 of these have been reconstructed. At
the present time there are 426 in the Park system.
* * * *
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Saturday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 June 21, 1941
Due to the sudden heat wave, the Department of Parks' sixteen
outdoor swimming pools located in the five boroughs will remain open until 10
P. M. on Saturday, June 21,and Sunday, June 22. They will also remain open
until 10 P, M. for the remainder of the heat wave.
During the months of June it has been the policy of the
Department to open the pools from 10 A. M. to 6 P. M.
Beginning June 28, and continuing until September 8 the pools
will be open at 10 A, M, to 12 Noon Monday through Saturday, free for
children under 14 years of age. During this period instructions in swimming,
diving and life saving will be carried on. Adults and children may use the
pool from 1 P. M. to 10 P. M., Monday through Saturday, and from 10
A. M. to 10 P. M. on Sunday. The charge for children 14 years and under is
ten cents and for adults twenty cents.
* * * *
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Saturday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 June 21, 1941
The Department of Parks announces the completion of the
reconstruction and the reopening to the public of the John J. Murphy
Playground located at Avenue "C", 17th Street and the East River, Manhattan.
This improvemsnt included the demolition and removal of the
old wooden pavillion and comfort station and the complete redesign of
an outmoded facility, to which a small area has been added because of the
alignment of the new East River Drive.
Situated in an intensively developed neighborhood, adjacent to
the East River and the East River Drive, the new facilities offer healthful
recreation to all age groups. For children there is a completely equipped
playground with swings, slides, see-saws, play houses, a sand pit and a
shower basin. For adolescents and adults there are handball, basketball,
volleyball, shuffle board, paddle tennis and horseshoe pitching courts as
well as game tables.
A new modern brick comfort station has been provided and also
numerous concrete benches and 32 shade trees.
Plans for the improvement were prepared by the Department of
Parks and the work was performed by the Work Projects Administration. In
1934 there were 119 playgrounds in the five boroughs, 55 of which have
been redesigned and reconstructed. At present there are 424 playgrounds in
the Park system.
* * * *
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Form 26A-5M-12241 114
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Friday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 June 20, 1941
The Department of Parks announces that 504 girls,
ranging from 8 to 16 years of age and representing various playgrounds
throughout the five boroughs, will participate in a Dance Festival on the
Sheep Meadow, 66 Street and West Drive, Central Park, on Saturday, June 21,
at 2:30 P.M.
For the past five weeks, the children have attended
regularly the various instruction classes in designated 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.
Each member of the dancing class has also been 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, through the park to the Sheep
Meadow, where the afternoon's performances will take place.
There will be 14 dances in all, with 36 girls in each
dance. Such types of dancing as: esthetic, interpretative, character and
folk will be included in this exhibition. Some of the numbers will be:
"Hungarian Folk Dance" by Lindsay Playground, Brooklyn; "Spirit of Free-
dom" (Esthetic) by J. Hood Wright Playground, Manhattan; "Fantasia Ballet"
(Interpretative) by Iaurelton Playground, Queens; "Recruits" (Character) by
Michael J. Mahoney Playground, Richmond; "Nosegay Waltz" (Interpreta- tive)
by St. Mary's, Lyons Square and 141 Street and Brook Avenue play- grounds,
Bronx.
The following have consented to act as judges: Louis
H. Chalif, Director of the Chalif School of Dancing; Miss Gabrielle
Sorrenson, Dean of Savage School for Physical Education; Miss Agnese M. Roy,
of the Albertina Rasch Studios and Miss Frances Hoist en, Instructor of
Physical Education at Hunter College.
Municipal Broadcasting Station WNYC will provide
amplification facilities for the occasion and the Park Department Band will
furnish the music.
* * * * *
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Friday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 June 20, 1941
The Department of Parks announces the completion and opening of
a new playground in Central Park, Manhattan. Located between the West Drive
and Central Park West adjacent to 76 Street, this is the twentieth of a
chain of marginal playground conveniently located near the park entrances
to reduce the destructive practices of children who use the interior
landscaped lawns for play purposes.
This new semi-circular playground, approximately 1/2 acre in
extent, has been fitted into a meadow-like setting developed on the site of
a former arm of the lake which extended about 300 feet north and south of
the 77 Street park entrance drive bridge. In order to make the lake bed
accessible and usable, land fill was placed to a depth of 14 feet over an
area of approximately one acre. The former lake banks and adjacent areas
have been regraded to provide gentle slopes which blend the playground
surface with the surrounding park area. The area outside of the playground
was covered with topsoil, seeded, and a new lawn area is now
developing. Eight pin oaks, 3W in diameter, have been planted around the
entrance to the playground. Connections to the existing path system have
been provided by the addition of 700 feet of bituminous surfaced walks. The
general play area, paved with the same material, is completely enclosed by a
7 foot wrought iron fence and gate.
Play facilities provided include a shower basin, irrigated sand
pit, drinking fountain, kindergarten swings, slides and see-saws. A row of
continuous benches for the comfort of mothers and nurses extends along the
inside of the boundary fence.
All work was performed by the Work Projects Administration from
plans prepared by the Department of Parks. In 1934 there were 119
playgrounds in the five boroughs; 54 of these have been reconstructed. At
the present time there are 424 playgrounds in the Park system.
* * * *
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Wednesday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 June 18, 1941
The Department of Parks announces the completion of two
recreation areas in the Borough of Queens, one lying between Southern
Parkway and North Conduit Avenue and between 114th and 121st Streets, and
the other along Southern Parkway between 143rd and 149th Streets. The
Department attempts to provide local play facilities wherever possible along
its arterial improvements.
At the 114th to 121st location the construction of five
softball diamonds, chain link fence enclosures, grading and seeding is
completed. Separating the two ballfields opposite 114th Place and again,
the two opposite 116th Street, sets of three-tier concrete bleachers have
been constructed in a double or back-to-back arrangement, so that each of
the four ballfields is provided with spectator accommodations. The diamonds
all have hooded backstops. An irrigation system has been installed and
drinking fountains are conveniently located. Pedestrian access to the
recreation areas is from North Conduit Avenue by means of bituminous paved
walks.
At the 143rd to 149th Streets location, the divergence of
Conduit Avenue from the Parkway to this point afforded an opportunity for
the construction of an athletic field accommodating three softball diamonds.
The entire area is enclosed by a twelve foot chain link fence and the
diamonds are provided with hooded backstops. An irrigation system has been
installed and the area landscaped with trees.
The areas will be held out of use temporarily to allow
the new turf to become established.
Plans for these improvements were drawn by the Department of
Parks and the work executed by the Work Projects Administration.
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Monday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 June 16, 1941
Regular softball league games at Jacob Riis Park will start on
Monday evening, June 16, with the Highland Yankees of Brooklyn meeting the
Rockverne Club of Rockaway in the opening game starting at 7 P. M. The
second game scheduled for 9 P . M. will bring out the Ozone Park Regals,
last year's champions and the Wingate Club of Brooklyn. Both leagues are
nade up of uniformed teams representing all sections of Brooklyn and Queens.
Double-headers in these leagues are scheduled for Monday through Thursday
evening at 7 and 9 P. M.
On June 21 the Industrial League will play their opening game at
2 P. M. The team representing the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company will
play the team of the Brand Printing Company. Industrial League games are
scheduled for every Saturday and Sunday at 2 P . M.
The softball diamond located along the boardwalk at Jacob Riis
Park is in excellent playing condition. Bleacher seats, free for
spectators, are available.
*#*
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Saturday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 June 14, 1941
20067
Pix 20068
20069
1 development plan
1 location map
The Department of Parks announces the completion of work in
connection with the reconstruction of a playground adjacent to the existing
brick field house and comfort station at the corner of Pays on Avenue and
Dyckman Street in Inwood Hill Park. The area which is approximately 120' x
160' is divided into units by typical granite block-paved panels with rows
of trees and benches. These bituminous surfaced compartments grouped about
the central 43' x 63' wading pool have been furnished with repaired
equipment salvaged from the old playground. South of the pool, extending
along the Dyckman Street property line, is a battery of kindergarten
see-saws, slides, swings, and a 12' x 17' irrigated sand pit.
West of the fence enclosed pool is a new flagpole and base. A
group of old willows at the east end of this unit, adjacent to Payson
Avenue, shades a line of benches and provides a pleasant contrast to the
open, sunny pool area.
The 30' x 150' play space north of the pool contains a string of
rehabilitated facilities consisting of see-saws, swings, slides and a pipe
frame exercise unit.
The entire playground has been enclosed by an 8' chain link fence.
The tree planting within the playground, along the outside of the fence and
flanking the existing Dyckman Street hexagonal block consists of rows of
4"-6" lindens. The planting around the existing field house and comfort
station has been rearranged and supplemented with privets, virburnums,
hawthorns, dogwoods, bayberry and ivy.
About 800' north of the playground at the crest of the heavily
wooded slope a pedestrian overlook has been constructed at an elevation 180'
above the Hudson River, Facing directly west vistas of the river and Jersey
shore have been opened by the removal of a few trees. The bow shaped
terrace, approximately 120' x 30', is retained by a low granite wall with
the foundation extending to solid rock. Thirty-eight wood and concrete bench
units face outward from this wrought iron fence enclosed overlook which is
surfaced with Mtuminous macadam.
Two entrances are provided at the rear of the terrace connecting
with a new 8' wide bituminous walk. This 800' addition to the several miles
of trails and walks in Inwood Hill Park was necessary to make the overlook
site accessible. Winding up the slopes and around rock outcrops it was
necessary to provide a section of stepped ramp and stairway where the grades
were excessive.
400' north of the overlook near the intersection of two of the
main walks a brick comfort station has been built to serve the needs of the
south end of the park.
All work was performed by the Work Projects Administration from
plans prepared by the Department of Parks. In 1934 there were 119
playgrounds in the five boroughs; 54 of these have been reconstructed. At
the present time there are 423 playgrounds in the Park system.
* * * *
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Form 26A-5M-12241 114
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Friday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 June 3, 1941
The Department of Parks announces the schedule of
tournaments, exhibitions, contests and special events including concerts,
social dances and puppet and marionette shows, which will be conducted in
parks, playgrounds and swimming pools under the jurisdiction of the Park
Department during the summer season of the year 1941.
There will be city-wide tournaments in the following
activities:
Activity Age Group Finals-Approximate Date
Handball Girls- 16 years & older June 28
(singles only)
Horseshoe Pitching Boys & Men over 17 years July 12
(singles & doubles)
Punchball Girls- 16 years & under August 9
Baseball Boys- 16 years & under August 15
Softball Boys -16 years & under August 2
Boys -17 to 21 years August 9
Men -21 years & over August 16
Girls-17 years & over August 1
Paddle Tennis Boys & Girls - 13 to 15 years August 16
- 16 to 19 years
Men & Women -20 years & over
(singles & mixed doubles in each division)
Chess & Checkers A. Boys & Girls- 16 years & under August 23,24
B. Persons 17 to 50 years
C. Men- 50 years & over
There will be a "Youth versus
Age" contest between the winners
of "A" and "C" Divisions.
Jacks Girls - 14 years & under August 27
Shuffleboard Men and women - 18 years & over September 6
Playground children will be given an opportunity to
demonstrate their dancing, singing and musical capabilities by participating
in the following city-wide contests:
Contest Finals-Approximate Date
Folk Dancing Girls- 16 years & under June 21
(Each borough will present three
types of dances for the city-wide
exhibition on the Sheep Meadow,
Central Park: folk, classical and
interpretative)
Amateur Singing Boys & Girls-8 -12 years August 3
13-16 years
(Four winners, one in each group,
will be selected at the borough
eliminations to represent the
borough at the finals which will
be held on the Mall, Central Park.)
Contest Age Group Finals- Approximate Date
Musical Instruments Boys & Girls- 8-12 years August 24
13-16 years
(This contest will include all
types of musical instruments.)
Swimming meets will be conducted during the summer months, at the
16 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 "Learn to Swim" campaign, which commenced on June 2
at all the pools, will continue until June 22.
Special programs will be prepared by each playground director
in commemoration of the following holidays.: June 14 - Flag Day; July 4-
Independence Day; September 1- Labor Day.
The finals of the City's seventh annual Barber Shop Quartet
Contest will be held under the supervision of the Park Department at the
Mall, Central Park, on Thursday, June 26, at 8:30 P.M.
Puppet and marionette shows, including "Jack and the Beanstalk"
and "Hansel and Gretel", will be given from a trailer stage, at various park
playgrounds and recreation areas, centrally located in various sections of
the city, during the months of June, July and August.
Four independent series of outdoor concerts have been planned
for the large parks, throughout the city. These series include concerts by
the Goldman Band, Naumberg Orchestra, Amateur City Symphony Orchestra, and
the New York City W.P.A. Federal Music Project.
Arrangements have also been made for outdoor social dancing
periods at several parks and playgrounds in the five boroughs. Music is
provided by orchestras furnished through the cooperation of the New York
City W.P.A. Federal Music Project.
* * * *
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Friday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 June 13, 1941
The Department of Parks announces the completion, of work on
the redesign of a play area on Reservoir Avenue between Strong Street and
West 197th Street, The Bronx. This property was acquired by the Department
of Parks in 1935, at which time it was graded and provided with see-saws and
swings by relief workers. The current project represents an amplification
of the original work. The area has been paved with a smooth bituminous
surface to provide all year round usage. A sand pit and benches have been
added, and new boundary fencing together with a new entrance on Strong
Street have been installed.
All work was performed by the Work Projects Administration from
plans prepared by the Department of Parks.
* * *
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Thursday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 June 12, 1941
The Department of Parks announces that the citywide
finals of the Barber Shop Quartet Contest, originally scheduled for
Thursday, June 19, 8:30 P.M., at the Mall, Central Park, has been postponed
to Thursday, June 26, at the same time and place.
This change will give the qualifying quartets from the
various boroughs an extra week's time in which to practice for the city
championship. Winning the championship this year will mean more than in any
previous year, because the quartet, attaining first place, will
represent. New York City at the Nationals which will be held in St. Louis on
July 3, 4, 5.
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Form 26A-5M-1241 114
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Sunday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 June 8, 1941
The Department of Parks announces opening of the first section
of bicycle path at the south end of Central Park. Built as part of the
contract for repaving and realigning the park roadways, it forms, together
with the old Central Roadway, a complete loop 10' wide and approximately
1 mile long.
Starting at a point near the access drive from Columbus Circle
the path extends eastward about 751 north of the South Driveway.
Where the driveway curves northward the path merges with the
roadway from which it has been separated by a 2'-6" raised concrete mall
leaving 33' for automobiles. Additional protection is afforded by a 3' high
wood guard rail in the center of the mall. Just north of the 65th Street
Transverse Road the loop continues northward along the abandoned Central
Drive.
At the north end of the central mall it merges xvith the south
side of the 72nd Street Park Drive. Protected by a 2'-6" raised mall and
guard rail it continues westward to the east side of the West Drive. Curving
southward to complete the circuit at Columbus Circle the generous width of
the West Drive has permitted the widening of the separating mall to 6'
leaving a 44' roadway. Safe access to the path is provided at traffic light
protected crossings.
Approximately 3/4 miles will be added to the system in
conjunction with repaving the last Drive and the east half of the 72nd Street
Park Drive with entrance spurs at 59th Street and 5th Avenue at 72nd Street.
Junction with the completed loop will be made at a temporary dead end spur
north of 65th Street Transverse Road. Contract plans for this work are being
prepared and construction will be started late, this summer.
Future plans which are in a preliminary stage call for a 4 mile
extension which will utilize the west side of the East Drive northward to the
receiving reservoir where it will swing westward and north around the
lake. From this point it will follow the West Drive around North Meadow where
it will turn southward to exits on 5th Avenue at 102nd Street and 97th
Street. It is planned to build this addition in sections in connection with
repaving and realigning of the remainder of the Park Drives.
* * * * *
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Friday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 June 6, 1941
The Department of Parks announces that the Annual City-Wide
Athletic Meet for boys and girls of Park Department playgrounds will take
place at the Triborough Stadium, Manhattan, Saturday, June 7, at 2
P. M. Admission will be free.
During the month of May, each playground held preliminary
contests and practice sessions in preparations for the borough-wide meet
which was conducted in each of the five boroughs. The five who qualified in
the finals of the 19 track and field events of the various borough meets are
eligible to compete at the City-Wide Meet on Saturday.
It is expected that about 500 boys and girls of various
classifications, ranging from the 85 lb. class to the unlimited class, will
participate in this meet.
All the competitors have demonstrated their superior athletic
ability by qualifying in the various borough meets. In addition, they have
been thor- oughly trained in the fine points of dashing, long distance
running, baton passing, broad jumping and high jumping.
With this background of experience and preparation, the expected
large crowd of spectators, anxious to have their native borough boys and
girls carry off the palm of victory, can look forward to a day full of
surprises and keen competition.
Gold, silver and bronze medals will be awarded to those who place
1st, 2nd and 3rd respectively, in each event.
The list of events for these Park playground championships is as
follows:
Events for Boys
85 lb. class - 50 yard dash 100 lb. class - Broad Jump
Potato Race 60 yard dash
120 lb. class - 70 yard dash Unlimited class - 100 yard dash
High Jump 1/2. mile run
Events for Girls
85 lb. class - 40 yard dash 110 lb. class - 50 yard dash
Egg & Spoon Race Basketball throw
Potato Race Unlimited class - 60 yard dash
Relay Events
100 lb. class - 200 yards
120 lb. class - 440 yards
Unlimited class - 880 yards
Unlimited Mixed Relay
Girl - 55 yards Boy - 110 yards
Girl - 55 yards Boy - 220 yards
Directions to the Triborough Stadium, Randall's Island, follow:
By Automobile
Via the Triborough Bridge from Manhattan, Bronx or
Queens. The. bridge toll for automobiles is 25˘ for a round trip to
Randall's Island. Parking on the Island is free. The Triborough Bridge is
reached most conveniently from Manhattan by the East River Drive or 125
Street, from the Bronx by Southern Boulevard or Grand Concourse and from
Queens by the Grand Central Parkway.
By Foot
The Stadium may be reached from Manhattan, Bronx or Queens via the
Triborough Bridge. It is only a ten minute walk from 125 Street and Second
Avenue in Manhattan, or from 134 Street and Southern Boulevard in the
Bronx. There is no toll charge for foot passengers on the Triborough Bridge.
By Rapid Transit from Manhattan
Randall's Island Buses leave 125 Street and Lexington Avenue. It is
a four minute bus ride to the Stadium. The fare is 50 each way. The Lexington
Avenue branch of the I. R. T. subway, Second and Third Avenue elevated lines
and bus lines on Lexington and Second Avenues and the Third Avenue trolley
line, all connect directly with the Randall's Island bus.
By Rapid Transit from the Bronx
The Randall's Island bus leaves from 138 Street and Cypress Avenue.
It is a six minute bus ride. The fare is 5˘ each way. The Pelham Bay Line
of the I. R. T. subway connects with it at its Cypress Avenue Station. All
Bronx trolley lines transfer to the Southern Boulevard trolley which connects
with the Randall's Island bus at 134 Street and Cypress Avenue.
By Rapid Transit from Queens
The Randall's Island bus leaves from 31 Street and Hoyt Avenue,
Astoria. It is a 15 minute bus ride to Randall's Island Stadium. The fare is
10˘ each way. The Astoria line of the B. M. T. and I. R. T. subways
connect with the bus at 25 Avenue (31 Street and Hoyt Avenue) Astoria.
* * *
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Friday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 June 6, 1941
The Department of Parks announces that the Children's
Orchestra, composed of 30 boys and girls of Park Department Playgrounds will
give its second public concert at the Mall, Central Park, Sunday, June 8, at
2:30 P. M.
The members of this orchestra range in age from 10 to 17
years and they are drawn from playground musical units established in the
various boroughs under the supervision of trained instructors. Any boy or
girl, 17 years of age or under, who plays a musical instrument, is eligible to
apply for membership.
The program for next Sunday's concert will consist of
various selections including patriotic songs, martial airs and classical
numbers as well as a number of instrumental solos. Some of the selections are:
Excerpts from Tschaikowsky's Sixth Symphony, Fifth Hungarian Dance,
Beethoven's Second Symphony, Perry Boat Serenade, Scout Master March and
Norwegian Dance by Grieg.
* * * *
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Friday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 June 6, 1941
The Department of Parks announces that the city-wide finals of
the handball tournament conducted annually for boys and men of Park Department
playgrounds will take place at the handball courts located at North Meadow,
Central Park, on Saturday, June 7, and Sunday, June 8, according to the
following schedule:
Junior Singles and Doubles (Boys 16 years and under)
Saturday, June 7, at 11 A. M.
Intermediate Singles and Doubles (Boys 17 to 21 years)
Saturday, June 7, at 2:33 P. M.
Senior Singles and Doubles(Men 21 years of age and over)
Sunday, June 8, at 11 A. M.
In case of rain, the games will be played the following Saturday
and Sunday at the same time and place.
Since the early part of May, the 831 handball courts of the Park
Department have received maximum play, when several hundred boys and men
participated in the playground and district eliminations to select the best
qualified handball players for the inter-borough competitions. Each borough
will be permitted to enter only one representative or team in each of the
various divisions of the tournament for the finals this week end.
Gold and silver medals will be awarded to the winner and
runner-up in each division.
* * * *
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Thursday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 June 5, 1941
The Department of Parks announces the completion of work in
connection with the reconstruction of the playground. located in
St. Catherine's Park, between East 67th and 68th Streets at First Avenue and
adjacent to the Julia Richmond High School, in Manhattan, and its opening to
the public on Thursday, June 5, 1941.
This 1 1/3 acre recreation area is fenced in with a 6' chain
link fence and bordered with rows of benches and shade trees. The easterly
half of the area has been set aside for children and besides a large wading
pool which can also be used as a volley ball court, it contains a sand pit,
see saws, slides, swings, and a small sitting area for guardians of children.
The westerly portion adjacent to the High School has two soft
ball diamonds, a double handball court and basketball standards. There is
also a large bituminously surfaced open play area which can be used for group
games as well as for roller skating and ice skating in season.
Plans for the improvement were prepared by the Department of
Parks and the work was performed by the Work Projects Administration. At
present there are 422 playgrounds in the Park system. In 1934 there were 119
in the five boroughs, 53 of which have been reconstructed.
* *
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Form 26-10M-102240
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Thursday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 June 5, 1941
Pix 20051
Location map
Development plan
The Department of Parks announces the completion and opening to the
general public on Thursday, June 5, 1941, of a new playground located between
East 13 and 14 Streets at Avenue "V" in the Borough of Brooklyn.
This one and one half acre recreational area contains a separate
pre-school children's section with a sand pit, see saws, slides, swings and a
shower basin.
A large open bituminous surfaced area for adolescents and adults
contains a basketball and volley ball court, a softball diamond and a comfort
station. This area also provides for roller and ice skating in their
respective seasons. Separated from the children's and open play areas is a
double handball court.
Drinking fountains and permanent concrete benches have also been
provided and forty-eight trees have been fitted into the landscaping.
This new area makes the 423rd playground in the Park system. In
1934 there were 119 in the five boroughs, of which 53 have been redesigned and
reconstructed. All work was per formed by the Work Projects Administration
from plans prepared by the Department of Parks.
* * *
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form 26-10M-102240 114
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Thursday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 June 5, 1941
The Department of Parks announces the completion of a combined
brick recreation building and comfort station in the southwest corner of
Seward Park, Manhattan.
This new structure replaces the old outmoded building. Also
completed and adjacent to the new building is a farm garden where school
children will grow flowers under the supervision of park department
employees. These improvements mark the completion of the reconstructed park,
one of the oldest in Manhattan. Playground and recreation areas were completed
and opened to the public on November 26 last year.
* * *
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Thursday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 June 5, 1941
Dev. plan
Location map
The Department of Parks announced today that with the
cooperation of the WPA it has begun the installation of three small marginal
playgrounds in Washington Square Park, Borough of Manhattan.
This work is not to be confused with the original plan which
called for the complete reconstruction of the Square, but includes only the
installation of badly needed play facilities to serve the coranunity. These
three playgrounds are located as near as possible to the entrances to the park
for the purpose of intercepting children on the way into the area so that the
interior of the park can be kept as at present, with the benches, walks,
lawns, etc., for the use of older people. The plan will not require the
elimination of any of the existing trees within the park but will provide for
the planting of 82 additional trees. The largest of the areas is 80 feet by
120 feet and the smallest, 60 feet by 100 feet.
East of Fifth Avenue a small playground will provide the
standard kindergarten swings, see saws, slides and a sand pit. The pit will be
of the irrigated type developed by the Park Department to insure a sanitary
diggery. One of the most important activities for children of pre-school age
is digging and where no sand pits are provided they will carry on their
excavation projects around trees and shrubbery or in the lawn areas. On the
south side of the park, on each side of the Thompson Street entrance, two
kindergarten areas of similar character will serve the insistent demands of
children from the local residential areas south of the park. These will be
screened by shrubbery and small trees including flowering Hawthorns, American
Hornbeams, Virburnum, Styrax, and large trees including Planes, Lindens and
Oaks.
The original plan proposed by the Park Department last year
eliminated all vehicular traffic within the park and routed buses and all
other vehicular traffic around the edge of the park. This plan was abandoned
and the relief funds set up for the purpose were used elsewhere. The present
work will not touch the road through the park and all traffic will continue to
use the extension of Fifth Avenue. Recent attempts to seed the grass areas
and maintain them in their present form were unsuccessful. The pressure on the
park was so great that it was impossible to keep the children off these lawn
areas, which resulted in repeated demands for further reseeding. The only
answer is to provide children of the neighborhood with formal play spaces at
the entrances to the square. When these are completed, it will be possible to
confine active play largely to the new play areas and will enable us to
maintain the balance of the area properly.
There is a great need for active recreation in the Washington
Square neighborhood. With the exception of two small playgrounds on Sixth
Avenue southwest of the park used by the Park Department under permit from the
Board of Transportation, there are no play facilities whatever for children of
pre-school and elementary school ages. Requests for the use of other odd
pieces of Board of Transportation property on Sixth Avenue were denied by that
Board, which has even threatened to sell the present permit
playgroups. Lacking these facilities, the children have spent their energy in
the park areas to the detriment of lawns, shrubbery, and other park
facilities.
There are six elementary schools, three public and three
parochial, within seven blocks of the park, with an enrollment of
approximately 4500 children. None of these schools have adequate play
areas. Within the same area, there are hundreds of children of pre-school age.
Some property owners fronting on the square have opposed this
program as they did the original, comprehensive plan because they don't want
any play areas near their buildings. It is impossible to satisfy all of the
people in the nieghborhood and it is believed the present plan is reasonably
fair to all of them. In its amended form it has recently been approved by
members of the Board of Directors of the Washington Square Association. The
only alternative would be to acquire costly additional land in the
neighborhood for a large new playground and no funds are available or in sight
for this purpose.
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Please disregard the first release on this subject.
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f&m 26-10M-102240 114
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Wednesday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 June 4, 1941
Ceremonies in connection with the presentation of a statue of Peter
Stuyvesant to the City of New York by the Netherland-America Foundation will
take place in Stuyvesant Square Park, Manhattan, on Thursday, June 5, at 4
P. M.
Commissioner Moses will act as chairman and introduce Newbold
Morris, President of City Council; Sinclair J. Wilson, principal of Stuyvesant
High School; Mrs. A. Barton Hepburn, chairman of the Stuyvesant Statue
Committee; and, Thomas J. Watson, president of the Netherland-America
Foundation.
Musical selections will be rendered by Stuyvesant High School Band;
Miss Cornelia van Geuns will lead children dressed in authentic Dutch costumes
in singing Holland folk songs, and Miss Jeanne van Drooge will lead in singing
the Dutch and American National Anthems.
Mr. A. van Home Stuyvesant, direct descendant of Peter Stuyvesant,
will unveil the statue.
* * * *
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Form 26A-5M-12341 114
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Tuesday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 June 3, 1941
The Department of Parks announces that the anniversary of
the official opening of 12 Park Department playgrounds will be celebrated by
the children of these recreation areas during the month of June by
participating in specially prepared Birthday Party programs.
While the regular schedule of daily recreational activities
including volley ball, basketball, handball, softball, paddle tennis, and
shuffleboard will not be changed, the day's program will feature events of
both a patriotic and festive nature, such as: solo and community singing of
the national anthem, and "God Bless America", salute to the flag, recitations,
accordion selections, one act plays, military tap and folk dancing, a pageant
on safety, and a variety of birthday party games with refreshments and prizes
for the winners.
Persons, prominent in the civic and recreational activities
of the neighborhood, have been invited to speak to the children on the various
benefits to be derived from regular attendance at Park Department playgrounds.
Track and field meets, with events for boys and girls of all
age groups, will also be held. These events will include dashes, relays,
high-jumping, broad-jumping, sack race, potato race and three-legged race.
The June schedule for playground birthday celebrations is as
follows:
Time of
Borough Playground and Location Opened Celebration
Manhattan East River Drive and 125 Street June 4, 1937 4:00 P. M.
106 Street and Lexington Avenue June 12, 1936 3:30 P. M.
130 Street and Fifth Avenue June 12, 1937 4:00 P. M.
Carl Schurz Park Playground,
East 84 Street and East End Avenue June 20, 1935 4:00 P. M.
97 Street and Riverside Drive June 24, 1938 3:30 P. M.
Chelsea Playground, 10 Ave. & West 28 St. June 26, 1936 4:00 P. M.
Brooklyn Schermerhorn Street and Third Avenue June 6, 1935 3:00 P. M.
City Park Playground, Flushing Avenue
and Navy Street June 7, 1940 2:30 P. M.
Avenue L and East 18 Street June 11, 1937 2:30 P. M.
Queens Dry Harbor Playground, 80 Street and 10:30 A.M.
Myrtle Avenue June 12, 1936 to 4 P.M.
Marconi Playground, 108 Ave. & 155 Street June 30, 1939 3:00 P. M.
Bronx St. James Park Playground, Jerome Avenue
and East 191 Street June 9, 1935 3:30 P. M.
* * * *
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Form 26-10M-102240 114
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Monday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 June 2, 1941
The Department of Parks announces that the outdoor social
dancing season will open on Tuesday, June 3, 8:30 P. M., at the Mall, 71
Street and Center Drive, Central Park, Manhattan. This type of activity will
continue to take place at the Mall each Tuesday and Thursday evening
throughout the summer months, with the exception of June 19, July 1 and July
31.
Arrangements have also been made for outdoor social dancing
periods at numerous other parks and playgrounds located in various sections of
the City, according to the attached schedule.
Music is provided, for all these dances, by orchestras furnished
through the cooperation of the New York City WPA Federal Music Project.
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
CITY OF NEW YORK
PUBLIC DANCES - 1941
OUTDOOR DANCES START WEEK OF JUNE 3
DANCING COMMENCES AT 8:30 P. M.
MANHATTAN
Mondays - Roosevelt Playground, Chrystie and Forsyth Streets
Tuesdays - Mall, Central Park (except July l)
Colonial Park Playground, Bradhurst Avenue and West 153 Street
Wednesdays - Riverside Park at 105 Street
Thursdays - Mall, Central Park (Except June 19 and July 31)
East River Park, Rivington and Stanton Streets
Fridays - Roosevelt Playground, Chrystie and Forsyth Streets
BROOKLYN
Mondays - Prospect Park, 11 Street & Prospect Park West (New Band Shell)
New Lots Playground, Riverdale Avenue and Sackman Street
Wednesdays - La Guardia Playground, South 5 and Roebling Streets
McCarren Park, Driggs Avenue and Lorimer Street
Thursdays - Bushwick Playground, Knickerbocker and Putnam Avenues
Ocean Parkway and Avenue P Playground
Fridays - Red Hook Playground, Dwight, Richard and Pioneer Streets
Kelly Memorial Playground, Avenue S and East 14 Street
Prospect Park, 11 Street and Prospect Park West (New Band Shell)
QUEENS
Mondays - Jackson Heights Playground, 20 Avenue and 84 Street
Fridays - Astoria Play Center (Pool), 19 Street and 23 Drive
BRONX
Wednesdays - Van Cortlandt Park, 240 Street and Broadway
RICHMOND
Wednesdays - McDonald Playground, West Brighton, Staten Island
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Monday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 June 2, 1941
The Department of Parks1 annual "Learn to Swim" campaign will
start on June 2 and continue through June 22 in all the indoor and outdoor
pools under its jurisdiction.
This campaign was instituted to develop a wholesome, healthful
interest in swimming and water safety and to afford an opportunity to
thousands of youngsters to learn to swim. Since the opening of the City Pools
in 1937, the American Red Cross reports that there has been a drop of 54% in
the total number of annual accidental drownings in the 5 to 14 year old age
group, and a 25% drop in all accidental drownings in the City. Without doubt,
this has been due, in a large degree, to the work carried on during the
department's previous campaigns.
The Board of Education and practically every recreational
organization in the City is cooperating with the Park Department to make this
program a huge success. During last year's campaign, over twelve thousand boys
and girls registered for instruction from seventy different schools, and over
fourteen hundred passed the American Red Cross Swimmers' Test.
The public pools will be open every day from 10 A. M. to 6 P. M.
until June 28, when the pools will remain open until 10 P. M. for the rest of
the season. Children under fourteen will be admitted free of charge each
weekday morning from 10 A. M. to 12 noon. While special classes will be
carried on during this "Learn to Swim" campaign, regularly conducted classes
in swimming, diving and water safety will be held each morning throughout the
summer by the Pool Operators at each pool during the free period.
* * *
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Friday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 May 30, 1941
Peter Stuyvesant, last and most famous of the Dutch Directors
General of Manhattan, lying in a vault beneath the walls of the old St.
Marks Church in the Bowery, is honored by the erection of a statue in
nearby Stuyvesant Square Park, Manhattan.
This 7 foot bronze figure of the Governor-in-Chief of Amsterdam
in New Netherlands, under whom the colony first attained some measure of
autonomy, will be remembered by the thousands of visitors to the Netherland
Pavilion at the New York World's Fair.
Although he has been commemorated many times in bronze busts,
plaques and bas reliefs, this finely executed work is the first full length,
free-standing statue of Stuyvesant to be erected in New York City.
The idea of establishing such a memorial started with the
Netherland-America Foundation which believed that such an undertaking
would not only serve as a tribute to the donor of Stuyvesant Square but
would revive popular interest in an historical section of the City.
This four acre park, bisected by Second Avenue, lies between
East 15 and East 17 Streets. With the picturesque church yard of St. Marks,
it is the only remaining portion of the original Stuyvesant farm.
Early in 1936, Commissioner of Parks, Robert Moses, agreed to
cooperate with a committee of the Foundation in this enterprise. Mrs.
Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, the sculptress, was commissioned by the committee
to execute the work and Mr. Aymar Embury, Consulting Architect, represented
the Department of Parks. Completed just prior to the opening of the World's
Fair, it was decided that the statue should first be seen by visitors to the
Netherland Exhibit. At the closing of the Fair it was exhibited in
Philadelphia by the Claremont Park Association.
Erected in the northwest corner of Stuyvesant Park, in a setting
designed by the Department of Parks, the monument stands on a 4˝ foot high
stone pedestal of pink granite, the complete cost of which was met by the
Netherland-America Foundation. A new 15' x 30' offset with a semicircular bay
was built by the Work Projects Administration on the north side of the
existing central hexagonal plaza. The bluestone flagging around the pool plaza
has been repeated about the base of the monument. Facing southwest the figure
is backed up by a privet hedge which delineates the setting and is
supplemented by a group of existing shade trees.
Ceremonies in connection with the unveiling of this statue will
take place on the afternoon of Thursday, June 5. The program will be announced
at a later date.
* * * *
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Friday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 May 30, 1941
The Department of Parks announces that four independent series
of outdoor concerts have been planned for the large parks, located in various
sections of the city, beginning with. Decoration Day, Friday, May 30, and
continuing through the summer months, until, Septenber 19, according to the
attached schedule.
These series include concerts by the Goldman Band, Naumburg
Orchestra, Amateur City Symphony Orchestra, and the New York City WPA Federal
Music Project.
The Naumburg Orchestra will open its series of four memorial
concerts on Decoration Day, at the Mall, Central Park, at 8:15 P.M. with the
remaining three scheduled for July 4, July 31, and Labor Day, Monday,
September 1, at the same time and place. This series is contributed by
Mr. Walter W. Naumburg and Mr. George W. Naumburg in memory of their father,
Mr. Elkan Naumburg, who donated the bandshell on the Mall.
The Daniel Guggenheim Memorial Concerts by the Goldman Band,
under the direction of Dr. Edwin Franko Goldman, will be given on the Mall,
Central Park, on Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 8:30
P.M. beginning Wednesday, June 18, and ending, Sunday, August 17; on the
remaining days of the week at the Music Grove, Prospect Park, Brooklyn,
commencing Thursday, June 19, at 8:30 P.M. and terminating Saturday,
August 16.
Concerts by the New York City WPA Federal Music Project, and
the Amateur City Symphony Orchestra, with Judge Prince directing, will be
presented on various afternoons and evenings of the week throughout the summer
as indicated in the schedule.
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
CITY OF NEW YORK
PUBLIC CONCERTS
MANHATTAN
Mall, Central Park
Goldman Band Concerts - Sundays , Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays 8:30PM
June 18 t o August 17
Naumburg Memorial Concerts -May 30; July 4, 31; Labor Day, Sept. 1 8:15PM
Amateur City Symphony - July 1, 5, 1 2, 1 9, 26 8:30PM
Concerts (Judge Prince)
WPA Federal Music Concerts -Sundays -Aug. 24 through Sept. 14 8:30PM
Monday -Aug. 18 8:30PM
Wednesdays-Aug. 20 through Sept. 10 8:30PM
Fridays -Aug. 22 through Sept. 12 8:30PM
Saturdays -June 21,28; Aug 2 - Sept 13 8:30PM
BROOKLYN
Prospect Park Music Grove
Goldman Band Concerts - Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays 8:30PM
June 19 to August 16
Amateur City Symphony - Sundays - July 6, 13, 20, 27 3:00PM
Concerts (Judge Prince)
WPA Federal Music Concerts -Sundays -June 15,22,29;Aug.3-Sept.14 3:00PM
-Tuesday -August 19 8:30PM
-Wednesdays -June 18 through Aug.13&27 3:00PM
-Thursdays -Aug. 21 and Sept. 4 8:30PM
-Fridays -June 20 - Aug.15,29;Sep.12 8:30PM
-Saturdays -Aug. 23 - Sept. 13 8:30PM
QUEENS
Forest Park Music Grove
WPA Federal Music Concerts -Sundays, Tuesdays, Fridays 8:30PM
June 15 through Sept. 14
King Park
WPA Federal Music Concerts -Fridays June 20 - Sept. 19 8:30PM
BRONX
Poe Park
WPA Federal Music Conderts -Mondays June 16 through Sept. 15 8:30PM
RICHMOND
South Beach Boardwalk
WPA Federal Music Concerts -Tuesdays - June 17 through Sept. 16 8:30PM
**********
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Friday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 May 30, 1941
On Friday, May 30, at 10 A. M., the Department of Parks will
open without ceremony, the permanent bathhouse facilities of John Jay Pool
adjacent to and overlooking the East River at East 78 Street, Manhattan.
This old recreation and comfort station building has been
remodeled and now provides space for the accommodation of 1,002 male bathers
and 590 female bathers. Adequate dressing room, shower and comfort station
facilities are now also provided. In this building, the recreation room and
comfort station for those using the general park area have been
retained. This pool, opened last season, is 50' x 145', and while not as
large as some of the other pools around the City, is as modern in every
respect. In addition, it 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 water is filtered, purified and recirculated. Under-water
lighting for night use is provided and there is a large promenade around the
pool. The pool will be operated in the same manner as the other 15 outdoor
swimming pools also opening on May 30.
The public bath, located across from the pool at Cherokee
Place and East 76 Street, has now been officially transferred from the
jurisdiction of the Borough President of Manhattan to the Department of
Parks. Plans are completed for the remodeling of this building. When
completed it will provide a large recreation room, gymnasium and
auditorium. Plans have also been drawn for the complete rehabilitation of
the general John Jay Park area including the construction of a diving pool
which will become a part of the swimming pool and increase the capacity of
this area. Materials are now being purchased. Construction work will start
shortly and the diving pool will be ready for use next summer.
On weekdays and Saturdays, from 10 A. M. to 12:30 P. M.,
there will be a free period for children under fourteen years of age, during
which hours no adults will be permitted in the pool area. After 1 P. M. on
weekdays, and all day on Sundays and holidays, there will be a 10˘ charge
for children under fourteen years of age and a 200 charge for older children
and adults. Group swimming, diving tournaments, inter-pool contests, water
shows, life saving and first-aid classes will be part of the aquatic
program.
* * * *
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Thursday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 May 29, 1941
The Department of Parks announces that the first of a series of
four Naumburg Memorial Concerts will be given on the Mall, Central Park, on
Decoration Day, Friday, May 30, at 8:15 P. M.
The three remaining concerts will also be given on the Mall on:
July 4, July 31 and Labor Day, September 1, at 8:15 P. M.
This concert series is contributed by Mr. Walter W. Naumburg and
Mr. George W. Naumburg, in memory of their father, Mr. Elkan Naumburg, who
donated the bandstand on the Mall.
The Decoration Day concert will be given by the Naumburg
Orchestra, with Ignace Strasfogel as conductor, and Benjamin De Loache as
the baritone soloist. The program will include selections by such famous
artists as: Tschaikowsky, Mozart, Schubert, Gounod and Mendelssohn.
* * *
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Wednesday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 May 28, 1941
The Department of Parks announces the completion and opening to the
general public on Wednesday, May 28, of three new play areas in Forest Park,
Queens.
The playground located along Park Lane South at 79 Street is
equipped with swings, a sand pit, a shower basin, see-saws, slides, a
pipe-frame exercise unit, a flagpole, benches, drinking fountains, and a
modern comfort station, and is enclosed by an 8' chain link fence. The play
area at Freedom Drive and Park Lane South contains similar equipment,
whereas the triangular-shaped playground at Metropolitan Avenue, also along
Park Lane South, includes a sand pit, a bituminous surfaced tricycling area
and benches. These latter two areas while just completed were opened in part
last fall to satisfy the recreational needs of the children and to take the
pressure off the adjacent park areas.
In addition the surface of Benninger Playground at Madison Street,
west of Fresh Pond Road has been repaved to provide all year round usage.
All work was performed by the Work Projects Administration
according to plans prepared by the Department of Parks. There are now 422
playgrounds in the City. In 1934, there were 119, of which 52 have been
redesigned and reconstructed.
* * * *
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Monday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 May 26, 1941
The Department of Parks announces the opening of the sixteen
outdoor swimming pools on Memorial Day, May 30, 1941, at 10 A. M. The pools
are located as follows:
Manhattan: Hamilton Fish Pool East Houston and Pitt Streets
Colonial Pool Bradhurst Ave. West 145 to 14? Streets
Highbridge Pool Amsterdam Ave. and 173 Street
Thos. Jefferson Pool 111 to 114 Streets and First Avenue
23rd Street Pool 23rd Street and East River Drive
Carmine St. Pool Clarkson Street and 7 Avenue
60th Street Pool 60 Street between Amsterdam and 11 Avenues
John Jay Pool 78th Street and East River Drive
Brooklyn: Sunset Pool 7th Avenue and 43 Street
McCarren Pool Driggs Avenue and Lorimer Street
Red Hook Pool Clinton, Bay and Henry Streets
Betsy Head Pool Hopkinson, Dumont and Livonia Avenues
Bronx: Crotona Pool 173 Street and Fulton Avenue
Queens: Astoria Pool 19 Street and 23 Drive
Richmond: Faber Pool Richmond Terrace at Faber Street
Tompkinsyille Pool Victory Boulevard between Bay Street and
Murray Hulbert Avenue
During the f all , winter and spring, twelve of these outdoor
pools have been operated as free play centers. Various facilities, such as
handball, volley b all , paddle tennis and basketball were provided and used
by approximately 1,119,879 children and adults. On April 20 they were closed
as play centers and the areas cleaned, painted and put in readiness for the
swimming season.
From May 30 to June 27 the pools will open at 10 A. M. and
close at 6 P. E. and from June 28 until the end 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 remain open later than 10 P. M. In the event
of cold or rainy weather, they will close at an earlier 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 of children under fourteen 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 fourteen years of age and a 20˘ charge for older children and
adults. Group swimming, diving, diving tournaments, inter-pool contests,
water shows, life saving and first aid classes will be part of the aquatic
program.
Orchard Beach, Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx, Jacob Riis Park
Beach and Rockaway Beach in the Rockaway Peninsular, Queens, Coney Island
Beach, Brooklyn, and South Beach and Wolfe's Pond Park Beach in Staten
Island will also open for bathers on Memorial Day, May 30th. Bath house
accommodations are available at Jacob Riis Park and Orchard Beach.
At Orchard Beach there is a total of 7796 lockers for bath house
patrons and parking space is provided for 6,000 cars. At Jacob Riis Park,
the bath house accommodates 10,000 people and the parking space 14,000
cars. Parking at both beaches will be 25˘ per car, bath house fees 15˘
for children's lockers and 25˘ for adult lockers. Dressing rooms are
available at Jacob Riis Park for a fee of 50˘ per person. Recreational
areas at Jacob Riis Park and Orchard Beach providing shuffle board, paddle
tennis, and handball are available to the public, The charge for the use of
these facilities will be 10˘ per person, per half hour.
Besides these games areas at Jacob Riis Park there is also an
eighteen hole pitch and putt golf course. A charge of 50˘ is made for
each round of golf, which includes clubs and balls. In addition to these
games areas, a special schedule of events is planned for Jacob Riis
Park. There will be calisthenics on the beach each day at 12 P. M. and at 3
P. M. each Wednesday, beginning July 1st, will be Children's Day; races,
contests and games will be staged in the outfield of the soft ball
area. There will be social dancing on the Mall every night ex- cept Sunday
at 8:30 P.M. All these activities are free and patrons of the beach are
invited to join in the fun. Similar activities have been scheduled for
Orchard Beach.
Beginning Monday, June 16, at Jacob Riis Park there will be soft
ball games every week day night, except Friday, the first game starting at
seven o'clocfc and the second game at 9. On Saturdays and Sundays a single
game will be played, starting at 2:30 P.M. Three leagues have been formed
and spectators are sure of fast, interesting soft ball . The ball field is
flood lighted and bleachers have been provided for 1,000 persons,
Beach chairs and umbrellas may be rented at Orchard Beach and
Jacob Riis Park at a nominal charge and beach shops are provided where
bathing accessories can be purchased,
* * *
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Friday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 May 23, 1941
The Department of Parks announces that the city-wide finals of the
annual Marble Tournament for playground boys and girls, 14 years of age and
under, will take place at Heckscher Playground, 62 Street and West Drive,
Central Park, Manhattan, on Saturday, May 24 at 2:00 P.M.
During the past three weeks, playground and district eliminations
were held in each of the boroughs to determine the best qualified contestants
for the city finals.
Twenty-five players in all, five from each borough, will compete
next Saturday afternoon for the title of "Marble Champion" of New York City's
Park Department Playgrounds.
Gold, silver and bronze medals will be awarded to those who attain
first, second and third place respectively, and bronze medals to the borough
winners.
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Friday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 May 23, 1941
The Department of Parks announces that the newly
organized troupe of Park Department puppeteers will give the first of a series
of 110 open air puppet and marionette shows, including "Jack and the
Beanstalk" and "Hansel and Gretel", at Columbus Park Playground, Barter and
Worth Streets, Manhattan, on Saturday, May 24, at 11 A. M. and at 3 P. M.,
from a trailer stage recently con structed in the department's work shop,
"Jack and the Beanstalk" consisting of 3 acts lasting
for approximately 50 minutes, has been selected for this opening
performance. "Hansel and Gretel", the other play in the present repertoire,
consisting of 5 scenes lasts 45 minutes.
These shows will continue to be presented at 68 park
playgrounds and recreation areas, centrally located in various sections of the
city, until the final production at Riis Park, Queens, on Tuesday, August 19,
according to the attached schedule.
Manhattan - May 24 to June 7, Inclusive
Bronx - June 9 to June 17, "
Brooklyn - June 18 to July 10 "
Richmond - July 11 to July 16th "
Queens - July 17 to August 19th "
Last December, the Park Department introduced puppet
shows, for the first time, as part of its Christmas program of indoor
recreational activities. Twenty-seven performances were given at that time,
and every show was so well attended and enthusiastically received by both
children and adults, that it was decided to expand this type of dramatic
activity by staging similar productions outdoors, during the spring and summer
months.
For the past three months, recreation personnel, charged
with the responsibility of putting on the shows, have been attending regular
rehearsals, where they practiced the various speaking parts until the proper
nuance was ac- quired for such characters in the dramatis personnae of "Jack
and the Beanstalk" as Jack, Mother, the Giant, the Giant's Wife, and the
Gypsy; and, in the cast of "Hansel and Gretel", such actors as: Hansel,
Gretel, Father, Mother, Sandman, Witch, and the Angels.
Hand in hand with voice cultivation, came the task of
developing the faculty of timely and skilful manipulation of the suspended
figures. Preliminary to all these dramatic preparations, this group had the
added burden of revising the original fairy tale texts, suitable only for
reading, so as to make them adaptable to a puppet theatre, as well as acting
in the capacity of craftsmen by carving, molding, painting and costuming the
various figures to a likeness becoming its particular part in the drama.
The trailer stage, is 11 feet 10 inches high, 8 feet 6 inches
wide, and 14 feet 4 inches long. It is equipped with electrical wires,
lighting fixtures, amplifiers, colored scenery, storage room and an overhead
horizontal platform for the puppeteers. Every contrivance, necessary for a
first class puppet and marionette theatre has been provided for.
On the exterior of the stage, characters and objects, familiar
to every reader of Grimm's Fairy Tales, are painted in variegated
colors. Lengthwises on the face of one side, and to the right, the design
portrays the Ginger Bread House, and Hansel and Gretel in a woodland scene;
and to the left, Jack and the Beanstalk, and Humpty-Dumpty; on the reverse
side, Snow White, Little Bow Peep, and Little Red Riding Hood. On the front
panel, there is depicted a performing seal and clown; while the rear panel
contains a representation of the Three Bears and the Grandmother's House of
Little Red Riding Hood.
* * * * *
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
CITY OF NEW YORK
SCHEDULE FOR TRAILER MARIONETTE THEATRE
Manhattan
May 24, Saturday Columbus Playground at Baxter and Park Streets
11 A. M. - "Jack and the Beanstalk"
3 P. M. - "Hansel and Gretel"
May 26, Monday Hamilton Fish Playground at E, Houston, Stanton,
Pitt & Sheriff Sts.
4 P. M. - "Hansel and Gretel"
May 27, Tuesday Kelly Playground at West 17 Street between 8 & 9 Avenues
4 P. M. - "Hansel and Gretel"
May 28, Wednesday Jay Hood Wright Playground at West 173 Street
& Ft. Washington Avenue
4 P. M. - "Hansel and Gretel"
May 29, Thursday Chelsea Playground at 10 Avenue, West 27 to West 28 Streets
4 P.M. - "Hansel and Gretel"
May 30, Friday 74 Street and Riverside Drive Playground
4 P.M. - "Hansel and Gretel"
May 31, Saturday Hecksoher Playground, 62 Street & West Drive, Central Park
11 A. M. - "Jack and the Beanstalk"
3 P. M. - "Hansel and Gretel"
June 2, Monday North Meadow at 100 Street and West Drive, Central Park
4 P. M. - "Hansel and Gretel"
June 3, Tuesday Thomas Jefferson North Playground at East 114 Street and
Pleasant Avenue
4 P. M. - "Hansel and Gretel"
June 4, Wednesday Mt. Morris East Playground at East 120 Street
& Madison Ave.
4 P. M. - "Hansel and Gretel"
June 5, Thursday Colonial Playground at Bradhurst Avenue and West 151 Street
4 P. M. - "Hansel and Gretel"
June 6, Friday 148 Street and Riverside Playground
4 P. M. - "Hansel and Gretel"
June 7, Saturday Roosevelt Playground, Chrystie, Grand and Delancey Streets
11 A. M. - "Jack and the Beanstalk"
3 P. M. - "Hansel and Gretel"
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
CITY OF NEW YORK
SCHEDULE FOR TRAILER MARIONETTE THEATRE
Brooklyn
June 18, Wednesday Mclaughlin Park Playground at Bridge and Tillary Streets
4 P. M. - "Hansel and Gretel"
June 19, Thursday MoCarren Park Playground at Driggs Avenue and
Lorimer Street
4 P. M. - "Hansel and Gretel"
June 20, Friday Cooper Park Playground at Morgan Avenue and Sharon Street
4 P. M. - "Hansel and Gretel"
June 21, Saturday Red Hook Recreation Center at Court and Bay Streets
11 A, M. - "Jack and the Beanstalk"
3 P. M. - "Hansel and Gretel"
June 23, Monday Lindsay Playground at Lorimer Street and Johnson Avenue
4 P. M. - "Hansel and Gretel"
June 24, Tuesday MoKibben Park Playground at McKibben and White Streets
4 P. M. - "Hansel and Gretel"
June 25, Wednesday Heckscher Playground at Grove Street between Wilson and
Central Avenues
4 p. M. - "Hansel and Gretel"
June 26, Thursday Bushwick Playground at Putnam Avenue between
Knickerbocker and Irving Avenues
4 P. M. - "Hansel and Gretel"
June 27, Friday Playground at Howard, Dean and Pacific Streets
4 P, M. - "Hansel and Gretel"
June 28, Saturday New Lots Avenue Playground at Riverdale Avenue and
Sackman St.
11 A, M, - "Jack and the Beanstalk"
3 P. M, - "Hansel and Gretel"
June 30, Monday Atlantic Avenue and Linwood Street Playground
4 P. F. - "Hansel and Gretel"
July 1, Tuesday Elton Street and New Lots Playground
11 A. M. - "Jack and the Beanstalk"
3 P. M. - "Ecmsel and Gretel"
July 2, Wednesday Playground at Avenue L and East 18 Street
11 A. M. - "Jack and the Beanstalk"
3 P. M. - "Hansel and Gretol"
July 3, Thursday Sunset Playground at Sixth Avenue and 44 Street
11 A. M. - "Jaok and the Beanstalk"
3 P. M. - "Hansel and Gretel"
July 4, Friday Kelly Memorial Playground at Avenue S and East 14 Street
11 A, M, - "Jack and the Beanstalk"
3 P. M. - "Hansel and Gretel"
July 7, Monday Bill Brown Memorial Playground at Bedford Avenue & Avenue X
11 A, M. - "Jack and the Beanstalk"
3 P. M. - "Hansel and Gretel"
July 8, Tuesday Marine Park at Fillmore Avenue and Marine Parkway
11 A. M. - "Jack and the Beanstalk"
3 P. M. - "Hansel and Gretel"
July 9, Wednesday Neptune Avenue and West 28 Street Playground
11 A. M. - "Jack and the Beanstalk"
3 P. M. - "Hansel and Gretel"
July 10, Thursday Playground at 18 Avenue and 83 Street
11 A. M. - "Jack and the Beanstalk"
3 P. M. - "Hansel and Gretel"
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CITY OF NEW YORK
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
SCHEDULE FOR THE TRAILER MARIONETTE THEATRE
BRONX
June 9, Monday Bronx Park East and Boston Road Playground
4 P.M. - "Hansel and Gretel"
June 10, Tuesday Playground at Watson, Gleason and Noble Avenues
4 P.M. - "Hansel and Gretel"
June 11, Wednesday Playground at Bradford, Edison, Waterbury
and LaSalle Avenue
4 P.M. - "Hansel and Gretel"
June 12, Thursday Van Cortlandt Stadium at 240 Street and Broadway
4 P.M. - "Hansel and Gretel"
June 13, Friday Claremont Park, North Playground, Teller and
Mt. Eden Avenue
4 P.M. - "Hansel and Gretel"
June 14, Saturday Poe Park (Concert Area) at Grand Concourse and
E. 192 Street
11 A.M. - "Jack and the Beanstalk"
3 P.M. - "Hansel and Gretel"
June 16, Monday St. Mary's East Playground, E. 146 Street and
Trinity Avenue
4 P.M. - "Hansel and Gretel"
June 17, Tuesday Pulaski Playground, E. 133 Street and Willis Avenue
4 P.M. - "Hansel and Gretel"
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
CITY OF NEW YORK
SCHEDULE FOR THE TRAILER MARIONETTE THEATRE
QUEENS
At each of the following locations there will
be two performances daily at
11 A.M. - "Jack and the Beanstalk"
3 P.M. - "Hansel and Gretel"
July 17, Thursday Astoria Park, Ditmars Boulevard and 19 Street
July 18, Friday Maurice Playground, Maurice, Borden and 54 Avenue, Maspeth
July 21, Monday Broadway and 78 Street Playground, Jackson Heights
July 22, Tuesday Chisholm Playground, College Pt. Shore, Poppenhausen Ave.,
E. Riv
July 23, Wednesday Francis Lewis Playground, East River, 3 Ave., 147 Street
July 24, Thursday Flushing Memorial Playground, Bayside Ave. & 25 Ave.,
at 149 St.
July 25, Friday Kissena Park Playground, Oak Ave. to Hempstead Turnpike,
Kissena Boulevard
July 28, Monday Bowne Park Playground, 29 Ave, to 32 Ave., 158 Street
July 29, T aesday Crocheron Park Playground, 33 - 35 Avenues on
Little Neck Bay
July 30 Wednesday Cunningham Park Playground, Horace Harding Blvd.,
Grand Central
Parkway
July 31, Thursday Alley Pond Park, Grand Central Parkway and Union Turnpike
August 1, Friday Springfield Pond at Springfield Blvd., Sheffield Ave.,
South of South Conduit
August 4, Monday Highland Upper Playground, Highland Blvd. and Heath Place
August 5, Tuesday Dry Harbor Playground at 80 Street and Myrtle Avenue
August 6, Wednesday Forest Park Music Grove, Main Drive near
Woodhaven Boulevard
August 7, Thursday 95 Avenue and 125 Street, Richmond Hill
August 8, Friday Van Wyck Playground at 111 Avenue & 134 Street, Ozone Park
August 11, Monday Marconi Playground at 155 Street, 108 Avenue, Jamaica
August 12, Tuesday Liberty Park Playground at Liberty Avenue at 173 Street,
Jamaica
August 13, Wednesday St. Albans Memorial Playground, 111 Ave., 174 Place
August 14, Thursday Baisley Pond Park, 116 Ave. & 155 Street, Sunrise Highway
August 15, Friday Brookville Playground, Brookville Boulevard & 143 Ave.
Rosedal
August 18, Monday Braddock Playground, Braddock Ave. & 240 Street,
Queens Village
August 19, Tuesday Jacob Riis Park Field at Neponsit, Rockaway
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
CITY OF HEW YORK
SCHEDULE FOR TRAILER MARIONETTE THEATRE
Richmond
July 11, Friday Schmul Playground at Wilde Avenue, Travis
11 A. M. - "Jack and the Beanstalk"
3 P. M, - "Hansel and Gretel"
July 14, Monday Abraham Levy Playground at Jewett & Castleton Aves,, Port
Richmond
11 A. M, - "Jack and the Beanstalk"
3 P. M. - "Hansel and Gretel"
July 15, Tuesday Lincoln Ave. Playground at Lincoln Avenue, Midland Beach
11 A, M, - "Jack and the Beanstalk"
3 P. M. - "Hansel and Gretel"
July 16, Wednesday Clove Lakes at Victory Boulevard and Clove Road, TT,
Brighton
11 A, M. - "Jack and the Beanstalk"
3 P. M. - "Hansel and Gretel"
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Friday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 May 23, 1941
On Saturday, May 24, 1941, at 1:30 P.M. the Department of
Parks will conduct Model Sail and Motor Boat races at Conservatory lake, 72
Street and 5 Avenue, Central Park, Manhattan.
Similar races will be held at 2:00 P. M. on the same day at
Linden Lake, 104 Street and 41 Avenue, Corona, Queens and at Martling's Pond,
Clove Lakes, Victory Boulevard and Clove Road, West Brighton, Richmond.
Any boy or girl 16 years of age or younger may participate
in these races by entering a sail or motor boat in any of the following
classes, provided he owns the boat and sails it himself.
Sailboats: Class (a) from 12" - 18"
(b) " 18" - 25"
(o) " 25" - 32"
(d) " 32" - 40"
(e) " 40" - 50"
(f) Constructed models to 30"
Motor Boats: Class (g) Electric and Spring Powered
Note: All boats to be measured for overall length from stern to bow, but not
including bowsprit.
A contestant may enter class F in addition to the other
classes if his boat is a home built model.
Boats are to sail along a predetermined course and
instructions will be given to contestants on the day of the races. Contestants
must apply at the judge's booth not later than 12 noon on Saturday for
measuring in of boats and assigning of race numbers.
Gold, silver and bronze medals will be awarded to the winners
of each event.
* * * *
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SONG
George E. Spargo
( ) THE CITY OF NEW YORK Executive Officer
( seal ) DEPARTMENT OF PARKS William H. Latham
( ) ----- Park Engineer
ROBERT MOSES ARSENAL James A. Dawson
Commissioner 64th Street and Fifth Avenue Chief Clerk
Central Park
May 22nd, 1941
STUYVESANT PARK
Dear Petitioner:
The Mayor has referred to me a petition circulated by the
Stuyvesant Park Mothers Club, to which your signature, among many others, is
attached, requesting certain changes in Stuyvesant Park.
These changes include:
1. A section reserved for children and
their guardians.
2. A recreational director.
3. Sand piles, and
4. Partial closing of one of the main
gates, and complete closing of another
of these gates at certain hours, so
that a section will be closed to all
but children and their guardians.
The Stuyvesant Park Mothers Club should have informed you that
the use of parts of Stuyvesant Park for playground purposes was challenged in
the courts, that suit was brought against the Park Commissioner and The City
by various hospital and other local interests who insisted that no playgrounds
should be provided, and that no areas should be fenced off for this purpose,
that this suit was brought on behalf of these interests by former Senator
Thottas I. Sheridan, that Justice William T. Collins of the Supreme Court
decided the case against the Park Department and The City, and that this
decision was affirmed by the higher courts.
The decision of Justice Collins rested on the assumption that
Stuyvesant Park was an ornamental public square, and not a park in the
ordinary sense, and that it would revert to the heirs of the original donor if
playgrounds and similar facilities were provided. 1 don't believe that the
courts gave sufficient weight to the public questions involved, but their
decision is the law unless and until it is modified by them.
The Appellate Division said that this area was established as a
"park-like enclosure beautified by lawns, shrubbery, trees, winding walks and
fountains" and added, "In that condition substantially the City is obligated
to maintain it in perpetuity." The Appellate Division further said "The
argument that the city has a right to place playgrounds in Stuyvesant Park
because of the fact that in recent years it has been overrun by children does
not aid the appellants' contention."
Similarly the Court of Appeals said "The Trial Court found that
the intention of Peter G. Stuyvesant in dedicating Stuyvesant Square for use
as a public square, was to have the square embellished with taste and beauty
and to enhance the value of his adjacent lots and that Peter" G. Stuyvesant
dedicated Stuyvesant Square for use as an ornamental public square. Both these
findings have been unanimously affirmed by the Appellate Division and there is
evidence to support both."
Under the circumstances it must be obvious to every one that we
can't partially or wholly close gates to this park so that all or part of it
will be open only to small children and their guardians. The most that we can
possibly do is to put up signs, and enforce a local park regulation that a
certain unfenced area in the southwest corner of the park is reserved for
women and children. This we have already done. I am personally of the belief
that providing small sand piles in this area will not run afoul of the
decision above referred to, and we shall therefore install such sand piles. I
don't believe that we have the right to provide a playground director in a
place where there is no formal playground. There will, however, be park
attendants to keep order.
At the time Senator Sheridan brought his suit we tried in every
possible way to explain to local residents the effects of an adverse
decision. We warned the people of the neighborhood of precisely what has
happened. Had there been a larger response from the neighborhood at the time,
and had the importance of the decision to your group and others been made
manifest in the courts, I believe the decision would have been different. As
it was, the Courts were evidently impressed by the arguments presented on
behalf of the neighboring hospitals that play facilities in Stuyvesant Park
would be detrimental to them, it is too late, however, to argue this matter
now.
The Park Department is doing everything it possibly can to meet
this serious local problem consistently with the decision of the courts. Very
truly yours,
(signature)
Commissioner.
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Tuesday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 May 20, 1941
The Department of Parks announces the seasonal reopening of the
Tavern-On-The-Green on Thursday, May 22.
The Tavern is located on the site of the old Central Park Sheepfold
opposite 67 Street.
Savarins Management, Inc., operators of restaurants in the
Waldorf-Astoria, will again operate the Tavern.
Luncheon will be from 85#, dinner from $1.35, or a la carte, and
afternoon tea for as little as 35˘. After 9 P. M. a minimum charge of
$1.00, which will include food and beverages, will be charged.
There will be dining and dancing on the terrace nightly from 7
P. M, to closing, featuring the music of Hughie Barrett and his
orchestra. This will be the fourth season this orchestra has played at the
Tavern-On-The-Green.
Special facilities are available for private parties.
* * * *
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Tuesday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 May 20, 1941
On Saturday, May 24, the Depa rtment of Parks in cooperation
with, the United States Lawn Tennis Association, will present a tennis clinic
at the Central Park Courts, 93 Street and West Drive, from 11 A.M. to 2
P.M. Such outstanding stars as the internationally famous Czechoslovakian
Davis Cup Star, Ladislau Hecht; Francis X. Shields, a nationally ranked star
since 1928, member of Davis Cup team, runner-up in the National Championships
and member of National Doubles champion team in 1933; Sarah Palfrey Cooke,
National ranking star consistently since 1929, member of Wightman cup team
since 1930, former National Women's Indoor, Doubles Outdoor, and Mixed Doubles
championship; Elwood Cooke, national ranking star, present titleholder
National Indoor Doubles, runner-up Wimbledon championship and former Wimbledon
Doubles Champion; and Sidney Wood, member Davis Cup team, runner-up National
Singles and Doubles championship, will demon strate "How Not to Play Tennis",
Instructions will be given in stroke technique, footwork, position and
tournament play. All are invited to attend and take part in this three hours
of expert tennis instruction. Arrangements have been made to handle a large
crowd by setting up bleachers and a public address system. It is hoped that
this exhibition will aid those who have entered the championships for men,
women and junior boys conducted by this department as a part of the Park
Department's Second Annual Sports Tournament.
* * * *
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Monday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 May 19, 1941
A city-wide tree planting program carried out during most unusual
and difficult planting conditions this spring nears completion. Progressing
under 200 separate projects, it will have added to the rapidly increasing
flora of the city approximately 20,000 major trees averaging 2"-3" in
diameter, and 10,000 minor trees as well as 500,000 shrubs and vines.
Under the heading of major trees are included Oaks, Maples,
Lindens, Elms, Beeches, Sweet Gums, Sour Gums, Birches, Willows, Tulips,
Planes, Honey locusts and Gingkos. Minor trees are Flowering Dogwoods,
Hawthornes, Crabapples, Shadbush, Styrax, Silverbells, Magnolias, Eleagnus,
Hornbeam and Cercidiphyllum. The more conmon shrubs used include the
Yirburnums, Forsythias, Bayberry, Honeysuckles, Privets, Sumacs, Aronias,
Roses and Hollies. Ground covers material include the Ivies, Myrtles,
Honeysuckles, Spurge and special lawn seed mixtures.
On the basis of the park and parkway site and the public usage,
there are two broad classifications of tree planting to consider, namely:
shade tree planting and ornamental tree planting.
Shade trees serve the dual purpose of improving the landscape
picture by screening ugly groups of buildings, enhancing the setting of good
architecture and affording physical comfort to pedestrians, motorists, bench
warmers and those engaged in active play. Depending on the type of area, they
are planted informally in groups or formally in rows. The second group is
important for pictorial and esthetic reasons and forms the backbone of
landscape composition in all types of park and parkway areas.
The Department of Parks and the various Borough President
offices, with Federal assistance through relief funds, have broken during the
past few years the crust of thousands of acres of arid pavements,
rehabilitated public sites and undeveloped areas with ornamental and shade
trees. The scope of the projects includes planting in connection with
parkways, drives, promenades, malls, triangles, sidewalks, and various types
of parks, playgrounds, athletic fields, beach developments, boat basin areas
and public building sites.
Planting designs for work done by the above agencies were prepared
by or reviewed and approved by the Department of Parks.
The size of specific jobs ranges from single trees located on small
intersection triangles to long continuous stretches of tree planted parkways
and highways. Mile upon mile of broadly landscaped parkways with clusters and
groves of trees similar to the recently completed 35 mile Belt system are now
being taken for granted. A notable example of highway planting which is
receiving considerable public attention is the 15 mile multiple road boulevard
which extends from Queens Plaza to the Rockaways via Queens, Woodhaven and
Cross Bay Boulevards. Motorists bound for Rockaway Beach may observe precise
squadrons of Pin Oaks and American llm totaling 850 trees in the malls and
sidewalk planted strips forming a junction with similarly landscaped completed
sections.
As an example of large park projects, the 150-acre Crotona Park in
the Bronx has been extensively reconstructed. The area which includes several
new playgrounds, a boat house, three new comfort stations, baseball fields and
bleachers, has been planted with 1,300 major trees, 1,400 minor trees and
18,000 shrubs and vines.
Small scale planting may be seen at the recently opened 2 1/2 acre
bandshell and playground area in Prospect Park where the fine old adjacent
trees have been supplemented with Pin Oaks and a variety of shrubs.
The most dramatic example of street planting was undertaken in the
spring of 1939 along Fifth Avenue at Rockefeller Center and the St. Patrick's
Cathedral where twelve full grown English Elms were planted. For two years as
would be expected the growth has lagged but this year the leafage is
approaching normal.
The final stage in the evolution of the Flushing Meadows from swamp to
Fair to Park proceeds at a pace considerably slower than originally planned
because of lack of funds. However, much of the planting in the malls and in
several of the especially fine gardens, will remain intact. A considerable
quantity of shrubs and trees falling within the areas which must be altered or
rebuilt to conform with the park development have been transplanted this
spring.
Statistics on a few noteworthy street tree planting projects follows
1. Ramona Boulevard - Staten Island
335 Oaks
2. Emmons Avenue - Brooklyn
380 new trees
3. Ditmars Boulevard - Queens
400 new trees
100 transplanted
4. 23rd Avenue - Queens
120 new trees
5. Cross Bay Boulevard - Queens
1500 new trees
6. Eastern Boulevard - Bronx
335 new t rees
7. Various replacement on the streets of Manhattan -
600 new trees
8. Street trees planted by private owners -
680 nev/ trees
* * * *
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Friday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 May 9, 1941
The Park Department announces that the afternoon weekday
sessions of the Roller Rink at the New York City Building, Flushing Meadow
Park, Queens, will be discontinued after today, Friday, May 9.
Hereafter, afternoon sessions starting at 2:30
o'clock will be held only on Saturdays and Sundays, with
evening sessions every night at 7:30 o'clock. The free
period for children on Saturday mornings, from 9:30 A» M.
to 12 noon, will continue as usual.
It is expected that because of the air conditioned building, the
roller skating sessions now planned, will continue popular throughout the warm
weather.
Since the skating rinks in the City Building were opened to the
public on January 12, 1941, they have been patronized by 163,955
skaters. Permanent parking fields, large enough to accommodate normal crowds
at the Building, are now under construction and will be completed by fall .
At present, the court in front of the building is available as a parking field
for patrons.
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Friday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 May 9, 1941
The Department of Parks announces the opening of the pitch and putt
golf, course at Jacob Riis Park for this season on Saturday, May 10th.
With the exceptionally fine weather this Spring, the course is in
excellent condition and golfers using this facility will enjoy ideal playing
conditions.
A charge of 50˘ a round is made to play on this course. There
will be no charge made for parking at Jacob Riis Park until May 30th.
* * *
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Wednesday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 May 7, 1941
The Department of Parks announces that the Night
Superintendent of the Central Park Zoo, former Governor Alfred E. Smith, has
arranged to have five elk donated by the New York State Conservation
Department. They will arrive at the Central Park Zoo at 6:00 P. M. on
Wednesday, May 7.
One of these five is a 17 year old cow given to Alfred E.
Smith by the Boy Scouts when he was Governor of New York State. The scouts
while on a hiking trip in 1924 found the very young animal which was
apparently lost and presented it to the Governor who kept it for some time in
the tennis court adjacent to the Executive Mansion. Untamed and wild at
first, the yearling finally became friendly and playful under the Governor's
care.
When the Governor left Albany, the animal was turned loose
with other elk in the wild life sanctuary of John Boyd Thacher Park, 15 miles
southwest of Albany.
Governor Smith, in his capacity as Honorary Night
Superintendent of the Zoo, will be on hand to welcome and unload his old pet
and see that she and the others are properly housed and cared for in their new
home. Photographs of the animals may be taken immediately.
* * * *
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Sunday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 May 4, 1941
Construction by the Triborough Bridge Authority of the Gowanus
Parkway Extension of the Belt Parkway is progressing satisfactorily towards
its scheduled completion in October, 1941.
The old Third Avenue elevated structure is being remodeled and
will be utilized. From 18th Street to 39th Street along Third Avenue and also
along Hamilton Avenue, new construction will link the Belt Parkway at Owl's
Head Park to the Brooklyn entrance of the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel. The new
elevated parkway structure on Third Avenue is 22 feet above street level with
two 24 foot strips of paving designed for two way traffic and separated by a
four foot center wall. A two foot clearance marks the division between the
outside curbing and the edge of the steel structure. The 180 foot
right-of-way, and the limited height of the elevated structure, gives the new
parkway a streamlined as well as pedestal appearance. Cantilever in design, it
is planned to minimize interference with the lower structure, and it is so far
removed from adjoining property that there is little marked difference from a
parkway on the surface.
* * *
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Friday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 May 9, 1941
Bids were opened today by the Department of Parks at the
Arsenal Building, Central Park, Manhattan, on contracts for the electrical
work and for heating facilities required in connection with the alteration of
the former New Jersey Building located in Flushing Meadow Park, Queens, into a
City Police Precinct. Contracts for the general alterations and for plumbing
work were let on April 28, 1941.
The heating work consists of the installation of a gas fired
steam boiler and all necessary supply lines and radiators. Under the
electrical contract, portions of the old lighting system will be removed and
new lighting facilities added to meet requirements under the revised floor
plans to provide a complete lighting and control system for the future police
building.
The three lowest bidders for each of the contracts are the
following:
ELECTRICAL
1. Berry Electrical Company
890 Utica Avenue, Brooklyn, N. Y. $3,431.00
2. Naumer Electric Company
60 Cliff Street, New York City 3,717.00
3. Public Improvements, Inc.
409 East 17 Street, New York City 3,719.00
HEATING
1. Edward Kiss, Inc.
207 East 43 Street, New York City 3,500.00
2. Clennont Heating Company
480 Clermont Avenue, Brooklyn, N.I. 3,535.00
3. Pipe & Engineering Company
537 Coster Street, New York City 3,670.00
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Thursday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 May 1, 1941
The Department of Parks announces that the children of 20
Park Department playgrounds will celebrate the anniversary of the official
opening of these recreation areas by engaging in Birthday Parties specially
arranged for the occasion.
In addition to games in softball, baseball, volleyball,
basketball, ping pong, horseshoe pitching and shuffleboard, there will be
athletic meets, for both boys and girls, including dashes, relays, high
jumping, broad-jumping, tug-of-war, and such novelty events as the three
legged race, obstacle race, egg and spoon race, and potato race.
"While the program will also feature activities associated
with the usual birthday party such as: group games, amateur singing and
dancing contests, musical instrument contests and treasure hunts, with prizes
and refreshments for the participants, there will be events of a patriotic
nature embracing solo and community singing of the national anthem, salute to
the flag, and appropriate recitations and dramatic productions.
The May schedule for playground birthday celebrations is as
follows:
Manhattan:
Mt. Morris Playground, E. 120 St. & Madison Ave. - -May 2, 1936 -8 P.M.
Mary Harriman Rumsey Playground, 71 St. & East Drive -May 17, 1937 -3 P.M.
West 45 Street Playground, between 9th & 10th Avenues-May 17, 1937 -2 P.M.
Downing to Carmine Streets, West of 6th Avenue -May 24, 1935 -2 P.M.
McCaffrey Playground, West 43 St. bet. 8 & 9 Avenues -May 26, 1938 -4 P.M.
Brooklyn:
23 Street & 5th Avenue Playground -May 1, 1936 -2 P.M.
Union & Van Brunt Street s Playground -May 1, 1935 -3 P.M.
Tompkins Park Playground, Tompkins & Lafayette Aves. -May 3, 1936 -2 P.M.
Kelly Memorial Playground, Avenue S & East 14 St. -May 4, 1940 -4 P.M.
New Utrecht Avenue & 70 Street playground -May 24, 1935 -4.P.M.
Blake & Euclid Avenues Playground -May 25, 1940 - 12 M
Marine Park Playground,Fillmore Ave.& Stuart St. -May 27, 1938 -3 P.M.
Mount Prospect Playground,Eastern Pkwy & Flatbush Ave-May 27, 1939 -4 P.M.
Queens:
Corona Playground, 46 Avenue & 111 Street -May 7, 1936 -4 P.M.
Triboro Bridge Approach Playground,21-23 Sts -May 7, 1937 -3 P.M.
Astoria Health Center, 14 Street & 31 Avenue. -May 29, 1938 -4 P.M.
Bronx:
Goble Place & Macombs Road Playground -May 7, 1938 -3 P.M.
East 167 Street & Stebbins Avenue Playground -May 14, 1938 -3 P.M.
East 166 Street & Morris Avenue Playground -May 29, 1937 -3 P.M.
Richmond:
Lincoln Avenue Playground, Midland Beach -May 15, 1938 -4 P.M.
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Thursday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 May 1, 1941
B-73: 19897)plus develop plan & location map
19898)
19899)
19900)
In Prospect Park the recreation area bounded by Prospect Park West
and the West Drive between 9th and 11th Streets has been completed with the
exception of a few minor items of work and is available for public usage. The
area is easily accessible from the 15th Street station on the Church Avenue
line of the Independent Subway or by trolley car. Constructed by the Work
Projects Administration from plans prepared by the Department of Parks, this
development covers about 2-1/2 acres and provides modern facilities for
concerts and drama, and out-of-door social dancing in addition to a fully
equipped children's playground. It can be entared from Prospect Park West at
either 9th or 11th Streets and from the pedestrian paths which encircle it
inside the park.
In the playground portion of the improvement the many benches are
shaded by some of the large old trees and by forty-five newly planted pin
oaks. It contains a wide variety of equipment so that children of different
age groups may find the kind they most enjoy. There are see-saws, slides,
swings, a large sand pit and a wading pool measuring about fifty by seventy
feet, a size that permits its use as a volley ball court during the cold
weather months.
Separated from the playground by a combined Band Shell, comfort
station and maintenance building, is the semi-circular area for community
singing, concerts and dancing. It is enclosed by wood and concrete benches
placed alternately with twenty pin oaks and. is designed for double duty as a
play and game area when its smooth bituminous pavement is not being otherwise
used. Chairs and movable benches will be put in place for special events as
needed.
The Band Shell building is an attractive brick and concrete
structure with simple but interesting wrought iron gates and window
grilles. The Shell itself is a concrete arch with a glass brick wall
illuminated at night from behind, at the rear of the platform. The building
contains comfort station facilities for men and women, two well-equipped
dressing rooms, each with its lavatory, and in addition a locker room and very
ample storage space. Carrettinas and their supplies of candy, ice cream and
soft drinks, together with the necessary refrigerators, take up a large part
of this storage space, but there is also room for park maintenance equipment
and. materials. Under the platform of the Band Shell is storage space for the
chairs used at concerts. Metal doors and panels in the front of the platform
can be opened to allow the hand trucks carrying the stacked chairs to be
rolled in and out as necessary.
This Band Shell area concert area is not intended to replace the
old Band Stand and the Prospect Park Concert Grove which can accommodate much
larger groups. It will be used only by small dance orchestras consisting of
fifteen to twenty-five persons, for song festivals, the popular Barber Shop
Quartet contests, and for dramatic productions.
This new recreation area makes the 419th playground in the park
system. In 1934 there were 119 in the five boroughs, 52 of which have been
redesigned and reconstructed.
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Thursday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 May 1, 1941
The Department of Parks announces that the historic Claremont Inn,
built in 1806 and recognized as one of New York's landmarks, on Riverside
Drive north of Grant's Tomb, will reopen at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 3.
Luncheon will be $1.00, dinner $1.50 and up, special supper $1.00.
There will be dancing inside and outside on the terrace. Music will
be furnished by Joe Ricardel and his orchestra.
* * * *
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Wednesday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 April 30, 1941
The Department of parks announces that work in connection with
the erection of two steel flagpoles and plaques on the Fifth Avenue side
of the New York Public Library, as a memorial to John Purroy Mitchel,
former Mayor of New York City, has been completed.
Contract plans for the replacement of the missing wooden
staff, which fell in a windstorm, as well as its mate at the southeast corner
of the Library, were prepared in 1937 by the Department. At that time the
necessary funds could not be procured for the project.
A memorial fund was raised in 1917 for the erection of a
monument at Fifth Avenue and 90th Street in Central Park commemorating the
distinguished civic and military services of former Mayor Mitchel. In
accordance with a recent court order, the Department of Parks, acting for the
City of New York was empowered to prepare and award a contract for the new
memorial with the approval of the Fulton Trust Company, the present
administrators of the residue of the original fund.
Mr. Frank Polk was Chairman of the committee which raised the
Mitchel Fund, and other surviving members are:
George McAneny
Herbert Bayard Svrope
Henry Morgenthau, Sr.
John J . Freschi
George H. Bell
Charles L. Benaheimsr
Henry Braere
Stanley Howe
Frederic R. Coudert, Sr.
Lamar Hardy
Richard W. Lawrence
William FeHowes Morgan, Sr.
Nathaniel Phillips
Theodore Rousseau
Alfred B. Smith
The old wooden pole, about 85' high, has been moved to Mitchel
Square at St. Nicholas Avenue and Broadway, New York City, It has been erected
on a simple granite base incised to commemorate the military service of Major
Mitchel in the first World War.
The highly decorative existing bronze and marble bases at the
library site have been reset on reinforced concrete foundations to support the
new 95' tapered steel poles. A bronze plaque has been set in the granite
flagstone pavement at the base of each pole. The south pole will fly the
national colors and the plaque in raised letters memorializes the military
service of Mr. Mitchel. The pole to the north will fly the City flag in honor
of his services as Mayor and the bronze plaque at the base is worded
accordingly.
* * * * *
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MITCHEL SQUARE
(Map)
LOCATION
OF NEW FLAGPOLE
BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Tuesday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 April 29, 1941
The Department of Parks announces the letting of a contract
for lighting a part of Flushing Meadow Park, Borough of Queens, in the area
bounded by 111 Street, Grand Central Parkway, the Long Island Railroad and
Corona Avenue, and in the section adjoining the New York State Building and
swimming pool. Also included are installation of complete service supply to
the New York City Building, the New York State Building, the future Health
Museum near the City Building, Police Building, the Boat House on Meadow Lake,
the former WorldTs Fair Sewage Pumping Station and an existing Comfort Station
near Corona Avenue.
The work consists of the installation of complete park
lighting systems in the areas referred to, comprising subsurface conduit,
splice boxes, cable and lighting standards. Also the installation of necessary
primary services, transformer vaults, duct systems, service and metering
equipment and switchboard connections to the various permanent buildings. Also
the replacement of existing equipment in the old World's Fair Sewage Pumping
Station, including structural changes and modifications to the pipe line
system. Also the removal of equipment from a substation located near the Long
Island Railroad east of Grand Central Parkway and all other incidental work
necessary to provide a complete lighting system and service connection.
The following are the three low bidders:
1. Rao Electrical Equipment Company, Inc. $87,700.00
150 East 41 Street, New York City
2. T. Frederick Jackson, Inc. 98,000.00
25 West 43 Street, New York City
3. Arc Electrical Construction Company 103,000.00
739 Second Avenue, New York City
* * *
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Monday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 April 28, 1941
Bids were opened today at the U. S. Engineers
Office, 17 Battery Place, before Colonel L. S. Dillon, District Engineer, for
the work of dredging 1,300,000 yards of material from Great Kills Harbor,
Marine Park, Staten Island. This is part of a joint plan between the City of
New York and the federal government for providing an 8 foot deep boat harbor
at Great Kills, and placing the fill along the south and east shore of the
Bay, for the development of Marine Park. The P. Sanford Ross Company was low
bidder with a bid of $113,761.68.
Under the contract let today, work will actively
get under way on the completion of one of the great future shore front
recreation areas of the City. In 1934 a long bulkhead was constructed
attaching Crookes Point to the mainland and some fill was placed. In 1936 the
City acquired the adjacent meadow land to round out the park area so that
today title to all the land and land under water required for the entire
program is vested in the City. The new contract let today will complete the
deepening of the harbor and the placing of additional fill on the new beach
and on the inside meadow land. The work is to be completed late this
summer. The cost of the dredging contract is to be split equally between the
City and the federal government, the City paying for the work and being
reimbursed by the federal government.
Marine Park will be connected with the future
parkway and arterial road system on Staten Island.
The plan for this park area was suggested a number
of years ago and was strongly endorsed by the Metropolitan Conference on Parks
in 1928 and 1930, and submitted by the Department of Parks to the Mayor on May
20, 1940.
The plan calls for filling the entire park area
including the portion in the center of the park now occupied by the abandoned
incinerator. The City already has a substantial investment in this program.
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Monday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 April 28, 1941
The Department of Parks announces the completion of work in
connection with development of the lake area in Crocheron Park west of the
Cross Island section of the Belt Parkway and south of 35 Avenue, Queens.
The improvement consisted of cleaning the floor of the lake,
adjusting the shore line and also the existing drainage system, walks and
curbs.
The adjacent slopes were graded, topsoiled, sodded and
embellished with various shrubs and trees.
The foot of 35 Avenue, formerly a dead end, has been provided
with a turn-around and parking area, providing a view of Little Neck Bay and
access to the cool summer breezes.
* * * * *
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Sunday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 April 27, 1941
The Department of Parks announces that work in connect!on with
the erection of two steel flagpoles and plaques on the Fifth Avenue side
of the New York Public Library, as a manorial to John Purroy Mitch el,
former Mayor of New York City, has been completed.
Contract plans for the replacement of the missing wooden staff,
which fell in a windstorm, as well as its mate at the southeast corner
of the Library, were prepared in 1937 by the Department. At that time
the necessary funds could not be procured for the project.
A memorial fund was raised in 1917 for the erection of a monument
at Fifth Avenue and 90th Street in Central Park commemorating the
distinguished civic and military services of former Mayor Mitchel. In
accordance with a recent court order, the Department of Parks, acting for the
City of New York was empowered to prepare and award a contract for the new
memorial with the approval of the Fulton Trust Company, the present
administrators of the residue of the original fund.
Mr. Frank Polk was Chairman of the committee which raised the
Mitchel Fund, and other surviving members are:
George McAneny
Herbert Bayard Swope
Henry Margenthau, Sr.
John J. Freschi
George H. Bell
Charles L. Bemheimer
Henry Brnaere
Stanley Howe
Frederic R. Coudert, Sr.
Lamar Hardy
Richard W. Lawrence
William Fellowes Morgan, Sr.
Nathaniel Phillips
Theodore Rousseau
Alfred E. Smith
The old wooden pole, about 85' high, has been moved to Mitchel
Square at St. Nicholas Avsme and Broadway, New York City, It has been erected
on a simple granite base incised to commemorate the military service of Major
Mitchel in the first World War.
The highly decorative existing bronze and marble bases at the
library site have been reset on reinforced concrete foundations to support the
new 95' tapered steel poles. A bronze plaque has been set in the granite
flagstone pavsaent at the base of eadb. pole. The south pole will fly the
national colors and the plaque in raised letters memorializes the military
service of Mr. Mitchel. The pole to the north will fly the City flag in honor
of his services as Mayor and the bronze plaque at the base is worded
accordingly.
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Friday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 April 25, 1941
The Department of Parks announces the opening of bids on two
contracts in connection with the alterations t o the existing New Jersey
Building on the former World's Fair site at Flushing Meadow Park in the
vicinity of Rodman Street and approximately on the prolongation of 58th Road,
Borough of Queens. The contracts provide for changes and modifications to the
building and installation of plumbing facilities, required to convert the
former exhibit building into a modern structure with facilitiesfor operation
as a completely equipped police precinct. Bids on contracts for heating and
lighting will be received May 2 , 1941.
The work under the general construction contract provides for
the removal of exhibit cases, partition walls and construction of new
partitions to provide police locker rooms, detective and officers rooms and
main muster room including raised platform and desk facilities. The plumbing
contractor will remove existing plumbing and install new soil and water lines,
toilet and washroom facilities and gas lines, for heating purposes.
The three lowest bidders under each of the contracts are as
follows:
GENERAL
1. Great Eastern Construction Company, Inc. $10,587.00
110 West 40 Street , New York City
2. Berman Construction Company, Inc. 10,900.00
134-34 Northern Blvd., Flushing, N.Y.
3. Rolin Construction Company 11,815.00
11 West 42 Street, New York City
PLUMBING
1. Public Plumbing Corporation $2,425.00
64-29 79 Street, Elmhurst, L. I.
2. William C. Crowe, Inc. 2,779.00
335 East 82 Street, New York City
3. Rittenhouse Plumbing Corporation 3,100.00
210 East 40 Street, New York City
* * * *
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Wednesday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 April 23, 1941
The Department of Parks announces that the 7th annual
city-wide championship in Barber Shop Quartet singing will take place on the
Mall, Central Park, 71 Street and Center Drive, Thursday, June 19th, at 8:30
P. M.
Quartet singing of such popular barber shop ballads as: "Let
Me Call You Sweetheart"; "Dear Old Girl"; "Mandy Lee"; "Sweet Adeline", and
many other songs made famous by the habitues of the old tonsorial parlors in
the early part of the present century, was revived in 1935, when the Park
Department included a contest for Barber Shop Quartets in its program of
recreational activities. Twenty quartets entered the competition that year and
prizes of substantial value were awarded to the winners. The interest in this
type of vocal activity has increased to such an extent with each of the five
succeeding contests that, in 1940, 75 quartets participated in the Park
Department eliminations.)
1940 also marked the first National Championship, which was
held at the New York World's Fair, under the auspices of a nation wide
organization, known as "The Society For The Preservation And Encouragement of
Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America".
This society already has plans under way for the staging of
the second National Championship in Barber Shop harmony at St. Louis on July
3, 4 and 5, 1941. The winning quartet in the Park Department city-wide finals
scheduled for Thursday, June 19, will be eligible for the Nationals.
In order for a quartet to qualify for the city finals of the
Park Department contest, it must enter one of the borough eliminations, by
filing application with the Park Director of the borough in which the quartet
desires to participate, at any time between now and May 24, the closing date
for entries.
Any four male singers of amateur standing may enter this
Barber Shop Quartet contest provided they reside in New York City. Other
rules, together with the list of songs permitted in the competition, may be
obtained at the time of application for the borough eliminations.
Following are the names and addresses of the Park Directors:
Manhattan: Philip J. Cruise
Arsenal Building, 5th Avenue & 64 Street
Brooklyn: Richard C. Jenkins
Litchfield Mansion, Prospect Park West & 5th Street
Queens: James J. Mallen
The Overlook, Union Turnpike & Park Lane South,
Kew Gardens
Bronx: George L. Quigley
Bronx Park East and Birchall Avenue
Richmond: A. M. Anderson
Clove Lakes Park, 1150 Clove Road, West New Brighton
* * *
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Wednesday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 April 23, 1941
The Department of Parks announces the completion and opening
to the public on Wednesday, April 23, of a new playground and athletic field
adjacent to the Abraham Lincoln High School at West Avenue, West 5 Street,
Ocean and Belt Parkways. Approximately two acres, this recreational area was
acquired by condemnation as a public park in Belt Parkway proceedings, to be
added to the former school athletic field for joint use by the Park Department
and the Board of Education.
The playground is at the westerly end of the development and
the athletic field which was formerly under the sole jurisdiction of the Board
of Education, is adjacent to the school.
The development consists of four paved tennis courts and two
softball diamonds which in the future will be paved with bituminous material
to provide all year round usage, including roller skating and ice skating,
also a bituminously paved area in which are three shuffleboard courts, two
paddle tennis courts, three basketball standards and a basketball court with
removable standards.
The athletic field consists of a football field encircled by
a running track, a field house with comfort station facilities, locker and
shower accommodations and concrete bleachers seating approximately 1100
spectators.
The improvement was designed by the Department of Parks,
approved by the Board of Education and constructed by the Work Projects
Administration.
During school hours the area will be under the control and
supervision of the Board of Education and at all other times it will be
operated by the Department of Parks.
The park system now contains 418 playgrounds. In 1934 there
were 119 playgrounds in the five boroughs, 52 of which have been redesigned
and reconstructed.
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Tuesday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 April 22, 1941
The General Worth memorial obelisk has recently emerged from the
coat of dust, soot and other city grime which it has acquired during its 84
years of existence on the west side of Madison Square Park. This scrubbing was
prompted by the new black marble service building recently erected north of
its base by the Department of Water Supply, Gas and Electricity and serving
not only as a setting for the monument but also housing the main valves of the
Catskill Aqueduct Supply.
Located near the center of the small triangle at the intersection
of Broadway, 5th Avenue and 25th Street, the memorial stands in a 35' square
grass plot bounded on three sides by a low granite curb which is surmounted by
panels of ornate wrought iron fence held between granite piers.
The 50' granite memorial shaft supported by a 15' square plinth
was designed by James Goodwin Batterson, Architect,(1823-1901}. Constructed of
solid blocks of Barre Vermont granite, it was financed by the Corporation of
the City of New York in 1857 and dedicated to the memory of Major General
William Jenkins Worth, U. S. A., who was born in Hudson, New York, March 1,
1794 and died in San Antonio, Texas, May 7, 1849. After his death the
General's remains were transported to New York City and interred beneath the
monument.
Because the green patina of the bronze portions is a natural
oxidation, which in sculpture is considered highly desirable, great care was
exercised during cleaning in order not to disturb its beauty and uniformity.
The theme of the sculptural decorations is: "DUCIT AMOR PATRIAE"
(Love of Country Leads Me).
Preliminary plans for the black marble building were made by the
Department of Parks. Working drawings were made and funds were appropriated by
the Department of Water Supply, Gas and Electricity, and the rest of its cost
was defrayed by the Work Projects Administration, which performed the work.
* * * *
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Saturday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 April 19, 1941
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 Sunday, April 20th at 2:00 P. M. at Mullaly Park Recreation
building, 165 Street and Jerome Avenue, Bronx.
1040 children ranging in age from 6 to 16 years took
part in 102 plays during the eliminations held in each of the
five boroughs. The following plays', one from each borough,
were selected for the finals:
"Birthday of The Infanta" - Gulick Playground, Manhattan
"Seeing The Elephant" - Mclaughlin Park Playground, Brooklyn
"The Three Wishes" - 0'Connell Playground, Queens
"Wild Cat Willy" - Lyons Square Playground, Bronx
"Hansel and G-retel" - Abraham Levy Playground, Richmond
The persons who have consented to act as judges at the finals
on April 20 are: Miss Helen Craig, leading lady in the current Broadway
production "Johnny Belinda"; Mr. Carl G-lick, author, Drama League of New
York; Hon. Paul Moss, Commissioner of Licenses; Mme, Annett Wolter, Director
of Wolter School of Speech and Drama. Mr. John Beal, of stage and screen
fame, will be an honored guest.
Plaques will be awarded to the playgrounds presenting
the three best plays.
******
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Saturday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 April 19, 1941
The Department of Parks announces that at City Park at Flushing
Avenue and Navy Street, Brooklyn, the erection of a chain link fence adjacent
to the two baseball diamonds and the installation of the portable bleachers
for 1500 spectators has been completed.
The 16 foot chain link fence with hooded backstop is for the
protection of the spectators in the bleachers and extends along the base line
from home to first base and from home to third base on each diamond.
The portable bleachers are of steel sectional frames
with wooden seats.
City Park was originally acquired in 1836 with an area of 7.4
acres. It was enlarged to 10.3 acres in 1940 when it was reconstructed and
reopened to the public with recreational facilities for all, by the addition
of the block to the east of the park. This additional land was acquired in
connection with the acquisition of property for the proposed Ft. Greens
houses, and considerable contract work in general construction, lighting and
planting is now being done there. This work is expected to be finished this
summer.
The work was done by the Work Projects Administration from
plans prepared by the Department of Parks.
* * * *
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Friday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 April 18, 1941
The Park Department announces that after the evening session at
the City Building, Flushing Meadow Park, on Sunday, April 20, 1941, ice
skating will be discontinued and only the roller skating rink will be in
operation.
Patronage of the ice skating rink has decreased rapidly during
the past three weeks, and with the recent warm weather, interest in this sport
has become so low that the attendance no longer justifies its continued
operation. The ice skating rink will be re-opened early in the fall.
No date has been set for termination of operation of the roller
skating rink at the City Building, and it is expected that, because of the
air-conditioning available in the building, the rink will continue to be
popular throughout the warm weather.
Since the two rinks in the building were opened to the public
on January 12, 1941, they have been patronized by 160,000 skaters.
This week the court in front of the building has been opened as
a temporary parking field so that patrons can park immediately in front of the
building.
Permanent parking fields, large enough to accommodate normal
crowds at the building, are now under construction and will be completed by
fall, -thus eliminating the long walk from Roosevelt Avenue which was so
discouraging to many skaters during the past season.
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Monday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 April 14, 1941
The Department of Panes announces the opening of bias at the Arsenal
Building on a contract for slope protection work on the Cross Island section
of the Beit Parkway between the Wxitestcne intersection and Winchester
Boulevard, Borough of Queens.
The work unuer the contract consists of grading, construction of new
arainage facilities, reconstruction of existing drainage, additional planting
of snrubs and vines on slopes to proviue a more extensive plant root system to
prevent slope erosion particularly following huavy rains.
The thres lowest bidders for the worK were the following :
1. Roman Landscape Contracting Co.,Inc. $27,.923.95
551 Fifth Avenue, NOT* York City
2. Harris Grand
888 Montgomery St., Brooklyn, N.Y. 28,323.73
3. Grand View Nurseries
6 Grandview Avenue, Mt. Vernon, N.Y. 28,624.80.
* * * * *
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Saturday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 April 12, 1941
The Department of Parks announces the completion and opening to the
general public of a new playground at Avenue H and Kings Highway, Brooklyn.
This triangular area bounded by East 49 Street, Avenue H and Kings
Highway, has been completely equipped with play apparatus as a small
children's playground. It contains a sand pit, kindergarten swings,
kindergarten slides and see-saws. The entire area is enclosed by a chain link
fence and shade trees, under which benches have been provided for the
guardians of children.
The improvement was planned and designed by the Department of Parks
and the work was performed by the Work Projects Administration. The park
system now contains 417 operating playgrounds.
* * * *
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Saturday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 April 12, 1941
The Department of Parks announces the schedule of tournaments,
exhibitions, contests, athletic meets, 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 spring season of the year 1941.
There will be city-wide tournaments in the following activities:
Activity Age Group Finals-Approximate Date
Roller hockey Boys-16 to 21 years April 12
Horseshoe pitching Boys and young men over May, June, July
17 years-singles & doubles
Twilight baseball Boys & young men, 16 years May, June, July
League and over
Field Hockey Girls - 16 years & under May, June
Basketball Boys - 16 years &·under May 24
Marble Shooting Boys and girls-12 years May 24
and under
Handball Boys - 16 years & under)Singles
Boys - 17 to 21 years ) & June 7
Men - 21 years & over )Doubles
Handball Girls-16 years and over
singles only June 28
Athletic meets, during the month of May and June, 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 Triboro
Stadium, Randall's Island, Manhattan, on Saturday, June 14, at 2:00 P.M.
The annual Park Department "Learn to Swim" campaign, in cooperation
with various civic, health, educational and recreational agencies, will be
inaugurated in all outdoor swimming pools under the jurisdiction of this
department on or about June 1st.
Some of the wading pools will be used during the spring of the
year for sailing of model boats.
Dramatic and dancing capabilities of playground children are
encouraged and developed in the following special contests which terminate
in finals for the city championship.
Contest Age Group Finals-Approximate Date
One Act Play Boys & girls-10-16 years April 19
Children's Folk Dance Girls - 8-16 years June 21
An amateur photography contest depicting "Youth and Age" in our
city parks and playgrounds will be conducted*for both children and adults,
beginning April 15 and running through September 20, 1941. All pictures
submitted by the contestants must represent scenes in parks, parkways, pools,
beaches or playgrounds under the jurisdiction of the Department of Parks
during the year 1941.
Entrants in this contest will be divided into two age groups; up
to 16 years and over 16 years. All pictures must be submitted, during the
contest period, to the Park Department Borough Director of the Borough in
which the contestant resides. The names and addresses of the borough
directors are as follows:
Manhattan - Philip J. Cruise, Arsenal Building, 64 Street and 5 Avenue,N.Y.C.
Brooklyn - Richard C. Jenkins, Litchfield Mansion, Prospect Park West and
5 Street, Prospect Park
Queens - James J. Mallen, The Overlook, Union Turnpike and Park Lane
South, Forest Park, Kew Gardens
Bronx - George L. Quigley, Bronx Park East and Birchall Avenue, Bronx Park
Richmond - A. M. Anderson, Glove Lakes Park, Clove Road, west of Victory
Boulevard
Kite flying contests will be held in all boroughs, for children
16 years and younger, on or about April 16.
The Model Sailboat Regatta will be conducted for boys and girls,
16 years of age and under, on Saturday, May 24, at the following lakest
Manhattan - Conservatory Lake, 72 Street and 5 Avenue, Central Park
Brooklyn - Prospect Park Lake, Empire Boulevard and Flatbush Avenue
Queens - Linden Park Lake, 104 Street and 45 Avenue
Bronx - Twin Lakes, Bronx Park, Mosholu Parkway and YTebster Avenue
Richmond - Martling's Pond, Clove Lakes, Victory Boulevard and Clove Road
Children pet shows will take place at designated playgrounds in the
five boroughs on Saturday, April 26.
Special programs will be prepared by each playground director in
commemoration of Memorial Day, May 30, and Flag Day, June 14.
Various rules and regulations regarding Park Department tournaments
and contests are:
Only competitors who are amateurs shall bo 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, interdistrict 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, has made arrangements for a
series of concerts which will commence on Sunday, June 15, and continue
throughout the summer.
The outdoor social dancing season of the Park Department will start
on Tuesday, June 3, and the New York City W.P.A. Music Project will provide
the music.
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Thursday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 April 10, 1941
Bids were received today by the Department of Parks at the
Arsenal Building, Manhattan, on a contract for paving, grading and drainage of
a portion of the South Service Road of the Grand Central Parkway Extension
from 86th Street to Ditmars Boulevard and in Ditmars Boulevard from 91st to
93rd Streets, Borough of Queens.
The work includes regulating, grading, construction of
drainage facilities, concrete curbing and paving with sheet asphalt on stone
foundation course; installation of wood guide railing along slopes and chain
link fence to prevent pedestrian access to the parkway. Also included is the
construction of additions to an existing three pipe culvert supported on wood
piling and carrying local storm water drainage into Jackson's Creek.
The three lowest bidders for the work were the following:
1. William P. McDonald Construction Co. $27,550.50
33-15 Lawrence Street
Flushing, New York
2. John Meehan & Sons 28,656.00
90 West Street
New York City
3. Andrew Weston & Company 30,333.50
Woodmere
Long Island, N. Y.
* * * *
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Thursday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 April 10, 1941
Bids were received today by the Department of Parks at the
Arsenal Building, Borough of Manhattan, on a contract for construction
of-grade eliminations and approaches to the Connecting Highway at the points
of intersection with the Grand Central Parkway Extension, in the Borough of
Queens. The contract is divided into two units, one designated as the West
Branch, terminating at the Triborough Plaza, comprising two bridges and their
approach connections, the other known as the East Branch comprising five
bridges and necessary approaches.
Upon completion of the work the interchange of traffic at both
locations providing connections to and from Grand Central Parkway Extension,
the parkway service roads, the Connecting Highway and Astoria Boulevard will
be made without crossings at grade.
The work consists of the construction of stone faced reinforced
concrete bridges on concrete footings; installation of new drainage, lighting
facilities, police telephone services, removal of existing water supply lines
and installation of new water services including valves and hydrants;
demolition of existing structures within the construction area; paving with
reinforced concrete, sheet asphalt on concrete and bituminous macadam on stone
base; installation of metal bridge railing, wood guide railing along slopes,
chain link fence,.illuminated traffic directional signs and other incidental
work.
The main portion of the Connecting Highway from Queens Boulevard
to the points where it will join the work under this contract will be
constructed under the supervision of the Queens Bureau of Highways. Design of
this project is already under way and the first section from Patterson Avenue
to where it will meet the present work will probably be started about August
1st of this year and should be completed at about the same time as the grade
elimination work. The remaining section from Patterson Avenue to Queens
Boulevard will probably be started sometime in 1942.
The three lowest bidders for the work were the following:
1. J. Leopold & Company, Inc. $1,219,793.75
60 East 42 Street
New York City
2. Carmine Petracca, Inc. 1,312,929.95
172-62 Highland Avenue
Jamaica, L. I., N. Y.
3. Tully & DiNapoli, Inc. 1,330,697.35
30-11 12 Street
Long Island City, N. Y.
* * *
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Tuesday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 April 8, 1941
The Park Department announces the opening to the general
public of the Annual Easter Flower Exhibit at the Greenhouses, Prospect
Park West and 7th Street, Brooklyn, N. Y. , on Good Friday, April 11
at 10 A. M.
The exhibit will be open daily thereafter for three weeks -
from 10:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M.
This year's exhibit is one of the finest of these annual shows
held in years. More than 300 varieties of flowers are represented by 5,000
potted plants, set out in different formations and colors. The main feature of
the show is a huge cross, 27 feet long and 14 feet wide. The head of the
cross is elevated 15 feet from the floor. The cross is made up of 3,000 white
Bermuda lilies, edged with blue hydrangea and banked with genesters. The
shower of gold plant and pink rhododendrons are at the base of the
cross. Leading to the steps of the cross are paths of grass, with a sunken
garden of azaleas and cinerarias in variety. As a background for the central
motive, the walls of the Greenhouse are banked with a colorful display of
"flowers in great variety and numbers. The entrance is laid out with
huge-headed hydrangea in all colors.
Arrangements to care for school children in groups or classes
during Easter week may be made by communicating with the Brooklyn office of
the Park Department at Litchfield Mansion, Prospect Park, Telephone Number,
SOuth 8-2300.
Press photographs may be taken after 3 P.M., Thursday, April 10.
* * *
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Tuesday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 April 8, 1941
Bids were received today by the Department of Parks at the
Arsenal Building on a contract for transplanting approximately sixty (60)
trees situated along part of the proposed right of way in Battery Park to be
constructed in connection with the Manhattan approach to the new
Manhattan-Brooklyn Tunnel. Sons of the trees will be relocated in Battery park
and others will be planted in various parks in lower Manhattan.
The work consists of digging, balling and removing trees
from present locations to new sites indicated on the plans. Approximately 19
trees varying in caliper from seven inches to fifteen inches will be
transplanted to Battery Park. Forty-one trees will be removed and planted in
City Hall Park, Foley Square, Columbus Park and Union Square Park. In addition
the contractor will be required to strip and store sod and stockpile topsoil
removed from the future construction area in Battery Park.
Funds for this work will be provided by the New York City
Tunnel Authority and the work will be supervised by the Park Department.
The three lowest bidders for the work were the following:
1. Henry J. Tamke
475 Fifth Avenue, New York City $11,419.00
2. Syosset Nurseries
Syosset, New York 11,496.14
3. Grand View Nurseries
6 Grandview Avenue, Mt.Vernon.N.Y. 12,307.00
* * * *
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Wednesday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 April 2, 1941
Bids were received by the Department of Parks at the Arsenal
Building on a contract for slope protection in connection with the widening
and paving of Cross Bay Boulevard between the North and South Channel Bridges
in the Borough of Queens.
The work consists of planting beach grass in the sandy slopes
in order to prevent erosion by wind and placing topsoil, seeding and planting
trees, shrubs to screen the roadways from the adjoing low marsh areas fronting
on Jamaica Bay.
The three lowest bidders for the work were:
1. Grant Park Construction Co,,Inc. $22,432.50
65 Prospect Ave.
Hewlett, N. Y.
2. Slattery Contracting Co., Inc. 22,973.00
72-02 51st Avenue
Winfield, L. I.
3. John Gozo 23,444.50
1625 West 6th Street
Brooklyn, N. Y.
* * * *
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Wednesday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 April 2, 1941
With the approach of the Spring season, it is well to inform the
public of the regulations governing planting of trees in City streets by
private property owners.
Although the Park Department is charged with the care and
maintenance of all trees in street areas, it is not obliged to plant new
trees, nor to re- place those which have died.
The Park Department offers every form of cooperation to those who
wish to plant trees in front of their property at their own expense. First, a
permit is required. The permit is issued, without charge, by the office of the
Park Department in the borough in which the tree is to be planted. The permit
specifies the kind of tree, size of sidewalk opening, depth of excavation, and
the amount of topsoil and fertilizer required. The department will supervise
the planting operation.
These regulations are promulgated so that the City streets may be
lined with healthy trees so planted and located, that they will thrive and be
an asset to the City and to the property owner. Trees planted by irresponsible
contractor at abnormally low prices are seldom healthy; they are planted with
insufficient soil and plant food and rarely live. Therefore, trees planted
illegally without a permit from the Park Department and which do not conform
to Park Department requirements, will be removed.
Permits to plant trees may be obtained by applying to the borough
offices at:
MANHATTAN - Arsenal, Central Park
64th Street and Fifth Avenue
New York City
BROOKLYN - Litchfield Mansion
Prospect Park
Brooklyn, N. Y.
BRONX - Administration Building
Birchall Avenue & Bronx Park East
Bronx, N. Y.
QUEENS - The Overlook
Forest Park
Kew Gardens, N. Y.
RICHMOND - Field House
Clove Lakes Park
West Brighton, Staten Island
For civic-minded property owners interested in banding together
with their neighbors to get the benefit of quantity work under contract, the
Park Department will prepare contract and specifications, assist in taking
bids from reputable landscape firms and supervise the operations of the entire
job.
* * * *
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Tuesday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 April 1, 1941
The Department of Parks announces that the anniversary of
the official opening of 12 Park Department playgrounds will be celebrated by
the children of these recreation areas during the month of April by
participating in specially prepared Birthday Party programs.
While the regular schedule of daily recreational activities
including volley ball, basketball, handball, paddle tennis, and shuffleboard
will not be changed, the day's program will feature events of both a patriotic
and festive nature such as: solo and community singing of the national anthem,
salute to the flag, recitations, one act plays, military tap dancing and a
variety of birthday party games with refreshments and prizes for the winners.
Track and field meets, with events for boys and girls of all
age groups, will also be held. These events will include dashes, relays,
high-jumping, broad-jumping, sack race, potato race and three-legged race.
The April schedule for playground birthday celebrations is
as follows:
Borough Playground and Location Opened Time of
Celebration
Manhattan 140 Street and Lenox Avenue April 1, 1940 4 P.M.
Yorkville Playground, East 101 Street April 2, 1940 4:30 P.M.
between 2nd & 3rd Avenues
J. Hood Wright Playground, West 173 April 14, 1935 Every day
Street & It. Washington Avenue April 14-18, 4 P.M.
102 Street and Riverside Drive April 17, 1940 4:30 P.M.
Brooklyn 18 Avenue and 83 Street April 1, 1939 3:30 P.M.
10 Avenue and 43 Street April 1, 1939 3:30 P.M.
Lynch Street and Lee Avenue April 1, 1938 2:00 P.M.
Cherry Street and Vandervoort Avenue April 1, 1935 2:00 P.M.
Greenpoint Playground, Commercial & April 4, 1940 4:00 P.M.
Franklin Streets
Lafayette and Marcy Avenues April 15, 1938 3:00 P.M.
Queens Van Wyck Playground, 11 Avenue, April 16, 1937 3-6 P.M.
134 - 135 Streets
Richmond Schmul Playground, Wilde Avenue, April 20, 1939 April 19,
Travis 2:30 P.M.
* * *
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Thursday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 March 27, 1941
The Department of Parks announces that the two steel flagpoles to be
erected on the 5th Avenue side of the Hew Toxic Public Library as a memorial
to the Honorable James Purroy Mitchel, former Mayor of New York City, will be
installed at 1 A. M. Friday, March 28, 1941.
Thomas Rome, Inc., 88-60 76 Avenue, Glendale, Long Island is the
contractor.
* * * * * *
DELIVERED TO CITY NEWS & THE DAILY MIRROR
4 P.M. 3/27/41
1 cc to General File
1 J . W. Haaslip
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Bids were opened today by the Department of Parks at the Arsenal
Building, Manhattan, on two contracts for the further improvement of Flushing
Meadow Park, Borough of Queens. The area under these contracts lies within the
bounds of Grand Central parkway Extension and 111th Street and between the
Long Island Railroad and Corona Avenue.
The work under these contracts consists of regulating and
grading, construction of curb and walks, drainage and water supply, erection
of chain link fence, construction of soft ball and baseball diamonds,
supplying and placing various types of playground facilities for children,
repairs to an existing comfort station and other incidental work. Also,
included is topsoiling and seeding of lawn areas, planting and transplanting
of trees and shrubs, in the area under construction.
The three lowest bidders for each of the projects were the
following:
General Park Development
1. Melwood Construction Corp.
507 Fifth Avenue, New York City $44,864.75
2. Slattery Contracting Company, Inc.
72-02 51st Avenue, Winfield, N.Y. 47,725.15
3. Frank Mascali & Sons, Inc.
4.634. Third Avenue, Bronx, N.Y. 48,602.50
Transplanting
1. Grant Park Construction Co., Inc.
65 Prospect Avenue, Hewlett, N.Y. 49,677.76
2. Grand View Nurseries
6 Grandview Avenue, Mt. Vernon,N.Y. 53,317.35
3. Roman Landscape Contracting Co.,Inc.
551 Fifth Avenue, New York 54,396.00
* * * *
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Friday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 March 21, 1941
Bids were received today by the Park Department at the
Arsenal Building, New York City, on three contracts comprising the
construction of a bridge over Grand Central Parkway Extension and leading into
LaGuardia Field from the intersection of Ditmars Boulevard and 23rd Avenue,
Queens; paving Ditmars Boulevard from 95th Street to 24th Avenue, providing
access facilities to the bridge, and planting in the areas abutting Ditmars
Boulevard and the bridge within the lines of the work.
The bridge will be an all steel structure bearing on stone
faced reinforced concrete piers which will be supported on concrete filled
steel piles. It will be approximately 725 feet in length including abutments,
with provision for a 44-foot roadway. A pedestrian walk is also included and
is protected from auto traffic by a concrete separation wall. Under the paving
contract, Ditmurs Boulevard will be paved with sheet asphalt on a concrete
base. The pavement will have two 32-foot roadways divided by a five foot
central mall. When completed, this roadway will be completely paved and will
serve as a through access to the bridge and the LaGuardia Airport. Included in
the paving project is grading, drainage, curb, walk, water lines and other
incidental work. The landscaping contract provides for placing topsoil,
seeding and planting of trees, vines and shrubs in the lawns of the
construction area to complement the existing planting in the adjoining Grand
Central Parkway Extension.
It is expected that the work will ba completed by December
15, 1941.
The three lowest bidders were as follows;
DITMARS BOULEVARD BRIDGE:
1. Laurence J. Rice $424,986.00
372 Burns St., Forest Hills, N. Y.
2. Tully & DiNapoli, Inc. 437,510.00
30-11 12th Street, Long Island City
3. Mill Basin Asphalt Corporation 440,303.50
5410 Avenue U, Brooklyn, N. Y.
PAVING:
1. John Meehan & Sons $131,780.40
90 West Street, New York City
2. William P . McDonald Construction Co. 135,905.50
37-08 Lawrence St., Flushing, N. Y.
3. Harris Grand 139,043.25
888 Montgomery St., Brooklyn, N.Y.
PLANTING:
1. Grant Park Construction Co., Inc. $33,130.82
65 Prospect Ave., Hewlett, N. Y.
2. Slattery Contracting Company 33,405.43
72-02 51st Ave., Winfield, L. I.
3. Grand View Nurseries 35,672.65
6 Grandview Avenue, Mt. Vernon, N.Y.
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Tuesday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 March 18, 1941
Bids were opened today by the Department of Parks at the Arsenal
Building on a contract for providing test boring data required for the
preparation of plans for the construction of a bulkhead wall and foundations
for a bridge at Marine Park fronting on the Lower Bay in the Borough of
Richmond.
The work consists of drilling at particular points along
predetermined lines representing the lines of the proposed bulkhead and bridge
and taking of dry sample and rock borings at various elevations in order to
indicate the type of subsurface materials to be encountered.
The three lowest bidders for the work were:
1. Reliable Drilling Company $1267.20
43 Westbury Avenue
Staten Island
2. Riley Engineering & Drilling Co. 1689.60
1733 Jhst 31 Street
Brooklyn, N. Y.
3. Sprague & Henwood, Inc. 1728.00
11 West 42 Street
New York City
* * *
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Monday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 March 17, 1941
The Department of Parks announces that special programs of
recreational activities have been prepared for the children of three Park
Department playgrounds during the month of March in conmemoration of their
official opening to the public.
Included among the activities will be such events as: Track
meets, obstacle races, volley ball, basketball, shuffleboard and handball
games; also solo and community singing of the national anthem, "God Bless
America", and salute to the flag.
The March schedule for playground birthday
celebrations is as follows:
Borough Playground & Location Opened Time of Celebration
Manhattan 106 St., & 5 Ave, Playground March 28,1936 4 P.M.
Brooklyn Smith and Nelson Sts. Plgd. March 20, 1936 3:30 P . M.
Queens Benninger Playground, March 18, 1933 4 P . M.
Madison Street near
Fresh Pond Road
* * * *
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Friday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 March 14, 1941
The Department of Parks announces that seasonal permits for golf
and tennis facilities will go on sale, Saturday, March 15th. The price of
these permits will be the same as last year, A season golf permit is $5. and
is good on week days, but on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays there is an
additional charge of 50$ to permit holders. The daily permit fee for play from
Monday to Friday costs 75˘ and $1. for Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. A
season tennis permit is $3. Applicants for permits must furnish a photograph,
1˝ inch by l˝ inch with each filled out application. A golf locker
permit costs $5. and a tennis locker season permit may be had for $2. All
permits may be procured by application in person or by mail by applying to the
various Borough offices located as follows:
Manhattan:
Arsenal Building
64 Street and 5th Avenue
Brooklyn:
Litchfield 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
Richmond:
Clove Lakes Park
Clove Road, West 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
tennis courts will open on Saturday, April 12th, and the golf courses on the
same day. All hard surface tennis courts in the city will be opened for play
on Saturday, March 22nd. From March 22nd 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 the courts. Tennis courts are located as
follows:
Park Location Type & No. of Courts
Manhattan: Hard Clay
Central Park 93 Street and West Drive 16 14
Ft. Washington Park W. 172 Street and Riverside Drive 13
Harlem Housing Plgd. W. 150 Street and 7 Avenue 8
East River Park Stanton Street, Rivington Street 12
and East River Drive
Randall's Island East of Triborough Stadium 24
(Permit Area) 63 Street and York Avenue 4
Inwood Park 207 Street and Seaman Avenue 12
Brooklyn:
Fort Greene Park DeKalb Avenue and Washington Park 6
Gravesend Plgd. 56 Street and 18 Avenue 9
Kelly Memorial Park Avenue S and E. 14 Street 9
Liev Eiriksson Plgd. 66 Street and 7 Avenue 10
Lincoln Terrace Eastern Parkway and Buffalo Avenue 3 8
McCarren Park Lorimer Street and Driggs Avenue 14
McKinley Park 75 Street and 7 Avenue 4 5
Sunset Park 5 Avenue and 41 Street 3
Coney Island Plgd. Neptune Avenue and W. 25 Street 12
Marine Park Fillmore Avenue and Marine Parkway 18
Bronx:
Bronx Park Brady Avenue and Bronx Park East 6
Crotona Park E. 173 Street and Crotona Avenue 5 20
Pelham Bay Park Rice Stadium 10
St. James Park E. 193 Street and Jerome Avenue 4 8
S t . Mary's Park E. 146 Street and Trinity Avenue 5
Van Cortlandt Park E.-233 Street and Jerome Avenue 8
Van Cortlandt Park 242 Street and Broadway 16
Williamsbridge Oval Bainbridge Avenue and E. 208 Street 8
Mullaly Park E. 164 Street and Jerome Avenue 15
Queens:
Alley Pond Park Grand Central Parkway, Winchester Blvd.,
Creedmoor 6 10
Brookville Park Brookville Blvd. & S. Conduit Highway,
Rosedale 6
Crocheron Park E. of 215 Place, S. of 33 Avenue, Bayside 10
Cunningham Park Union Turnpike, North of 193 Street 15
Flushing Memorial
Park 150 Street & Bayside Ave., Flushing 8
Forest Park Park Lane S. & 89 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 172 Street and Liberty Avenue 10
Astoria Park 25 Avenue & 21 Street, Astoria 14
Wayanda Park Hollis Avenue, Springfield Boulevard 2
(Permit Plgd.) 89 Avenue and 90 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 Golf Course 86th Street and 7th Avenue
Bronx:
Van Cortlandt Golf Course 242 Street and Broadway, Van Cortlandt Park
Mosholu Golf Course Jerome Avenue and Holley Lane at Wood lawn
Pelham-Split Rock Golf Shore Road, North of Hutchinson River Parkway
Course Pelham Bay Park
Queens:
Clearview Golf Course 23 Avenue and Willets Point Boulevard, Bayside
Kissena Golf Course North Hempstead Turnpike and Fresh Meadow Road,
Flushing
Forest Park Golf Course Park Lane South and Forest Parkway, 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
* * * * *
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Sunday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 March 16, 1941
The Department of Parks announces the completion and
opening to the general public on March 16 of a new playground just east of the
new Fort Hamilton High School. Bounded by Colonial Road, 83rd Street and 85th
Street, this three-quarter acre rectangular recreational area is approximately
150 feet by 290 feet. Grading operations for the purpose of developing level
surfaces for court games necessitated the construction of concrete retaining
walls of variable height along a large portion of the perimeter. The
difference in grades occurs along 85th Street, where a stairway entrance has
been provided, and chiefly along the west boundary, which required a 5 foot
stairway to connect with the future athletic field.
The entire area is enclosed by an 8 foot chain link fence
and is divided into four sections by panels of concrete blocks, rows of trees
and continuous benches. The central unit contains a small comfort station and
a wading pool, 63 feet by 90 feet, The wading pool when drained may also be
used for basketball and volley ball. The section at the south end provides
four handball courts and a combination volley ball and basketball court. The
north end is divided into two smaller areas, one of which serves small
children with swings, slides and exercise unit and a sand pit. The other
section contains a combination volley ball and basketball court, slides,
swings and see saws for older children* The playground is floodlighted for
night use.
A new concrete sidewalk bounds the park on three sides and
has a row of trees on each side.
The athletic field to the west, designed by the Park
Department, approved by the Board of Education and under construction with
relief forces, is scheduled for completion in early summer. It will provide a
one-quarter mile running track, football and baseball fields and four tennis
courts.
The playground will be under the jurisdiction of the
Department of Parks and operated for the use of the children of the
neighborhood. However, the athletic field will be under the control and
supervision of the Board of Education during the school hours and at other
times it will be operated by the Department of Parks,
The park system now contains 417 playgrounds, 297 of which
are new acquisitions completed since 1934. At that time there were 119
playgrounds in the five boroughs, 52 of which have been redesigned and
reconstructed.
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Friday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 March 14, 1941
The Department of Parks announces, with the exception of the
top soiling and seeding of lawn areas which will be done later in the spring,
the completion of reconstruction at Owen F. Dolen Park, which is composed of
two street intersection triangles bounded by Westchester Avenue, East Tremont
Avenue and Lane Avenue in the Bronx.
The two half-acre plots, separated by Benson Street, serve
chiefly as pedestrian connections and sitting areas with open central grass
areas bounded by four foot wrought iron fences and trees. Continuous benches
line the interior walks and boundary sidewalks, providing adequate seating
accommodations for this densely populated section. The existing walks of
cinders, bluestone and macadam have been widened and rebuilt of concrete.
Street trees have been planted along all curbs except adjacent to the West
Chester Avenue elevated structure.
The smaller of the two triangles to the south contains the
building which houses the stairway approach to the transit station. The north
triangle retains the existing two story brick library and comfort station at
the east end of the park. At the northern tip of this triangle a small wrought
iron fence enclosed grass plot has been built which retains undisturbed a
World War memorial which was relocated from an adjacent position.
Plans for this improvement were prepared by the Department of
Parks and the work performed by the Work Projects Administration,
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Monday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 March 10, 1941
SUPPLEMENTARY STATEMENT WITH REFERENCE TO
CASTLE GARDEN AS AN IMMIGRATION STATION
In 1847 a Board of Emigration Commissioners was established to
govern the landing of immigrants at the port of New York. This board consisted
of a fluctuating number of full commissioners (generally there were six), and
three ex-officio members: the heads of the German and Irish societies, and the
Mayor of New York. In its early days the Mayor of Brooklyn was also a member.
This board was completely political in its makeup. The members
served without salaries, the expenses of operating the landing station and the
hospitals on Ward's Island coming from the head tax paid the state by the
immigrants. The politicians used it as a source of patronage and of graft in
connection with the concessions for selling services to the immigrants.
For largely political reasons investigations were frequently made
of the Bnigration Board by various agencies. Such investigations were made in
1859, 1876, 1882, 1887, 1888, and 1890. In the latter year several were
conducted. The majority of these investigations were not inspired by
humanitarian motives, but chiefly by politics. For the most part they resulted
in whitewashes of the authorities.
In 1876 the Supreme Court declared the state head tax on
immigrants unconstitutional. A committee of the State Assembly investigated
the Emigration Commissioners, but suggested not a change. 970 pages of
testimony give the political affiliations of every employee at Castle Garden
and Ward's Island, and details about lobbying by the steamship companies, with
only a passing reference to the licensed boardinghouse keepers snaring young
girls for bordellos, and to the stealing of the immigrants' belongings.
The State Senate Finance Committee investigating in 1882
described the practices of steamship and railraod companies in defrauding
immigrants. The steamship lines did not fulfill their contractual obligations
to support the immigrants for two days, but dumped them into the streets to
fend for themselves. A railroad pool allotted immigrants to the various lines
without regard to their wishes, occasionally breaking up families. Tickets
had to be purchased in Castle Garden, and were sold at a higher rate than
outside. Immigrants were not permitted to carry their own baggage. The entire
personnel of the Emigration Board profiteered. Governor Cleveland revised the
board, this leading to his celebrated break with Tammany.
As a result of a campaign by Pulitzer's World in 1887, the Federal
Department of the Treasury sent a man down to hold hearings. He found similar
evidence of jobbery in connection with the baggage, ticket and restaurant
concessions. J. C. Savery, president of the American Emigrant Company,
testified before him as follows:
(The immigrants) are imprisoned and deprived of all
free will and free action which is enjoyed by travellers who
arrive at any other port in the civilized world. The
railroad people charge now as high a rate for transporting
with not near as good accommodation and not as good time, as
twenty-four years ago. There has been no improvement, and it
all comes from the management of these railroad officials. I
have made this thing a study for a quarter of a century and
know what I'm talking about. . . Their treatment is a farce
and a shameful disgrace on the American people, who claim as
one of the first bases of good government fair play.
In 1890 another Treasury report, dealing with the transfer of the
landing station to Ellis Island said:
Some sixty odd 'boarding-house keepers are also licensed by
the Board (of Bnigration Commissioners) to solicit patronage
within Castle Garden. I inspected a few of these boarding-houses.
I found them in various conditions of worth, from the very clean
to the very filthy, but each one provided with all the appliances
of a saloon apparently in active business. (In the religious
mission houses) a watchful care is extended to the immigrant, and
he is saved from the extortion, rapacity and evil influences of
many of these houses. . . .
The inconveniences to which immigrants are subjected in
Castle Garden when compelled to remain overnight there in large
numbers are very great. They often suffer for want of room, and
are compelled to sleep on hard wooden benches, or upon the floor,
in the great majority of cases without covering.
The report noted that those awaiting examination as to their
fitness for entry, for financial as well as physical reasons, were sent to the
Ward's Island insane asylum for as long as a month.
In the same year a U. S. Senate Committee heard the following
testimony:
These unfortunate persons (the immigrants) . . . were
put on unclean floors. . . . The unclean floors are those
that receive the mud and the dust of New York streets that is
brought in . . . by the feet of those who come in there. The
floors also receive . . . the excretions of the mucous glands
of the throat and nostrils of hundreds of persons during the
day. The floors also receive . . . the excretions of scores
of young children. . . They have nothing between themselves
and this filthy floor but the clothes they wear when they
come off the vessel. . . It is inhuman and indecent.
As a result of these last investigations, control of immigrants
was taken over by the Federal Government and Castle Garden abandoned.
* * * * *
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Saturday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 March 8, 1941
The Department of Parks announces that the Tri-State Indoor
Speed Ice Skating Championships, under the auspices of the Park Department,
will be held, for the first time in the metropolitan area, on Sunday, March 9,
1941, 5:30 P. M., at the New York City Building, Flushing Meadow Park,
Flushing, Queens.
Three hundred and seventy-five amateur skaters, from the
states of Nsw York, New Jersey and Connecticut, have registered for these
championships, which have been held annually for the past 12 years and
sanctioned by the Middle Atlantic Skating Association, Inc., Northern New York
Skating Association, Western New York Skating Association and New England
Skating Association of the Amateur Skating Union of the United States.
Fourteen speed skating events, ranging from the quarter
mile to the two mile race, are included in the program for Senior Men and
Women, Intermediate Boys (under 18 years), Junior Boys (under 16 years),
Juvenile Boys (under 14 years), Midget Boys (under 12 years), and Intermediate
Girls (under 18 years); also three events, the half mile, one mile and two
mile, closed to skaters who are registered members of the Middle Atlantic
Skating Association.
Roy Erickson of New York City, and John Simmons of Norwalk,
Connecticut, co-holders of the Senior National Indoor Speed Skating
Championship, which title was acquired at the National Championships,
conducted on February 22 and 23, 1941, at Washington D. C., under the auspices
of the Amateur Skating Union of the United States, have entered this Tri-State
meet. Mike Heidt, the 2 mile national indoor champion, will also compete.
In the Senior Women's Division, 19 year old, New York
University student, Virginia Jahn, of Creskill, New Jersey, holder of the
National Indoor Women's Speed Skating Championship, which comprises 7 distinct
title s in various speed skating events; Alice Burnham, one mile national
champion; Margi Cummings, Metropolitan 1/2 mile champion, have all registered
for the Tri-State Championships.
Gold, silver and bronze medals will be awarded by the Park
Department to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winner of each event, in addition to
the 5 point trophies which will be presented to the highest point scorer in
the Senior men and women, the closed events for members of the Middle Atlantic
Skating Association, Intermediate Boys and Junior Boys.
The city-wide finals of the Park Department ice skating carnivals,
held on the large lakes in each of the 5 boroughs during the month of January,
will also form part of the program next Sunday evening. Thirteen events, from
the 60 yard to the 1 mile race, for boys and girls of all age groups, and men
and women, will be included in these activities.
The winner of each event, in the respective age classifications, of
the various borough meets, which had a total of 800 participants, will be
eligible to participate in this inter-borough competition for the city
championship in Park Department ice skating carnivals, conducted by the
department each year as part of its winter-sports program.
Gold, silver and bronze medals will also be awarded by the Park
Department to those who attain 1st, 2nd and 3rd place respectively in each of
these events.
Members of the Manhattan Figure Skating Club will give exhibitions
during the course of the program. Yvonne Sherman, 11 years old, who has
appeared in national competitions, will also give a demonstration in figure
skating. Music for these exhibitions will be supplied by the Park Department
Band.
While spectators of the skating championships on Sunday, March 9,
will be admitted to the balcony of the New York City Building free of charge,
those wishing to view the meet from the main floor, will have to pay an
admission fee of 35 cents. The roller skating rink will be open to the public
from 7:30 P, M. to 11 P. M. on the same evening upon payment of the usual
charge of 35 cents. Roller skates will be furnished without any additional
cost.
The New York City Building, Flushing Meadow Park, Flushing, Queens,
may be reached by:
1. I.R.T., B.M.T. and 2nd Avenue Lines to 111 St. Station.
2. Flushing Ridgewood Trolley to 52nd Avenue, walk one block
northeast to park.
3. Triborough Bus Q - 23 to 54th Avenue*
4. Independent Subway - Train marked "E", "F" or "GG" to 71 Avenue,
Forest Hills Station; then take Bus Q, - 23 to 54th Avenue.
The park may be entered at the following gates; 111th Street and
54th Avenue, Horace Harding Boulevard, 800 feet east of the Grand Central
Parkway, Roosevelt Avenue, east of Grand Central Parkway.
* * * *
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Friday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 March 7, 1941
The Department of Parks announces that a bronze plaque has just
been placed on the west face of the base of the Obelisk in Central Park upon
which the following has been inscribed:
"CLEOPATRA'S NEEDLE"
This obelisk was erected first at Heliopolis,Egypt, in
1600 B. C. It was removed to Alexandria in 12 B. C. by the Romans.
Presented by the Khedive of Egypt to the City of New York, it
was erected here on February 22, 1881 through the
generosity of William H. Vanderbilt."
The Obelisk is located opposite East 81 Street, west of the
Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Many visitors to the City, as well as residents, have shown so
much interest in this connecting link between ancient and modern times, that
it was decided that something should be done to enlighten them briefly
concerning its historical significance.
The small dignified bronze plaque was designed by the Park
Department and furnished and installed by the New York Historical Society.
Of the thousands who daily pass the Obelisk in Central Park, few
realize that this monument was a familiar sight years ago which was seen
by Joseph and Mary when they fled to Egypt with the Infant Jesus.
The message of the hieroglyphs was in imminent danger of being
lost by complete erosion within a short period after its removal to this
climate. The process which saved these hieroglyphs for future generations is
being increasingly used on memorial structures as well as modern commercial,
public and residential buildings to prevent penetration of dampness ana
surface erosion.
Cleopatra's Needle is one of New York's oldest treasures. It is a
connecting link between ancient tyranny and modern democracy. Thotmes III, who
had this monolith cut from the quarries of Syene in upper Egypt, was vain as
well as tyrannical. To perpetuate his glory and to proclaim his descent from
the Sun he had this memorial and a similar monument, now standing in London,
placed in front of the Temple of On (the Sun) at Heliopolis, An inscription
was placed on the center column of each face.
Two hundred years later Rameses the Second, carved on each side of
the center columns hieroglyphics setting forth his glory in much the same
style. About four hundred years later another Pharaoh, Osarkon I., covered the
remaining small areas at the edges extending up twenty feet from the base,
inscribing his own name and proclaiming that he also was descended from the
Sun.
In 500 B.C. Cambyses, the Persian, invaded Egypt, toppled over the
Obelisks and plundered the temples. The New York "Needle" lay for nearly 500
years partly covered with sand. The position is clearly indicated by the
erosion of the surface. The point was completely buried leaving a great
portion of the western face exposed to the elements. The destruction of the
hieroglyphs on the exposed surfaces was caused by the evaporation of moisture
from the soil which formed crystals of salt within the pores of the stone and
gradually forced off particles year by year, In addition to this the sand
storms cut away the rock. In 12 B.C. the Romans brought the two Obelisks to
the Harbor of Alexandria celebrating their conquest of Egypt. This completed
the Roman conquest of the known world and ushered in the Reign of Peace.
Then, while the world was undisturbed by wars, the "Prince of Peace" was born.
In 1869 Khedive Ishmail of Egypt offered one of the two Obelisks to
the American Consul, He felt perfectly safe in making this gesture. It is
reported to have been a great surprise to him when, the American Consul having
in turn passed on his gift to the City of New York, steps were undertaken for
its removal. When Lieut. Gorringe arrived at the Harbor of Alexandria with the
old steamer "Dessoug" prepared to take it away, he found himself confronted
with every possible obstacle and much was done to stop him. He succeeded,
however, in placing it on board, having cut a hole in the bow below the water
line while the vessel was in dry dock. He drew the shaft through the opening,
straightened it around parallel with the keel and replaced the bow plates. The
plinth and steps were carried in the hold.
After the Obelisk had been standing in its new site for about two
years, pieces of rock began to fall. The fears of its scientific friends
were thus confirmed. By 1885, four years after its erection, Dr. R. Ogden
Doremus, appointed by the Commissioner of Parks to investigate the condition,
recommended that the stone be preserved from the weather using the process
invented by Robert M. Caffall, which consisted in impregnating the surface
with paraffin wax.
In 1885 the scaffolding was erected for the purpose of applying a
protective coating using a process now owned and applied exclusively by the
Obelisk Waterproofing Company. It was found that there were a great many
shells or flakes of large size, besides a multitude of small ones. All of
those that could be saved were left in place. One of them measured twelve by
eighteen inches with a thickness of four inches at the base. To have removed
these flakes would have damaged the hieroglyphics to a serious degree. By the
exercise of great care these flakes were preserved. The work was completed in
a few months.
In 1893 these areas were treated by pressure to insure that a solid
body of paraffin wax would fill all voids and prevent any accidental
movement. These flakes are mapped and numbered for the purpose of ascertaining
at any time whether they have increased in area, or whether new ones have
developed. A thorough examination made in 1913 showed that no movement had
taken place in any of the old flakes, nor were there any new ones, but as a
precautionary measure a liquid veneer was applied as a coating by the
authorities. Owing to the previous paraffin impregnation, this veneer did not
penetrate the pores and it was soon washed away by the weather. Traces of this
liquid were found on the limestone steps, having been washed off the shaft by
rain. In 1930, forty-five years after the application of the preservative to
the Obelisk, no indication could be found of any need for renewing the
treatment. The preservative had absolutely stopped and prevented what would
have been the rapid disintegration of the oldest monument in America.
* * *
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Wednesday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 March 5, 1941
Bids were received today by the Department of Parks at the Arsenal
Building on a contract for the improvement of Hushing Meadow Park, Queens, in
the area adjoining the New York State Exhibition Building which will house the
nav modern swimming pool and locker facilities now under construction.
The work under this contract comprises regulating, grading,
drainage and water supply and includes paving of walks and paths, topsoiling,
and seeding of lawns and planting trees and shrubs.
A portion of an existing parking field will be retained for use in
connection with the operation of the Amphitheatre and swimming pool.
The three lowest bidders for the work were:
1. Slattery Contracting Co., Inc.
72-02 51st Avenue
Winfield, L.I., N.Y. $42,308.45
2. Grand Yiew Nurseries
6 Grandview Avenue
Mt. Vernon, N.Y. 43,503.85
3. Frank Mascali & Sons, Inc.
4634 Third Avenue
Bronx, New York 45,996.38
*****
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Saturday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 February 22, 1941
The Department of Parks announces that the finals of the first
National Indoor Singles Paddle Tennis Championships will take place on
Washington's Birthday, Saturday, February 22, 1941.
This tournament is being conducted by the Park Department in
cooperation with the United States Paddle Yennis Association.
Since January 15, approximately 850 participated in the preliminary matches
which have been held in various Park playgrounds and recreation areas
throughout the five boroughs.
Charles O'Hearn, the present champion of the American Paddle
Tennis Association and the erstwhile quarterback at Yale, who received the
All-American Award for two consecutive years during his football career at
that famous university, has reached the quarter-finals.
The championship games for each of the six divisions will take
place on Saturday, February 22, according to the following schedule:
Division Location Time
A - Boys (under 15 years of age) Crotona Play Center, E. 173 3:30 P.M.
St. and Fulton Ave., Bronx
B - Girls (under 15 years of age) Crotona Play Center, E. 173 2:30 P.M.
St. and Fulton Ave., Bronx
C - Boys (under 18 years of age) Madison Square Boys' Club, 12-4 P.M.
312 East 30 St., N.Y.C.
D - Girls (under 18 years of age) Madison Square Boys' Club, 12-4 P.M.
312 East 30 Street, N. Y, C.
Betsy Head Play Center, 2:15 P.M.
Hopkinson and Dumont Aves.,Bkn.
F - Women Betsy Head Play Center, 12:15 P.M.
Hopkinson and Dumont Aves., Bkn.
Trophies, donated by the United States Paddle Tennis Association
through Frank Peer Beal and C. Dewar Simons III, executive officers of the
association, will be presented t o the winner of each division. Gold medals
will be awarded by the Park Department to the runner-up in all divisions of
the Nationals, and bronze medals to the winners of the district eliminations
conducted at Park Department Play Centers.
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Thursday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 February 20, 1941
The Department of Parks announces the completion of its annual
city-wide contest in snow sculpture and snow architecture. Five hundred and
forty photographs, depicting a variety of objects moulded out of snow by the
children and adults in Park Department playgrounds and recreational areas,
were submitted to the board of judges.
Some of the objects include: bird baths, seals, military
fortifications, battleships, gondolas, human beings and domestic animals in
various stages of activity.
All contestants were divided into two age groups: over 16 and
under 16 years of age. The judges' decision resulted in the following awards:
Age Group - Under 16 years Location Title of
Names Addresses Ages of Plgd, Sculptured Piece
1st Place Marilyn Quinn 226 W. 238 St. 7 Van Cortlandt "Bird Bath"
Bronx Park Plgd.,
Shirley Pearce 3214 Kings Ave. 11 Bronx " "
Bronx
Margaret Brennan 226 if. 238 St. 8 " " " "
Bronx
Helen Kelly Naples Terrace 14 " " " "
& 234 St., Bronx
2nd Place Mary Gebhardt 475 Woodward Ave. 14 Grover Cleve- "Seal"
Queens land Plgd., Queens
Josephine 475 Woodward Ave. 14 " " "
Gebhardt Queens
3rd Place Daniel Hennessy 238 St. & Review 12 Van Cortlandt "Military
Place, Bronx Park Plgd., Fort"
Gloria Odell 3801 Review Place 12 Bronx " "
Bronx
Catherine Barrett 3801 Review 12 " " " "
Place, Bronx
Age Group - Over 16 Years
1st Place Arnold Friedman 1006 Gerard Ave. 22 Mullaly Plgd., "Bas-relief-
Bronx Children at
Bob Schrer 1180 Anderson 17 " Play"
Ave,, Bronx
Helen Kahana 865 Elsmere Place 18 "
Bronx
Mildred Dreskin 1555 Minford Place 17 "
Bronx
2nd Place Vincent Canada 1230 - 75 St. 21 Dyker Park "Sleeping
Brooklyn Plgd., Bklyn. Mexican"
3rd Place Charles Donati 446 Jackson Ave. 17 St. Mary's Park "An Alaskan
Bronx East, Bronx Scene"
Isadore Eisenberg 332 Beekman 17 " " " "
Ave., Bronx
Gold medals will be presented to the first place winners in
each division, silver to the second and bronze to the third.
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Monday,2/17/41
TEL. REGENT 4-1000
MEMORANDUM ON PARK DEPARTMENT BUDGET
REQUEST FOR 1941-42
The Park Department's budget request of $12,995,413.17
represents an increase of $2,331,553.25 over the $10,663,859.92 received for
the fiscal year 1940-41, This increase may be divided, generally, into three
categories:
1. $761,350.76 - Mandatory salary increments, salary
adjustments, increased time for temporary help, changing from per diem to per
annum status of various classifications and other miscellaneous changes.
2. $917,616.49 - New personnel.
3. $652,586.00 - Additional other than personal service - that
is, for equipment, material and supplies.
In several lines the increases requested have already been
accomplished by modification and, to a great extent, were compensated for by
elimination of unfilled vacancies.
Although the Department has materially increased the efficiency
of its working forces during the past year, there are still two major
conditions which must be corrected if the City's parks are to render continued
satisfactory service. The first of these is the lack of personnel in many of
the older developments, caused by drawing personnel from these developments to
staff new areas for which no provision had been made in previous budgets. Many
of these old areas are retrogressing and some, notably the northerly and
westerly sections of Central Park, Morningside and St. Nicholas Parks, and
sections of Prospect Park, have reached the stage where major reconstruction
will be necessary if they are not adequately staffed without further delay.
An example of this condition carried to its ultimate conclusion is
best illustrated by Crotona Park in the Bronx which during the past year had
to be completely reconstructed because it had deteriorated to such a point
that proper maintenance was impossible. Unless this reconstructed area is
adequately staffed immediately it will again deteriorate within a few
years· Proper maintenance not only gives better service to the public, but
in the long run it is cheaper than periodic reconstruction.
The second of these conditions is the lack of adequate qualified
supervision. This has been corrected to some extent during the past year by
budget modifications, permitting the creation of several new General Park
Foremen by promotion. Further modification, to provide the balance of the
General Foremen required for proper operation, has been requested. Also,
permission has been requested to permit the establishment of a "straw boss"
system by which Laborers, Assistant Gardeners and others in the lower brackets
can be paid small additional compensation for taking on responsibility which
would put them in the class of an Assistant Foreman. In previous budget
requests, the full title of Park Foreman has been requested for these
secondary jobs. The "straw boss" system will effect the same result at a
considerable saving in money.
We have also requested additional supervisory help for the garages.
The present budget provides no Foreman Auto Machinist, and the city-wide
repair shop, which is responsible for repairs on over one thousand units of
motorized equipment, is being operated with an Auto Machinist,being paid the
same as the other mechanics in the shop, working as an Acting Foreman. A
large proportion of the force is made up of Laborers and other not fully
qualified personnel, working out of title. The borough garages, likewise, are
being supervised by men placed in acting charge, without having either the
title or the salary appropriate to the job.
Because of inadequate mechanical help and practically nonexistent
qualified supervision, the efficiency of the Department's equipment is far
below what would be required in any paying commercial organization; many units
are out of commission for extended periods; and other units have to be put on
the road to perform needed work in condition so dangerous as to be illegal if
permitted by private concerns.
In general, the new developments constructed during the past seven
years are in need of various types of repairs. The Department has done the
best it can with the men it has available by using Laborers, Assistant
Gardeners, Attendants and men in other titles, to perform repair work
ordinarily done by skilled mechanics. There are not sufficient qualified men
available to do all of the required work, and the deterioration of these new
structures is accelerating because the small repairs which should have been
done in the past years could not be made. Unless adequate qualified help and
material are provided, the repair cost on many of these structures will reach
exorbitant figures, and some of them in a few years will have gone beyond the
possibility of repair. To catch up on these de- layed repairs and to handle
new repairs as they are required, the Department requires 95 additional
skilled mechanics in various titles.
There are also requested a Foreman Painter and 1200 days' time for
Bridge Painters. During the past seven years the Department has put into
operation bridges, viaducts and other steel structures, with a total paint
surface of 2,816,000 square feet. The older of these structures now need
painting. We do not have personnel qualified, to do this work properly, nor
do we have personnel available who can be assigned to it without leaving other
equally important jobs undone. This type of structure should normally be
painted every fifth year, and we have gauged this request for Painters so that
if they are employed each year they can keep all of these structures
satisfactorily preserved.
The Department has under its jurisdiction about 2,300,000 trees. We
have on the rolls 215 Climbers and pruners who are able to do climbing and
pruning work. To keep trees in good condition they should be pruned once
every four years. Last year we pruned 66,000 trees and removed 9,400. Each
year at least 30,000 trees die and should be removed. It is obvious from these
figures that the present force cannot keep up with the rate of growth and
death of the trees under the Department's jurisdiction. Even the 29 additional
Climbers and Pruners requested will provide far from an adequate force, but
they will enable us to catch up with 11,000 cases where the condition of
street trees has been the subject of complaints received from the public.
In the revenue producing section of the budget the Department is
asking for an increase of $252,000. The total income of the Department is over
a million dollars per year. The skating rinks in the City Building are showing
an average daily income of about $600. and during the non-skating season it is
expected that this income will be maintained by rentals for exhibitions and
conventions. This year's revenue producing budget has already been tapped for
the operation of the City Building and will have to be replenished before the
end of the fiscal period, to maintain operation of the swimming pools and golf
courses this spring. The State Amphitheatre in Flushing Meadow Park will also
require a new staff wnen it is placed in operation this summer.
All of the revenue producing facilities have been operating on
borrowed capital. The mechanic forces provided in the past budgets for their
maintenance are totally inadequate and unless additional mechanic labor and
materials are made available promptly many of these facilities will be subject
to frequent, prolonged breakdowns because of depreciation and mechanical
failures. These breakdowns will be reflected directly in loss of revenue, not
only during the breakdown period, but from interruptions in continuity of
service.
During the past year the Department opened for public use the
55-mile Belt Parkway, which to date is less than half staffed, and will
rapidly become a double ribbon of concrete through eroded, weed covered banks,
unless adequate personnel and equipment are provided this year.
Among 35 playgrounds opened during the past year were such areas as
Lincoln Terrace Park Extension, with a large playground and baseball diamond;
Jasper Oval, with 4.4 acres of concentrated recreation facilities for all age
groups; 15 acres of additional recreation facilities in Red Hook, adjacent to
the new housing development; Maurice Playground in Maspeth, Queens, with 8.9
acres of athletic fields and playgrounds. None of these areas is adequately
staffed and most of the present personnel assigned to them had to be taken
from other areas already under-staffed which now, because of depleted
personnel, are degenerating rapidly from inroads of the elements, vandals, and
annually increasing usage.
In addition to taking up the slack in these new operating areas and
in other locations now operating with depleted forces, the new budget will
have to provide for 38 additional playgrounds, with a total area of 75 acres,
6 park areas totalling 304 acres, and 8.3 miles of parkway totalling 249
acres.
Among these new developments are such facilities as the new
waterfront development between Old Shore Road and Shore Parkway, Brooklyn,
with its 3 large athletic field and playground units, with surrounding
general park facilities' the 15 playgrounds along the Belt Parkway, the
31 miles of bicycle path along the Belt Parkway; the refurbished recreation
and fishing pier at Canarsie; 3 new playgrounds along the
East River Drive in Manhattan; an entirely new section of 14 acres of
park and recreation development in Inwood Hill Park; 2 new playgrounds
along the Hutchinson River Parkway Extension in the Bronx; Sound View
Park in the Bronx, with 1˝ acres of playgrounds, half a dozen new ball
diamonds and appurtenant park facilities; 142 acres of playgrounds and
park development in Flushing Meadow Park, which includes the City
Building with its ice and roller skating rinks now operating, and the
State Amphitheatre with its new swimming pool and parking fields now under
construction and to be placed in operation this summer.
At Coney Island the new half mile extension at the east end of the
beach, for which no previous budgetary provision has been made, will be
developed with an extension of the boardwalk, a comfort station, new white
sand, and reconstruction of the waterfront so it can be used for bathing.
During the coming summer the two mis sin?; links in the Belt Parkway
will be placed in operation, the 2-1/3 miles at Sheepshead Bay between Ocean
Parkway and Marine Park, and 4 miles of the elevated Gowanus Parkway from
Owl's Head to the toll plaza of the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel; and the
Hutchinson River Parkway Extension from Eastern Boulevard · to Pelham Bay
Park will be opened to fill the gap between the Whitestone Bridge and the
Hutchinson River and Merritt Parkways.
In addition to the lack of adequate operating and maintenance personnel
in the parks the policing problem is becoming more acute each year and it
should be pointed out that some of the increases requested in the Police
Department's budget are vitally needed to provide the additional police
required for protection of park property and patrons.
A year ago the Department requested an increase in its budget of
$2,637,173 to provide for maintenance and operation of the new facilities
opened during the year. Of this increase only $448,800 was provided.
This amount was grossly inadequate to cover all of the new facilities, and
it was necessary to draw men from other areas already insufficiently staffed,
to provide even inadequate personnel for those new areas. As a result, not
only are the new areas not being properly maintained, but the old areas are
suffering increasingly from lack of proper maintenance. The present budget
request is designed to take up this slack and to provide adequate coverage
for the new areas which will be opened this year.
-- --
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Friday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 February 7, 1941
The Department of Parks announces that demonstrations of the
recreational activities conducted at its various gymnasium centers and indoor
pools will take place during the period of Friday, ebruary 7, to Wednesday,
February 19, according to the following schedule:
MANHATTAN EXHIBITION PATE
West 28 Street Gymnasium & Pool, 407 West 28 St. Fri. Feb. 7 - 8 P. M.
East 54 Street Gymnasium & Pool, 342 East 54 St. Fri. Feb. 14 - 8 P. M.
Carmine Street Gymnasium & Pool, Clarkson Street Tues. Feb.18 - 8 P. M.
and 7 Avenue South
West 134 Street Gymnasium & Pool, 35 West 134 St. Wed. Feb. 19 - 8 P. M.
BROOKLYN
President Street Gymnasium, President Street & Wed. Feb. 19 - 8 P. M.
Fourth Avenue
Pool - Metropolitan and Bedford Avenues Wed. Feb. 19 - 8 P. M.
RICHMOND
Cromwell Center, Victory Boulevard & Murray Hulbert Mon. Feb.17 - 7 P. M.
Ave., Tompkinsville
Faber Park Recreation Building, Richmond Terrace at Tues, Feb.18 - 7 P. M.
Faber Street, Ft. Richmond
All age groups will participate in these demonstrations and
the programs will include games in volley ball, ping pong, table tennis,
badminton, horseshoe pitching, basketball, handball, group games, paddle
tennis, folk dancing and music by Drum and Bugle Corps,
The gymnastic exhibitions will embrace a varietv of stunts on
heavy apparatus as well as demonstrations and drills with light apparatus.
Tumbling and weight-lifting are also scheduled.
Pool shows will include short and long distance races in
various styles, relays, and exhibitions in diving, life saving and first aid.
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Tuesday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 February 4, 1941
Bids were received today by the Department of Parks at the Arsenal
Building, Central Park, on a contract for limiting a part of Flushing Meadow
Park, Borough of Queens, in the area between the Long Island Railroad and
Horace Harding Boulevard and immediately east of the Grand Central Parkway
Extension.
The work consists of the installation of underground conduit,
cable, splice boxes, light posts, and other incidental items to put in service
a portion of the electrical distribution system installed by the World's Fair
Corporation for permanent park use. Also included are alterations to the
lighting system at the IRT-BMT Pedestrian Overpass, installation of new
lighting facilities for the new proposed extension to the overpass and
lighting of the connecting pedestrian path, leading to the New York City
Building which houses the roller and ice skating rinks.
The three lowest bidders for the work were:
1. Elco Installation, Inc.
345 East 2 3 Street, New York City $22,845.00
2. Welsbach Street Lighting Co.
42-30 24th Street, L.I.City 23,364.00
3. Edward Zwi eke r Corp orat ion
415 Lexington Avenue, N.Y.C. 24,677.00
* * * *
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Monday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 February 3, 1941
Bids were received today by the Department of Parks at the
Arsenal Building, on two contracts in connection with the improvement of
Flushing Meadow Park, Borough of Q,ueens, in the area east of Grand Central
Parkway Extension between the Long Island Railroad and Horace Harding
Boulevard.
The work, under the general contract, consists of regulating
and grading, construction of curb, walks and bicycle paths, placing of
drainage and water lines, processing existing topsoil, seeding of lawn areas,
and transplanting of trees. A connecting walk to the pedestrian overpass is
also included. The other contract provides for alterations and additions to
the existing overpass connecting the I.R.T. - B.M.T. ith the main park
area. The work includes the construction of a wood decked steel structure on
timber piles and a ramp at the southerly end of the overpass and placing of
new decking on the existing structure and other incidental work.
When completed this overpass will provide a direct connection
from the Willets Point elevated station to the ice and roller skating rinks in
the New York City Building.
The three low bidders for each of the projects are:
A - For General Construction:
1. Frank Mascali & Sons, Inc.
4635 - 3rd Avenue
Bronx, N. Y. $52,211.25
2. Slattery Contracting Co.,Inc.
72-02 51st Avenue
Winfield, L.I. 53,768.25
3. The Walthaw Corp.
1860 Broadway
New York City 56,283.50
B - alterations & additions to Overpass:
1. W. E. Anderson
1015 E. 35th St.
Brooklyn, N. Y. 15,896.50
2. Nolan & McSweeney,Inc.
155 Avenue D
New York City 17,792.50
3. Thomas Rome, Inc.
8860 - 76th Avenue
Glendale, L.I. 21,517.50
* * * *
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Friday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 January 31, 1941
Bids were received today by the Triborough Bridge Authority at the
Administration Building, Randall's Island on Contract CP 28 for miscellaneous
improvements at Jacob Riis Park and various locations at Rockaway Beach Park,
Borough of Queens.
The work at Jacob Riis Park consists of alterations to the toilet
rooms including plumbing and electrical work at the bathing pavilion;
construction of new stairs leading from the boardwalk to the beach area;
alterations and additions to the lighting system for the dance area adjoining
the boardwalk and construction of a new roadway leading to the incinerator.
The work at Rockaway Beach Park consists of the construction of a
new timber ramp on piles at the foot of Beach 32nd Street and removal and
replacement of existing exhaust fans including necessary incidental work in
the comfort stations at the Boardwalk and Beach 34th, 44th, 54th and 64th
Streets.
The three lowest bidders for the work were:
1. Great Eastern Construction Co.
110 West 40 Street, New York City $9,034.00
2. W. E. Anderson & Sons, Inc.
1015 East 35 Street, Brooklyn 10,421.00
3. Robert Cook
250 East 43 Street, New York City 10,763.00
* * *
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MEMORIAL FIAGP0LS3
CENTRAL PUBLIC LIBRARY & MITCHBL SQUARE
The Department of Parks announces that funds have been
made available to the City for the erection of two flagpoles on the 5th Avenue
side of the New York Public Library as a memorial to the Honorable James
Purroy Mitchel, former Mayor of New York City.
Contract plans for the replacement of the missing wooden
staff, which fell in a windstorm, as well as its mate at the southeast corner
of the Library, were prepared in 1937 by the Department. At that time the
necessary funds could not be procured for the project.
However, arrangements have now been completed for financing the
installation of these flagpoles. A memorial fund was raised in 1917 for the
erection of the monument at Fifth Avenue and 90th Street in Central Park
commemorating the distinguished services of former Mayor Mitchel. In
accordance with a recent court order, the Department of Parks, acting for the
City of New York is empowered to prepare and award a contract for the new
memorial with the approval of the Fulton Trust Company, the present
administrators of the residue of the original fund.
The existing wooden pole, about 85' high, now standing on the
library terrace near the corner of 40th Street and Fifth Avenue, will be moved
to Mitchel Square at St. Nicholas Avenue and Broadway, Nev; York City. Here it
will be erected on a simple granite base incised to commemorate the military
service of Major Mitchel in the first World War.
The highly decorative existing bronze and marble bases at the
library site will be reset on reinforced concrete foundations which will
support the new 95' tapered steel poles. A bronze plaque will be set in the
granite flagstone pavement at the base of each pole. The south pole will fly
the national colors and the plaque will memorialize in raised letters the
military service of Mr. Mitchel. The pole to the north will fly the City flag
in honor of his services as Mayor and the bronze plaque at the base will be
worded accordingly.
* * * *
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Monday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 January 27, 1941
DODGE STATUE - BRYANT PARK
After standing in the environment of Herald Square for
sixty-five years. the bronze figure of William Earle Dodge which remained
undisturbed by the growing pains of a great metropolis has at last found
repose in the restful and dignified surroundings of the Fifth Avenue Library
in Bryant Park.
Standing on a new gracefully tapered square pylon of granite a
t the northwest corner of the Library this finely executed memorial sculpture
completes the symmetry of the triad consisting of the well known figure of
William Cullen Bryant located on the center line of the building and the
bronze bust of Goethe at the opposite corner. "William Earle Dodge" has been
incised on one face of the granite base and the following statement appears on
the opposite side:
Erected by
Voluntary Subscription
Under the Auspices of the
Chamber of Commerce
of the
State of New York
1885
Erected two years after the death of Mr. Dodge, by the group
which he served as president from 1865-1875, in commemoration of his
outstanding services to the community the memorial is of special significance
in that it was the first to be erected in the United States as a tribute to
eminent philanthropy.
Relocated by the Work Projects Administration in accordance with
plans prepared by the Department of Parks the old gentleman resting in the
pleasant serenity of the tree-shaded library terrace must chuckle and wonder
at the wisdom of Minerva and her toiling Bell Ringers who banished him from
turmoil to permanent peace.
* * *
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Saturday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 January 25, 1941
PEDESTRIAN OVERPASS
148th STREET AMD WEST SIDE IMPROVEMENT
The recently completed pedestrian bridge at 148 Street and
Riverside Drive, designed to facilitate access to the recreational areas along
the waterfront in Riverside Park, was opened to the public this morning.
This new and direct approach from Riverside Drive eliminates the
old circuitous access by way of the narrow footbridge a few hundred feet to
the north.
A portion of the existing semi-circular stairway flanking the
old stone-faced overlook was rehabilitated as an approach to the new
structure, which consists of a granite stairway leading to a steel supported
bluestone deck. Spanning the New York Central Railroad tracks, the overpass is
supported on the west abutment by a simple granite faced pylon. From this
landing platform double stairways carry the pedestrian through the existing
passageway under the Henry Hudson Parkway to the long battery of play areas
and waterfront promenade.
* * *
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Thursday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 January 25, 1941
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 ihe new arrivals, a South American white male was
donated by the Hew York Zoolbgical 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 Tilth their enormous and
grotesquely-shaped bills.
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Friday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 January 24, 1941
Bids were received today by the Department of Parks at the
Arsenal Building on three contracts for plumbing, ventilating and electrical
installations in connection with the construction of a permanent swimming and
diving pool and dressing accommodations in the New York State Building,
Flushing Meadow Park, Queens.
The work consists of the installation of a pressure type
filtration plant for the swimming pool, chemical water treatment facilities,
drainage, water supply and heating equipment. The locker and shower rooms will
be provided with a complete mechanically operated exhaust system to assure a
constant supply of fresh air.
Electrical installations will be made in the locker and shower
rooms for lighting purposes and for power control units. The stage lighting
system will be revised and the pool will be lighted by a specially designed
underwater floodlighting system. The lighting for the stage and pool will be
centrally controlled and floodlights will be operated from the diving towers
located on both ends of the pool. Also included is the redesign and addition
to the public address system, part of which will also be operated from units
installed in the diving towers.
The three lowest bidders on each of the contracts submitted
were as follows:
PLUMBING:
1. Pipe & Engineering Co., Inc. $47,900.
537 Coster Street , Bronx, N.Y.
2. George J . Kay
2395 Flatbush Avenue, Brooklyn, N.Y. 48,950.
3. Louis Bigolet
1145 Ocean Parkway, Brooklyn, N. Y. 49,600.
VENTILATING:
1. Edward Kiss, Inc.
207 East 43 Street , New York City 4,900.
2. Carroll Sheet Metal Works, Inc.
4610 70th Street, Winfield, L.I. 5,096.
3. Dierks Heating Company, Inc.
43-32 33rd Street, Long Island City 5,306.
ELECTRICAL:
1. Simpson Electric Corporation
71 East 116 Street, New York City $31,780.
2. Rao Electrical Equipment Co., Inc.
150 East 41 Street, New York City 34,100.
3. Hi ttner Electric Company, Inc.
415 Lexington Avenue, New York City 39,000.
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Wednesday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 January 22, 1941
The Department of Parks announces that 16,537 people made use of
the combined roller and ice skating rink in the New York City Building in
Flushing Meadow Park, during the first week of operation. Of these, 1400 were
children admitted free on Saturday morning. There are two skating periods
daily from 2;00 to 5:30 in the afternoon and from 7:30 to 11:00 in the
evening. Admission charges are twenty cents in the afternoon and thirty-five
cents in the evening. The free period for children under fourteen years every
Saturday morning has been lengthened to three hours, from 9:00 to 12:00 noon.
During this period no adults are permitted on the lower floor. Spectators are
admitted free to the balcony at all times. The admission price includes the
use of roller skates. A charge of fifty cents is made for the rental of ice
skates. There is no charge made for the checking of wearing apparel.
On the skating floor level there is a cafeteria where food and
refreshments are sold to skaters at reasonable prices. A repair shop is also
provided where skates are sharpened and necessary equipment purchased.
Special programs for both the ice and roller skating sessions are
now being planned by the department and will soon be put into effect. On
Thursday night, January 23rd, at 7:00 P.M. the Senior Novice Events of the
Silver Skates Tournament will be held on the ice skating rink. These events
will take place between 7:00 P.M. and 8:15 P.M. After these events are held,
the rink will again be thrown open to skaters for the evening period.
The City Building can be reached conveniently from any
point in the city. The following transportation lines are available:
1. IHT, BMT and 2nd Avenue Lines to 111th Street Station.
2. Flushing-Ridgewood Trolley to 52nd Avenue, walk one
block north to park.
3. Triborough Bus Q,- 23 to 51st Avenue.
4. Independent Subway - Queens Line to Woodhaven Boulevard
and transfer to Bus Q, - 23 to 51st Avenue.
5. North Shore Bus Q,-44 from West Farms Road and Boston
Road, Bronx, to Main Street, Flushing. la Guardia
Field Bus from Main Street Flushing, to Administra-
tion Gate.
The World's Fair grounds can be entered at the following gates:
111th Street and 54th Avenue
Roosevelt Avenue, east of Grand Central Parkway.
* * *
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Saturday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 January 18, 1941
The Department of Parks announces that it will conduct the
finals of the first National Indoor Singles Paddle Tennis Championships in
cooperation with the United States Paddle Tennis Association on Saturday,
February 22, 194-1. Some of these finals will probably be held at the City
Building, Flushing Meadow Park, Queens.
The divisions of this tournament are as follows:
A - BOYS'CHAIaPIONSHIPS (for boys who have not reached their 15th birthday)
B - GIP1S' CHAMPIONSHIPS (for girls who have not reached their 15th birthday)
C - BOYS' INTERMEDIATE CHAMPIONSHIPS (for boys who have not reached their
18th birthday)
D - GIRLS' INTERMEDIATE CHMPIONSHIPS (for girls who have not reached their
18th birthday)
E - MEN'S CHAMPIONSHIPS (open to all men)
F - WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIPS (open to all women)
Preliminary matches for entrants from Park Department playgrounds
are taking place at the present time and will continue through February 15 at
the following Park Department play centers:
Highbridge Play Center, Amsterdam Avenue and West 189 Street,
Manhattan
Colonial Play Center, Bradhurst Avenue and West I46 Street,
Manhattan
Sunset Play Center, 6 Avenue and UU Street, Brooklyn
Red Hook Play Center, Henry Street on Gowanus Canal, Brooklyn
Betsy Head Play Center, Hopkinson and Dumont Avenues, Brooklyn
McCarren Play Center, Driggs Avenue and Lorimer Street, Brooklyn
Crotona Play Center, East 173 Street and Fulton Avenue, Bronx
Cromwell Center, Murray Hulbert Avenue, Tompkinsville, Richmond
Of course, all other participants, whether they enter the tournament
as individuals or as representatives of organizations may qualify by taking
part in the eliminations contests conducted by their organizations or local
district clubs.
Besides the finals on February 2 2 , all the quarter finals ana
semi-finals will be held on Park Department courts during the week of February
16.
While no entry fee will be charged, entry blanks may be obtained by
applying either to the Director of Recreation, Department of Parks, The
Arsenal, Central Park, New York City, or to the United States Paddle Tennis
Association, 312 East 30 Street, New York City.
Prizes will be awarded to the winners of each division.
The four semi-finalists in the men's division ana the two women
finalists of the National Outdoor Singles Paddle Tennis Championships, 1940,
will give an exhibition of the game at the Park Department Play Center,
located at the Betsy Head Pool Building, Hopkinson and Dumont Avenue,
Brooklyn, on Saturday, January 1 8, at 2 P.M. Admission is free and everyone
interested in paddle tennis, particularly in view of the coming indoor
tournament, is invited to this demonstration by last year's outdoor champions.
* * * *
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Friday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 January 17, 1941
NEW JERSEY STATE BUILDING
FLUSHING MEADOW PARK
Ceremonies in connection with the formal conveyance of
the New Jersey Building to the City of New York by the State of New Jersey
will take place at Flushing Meadow Park on Friday, January 17th as announced
today by officials of the Department of Parks.
At 12:30 o'clock Mr. George de Benneville Keim, Chairman
of the New Jersey World's Fair Commission will unveil a bronze plaque which in
addition to recording the historical significance of the original structure,
will stand permanently as an expression of good will between these neighboring
states. Governor A. Harry Moore of the State of New Jersey will present the
deed of conveyance to Newbold Morris, who will accept the gift for the City of
New York.
In addition to the active participants the following
officials will also be present: Members of the New Jersey World's Fair
Commission; Colonel Hugh Kelly, Architect of Building; Representatives from
various New Jersey Industries; Representatives from WOR, including Uncle Don
who broadcast from building during Fair; Commissioner Moses; Commissioner
Valentine; Grover Whalen, and others.
The new plaque which is similar to the descriptive marker
used at the Fair has been mounted on the south wall of the north wing and is
inscribed as follows:
1939 1940
NW JERSEY EXHIBIT
NEW YORK WORLD'S FAIR
REPLICA-OLD BARRACKS
TRENTON, NEW JERSEY
BUILT IN 1758 FOR BRITISH TROOPS SENT TO FIGHT IN THE
FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR. OCCUPIED DURING THE REVOLUTION
AT DIFFERENT TIMES BY BOTH BRITISH AND CONTINENTAL
TROOPS. DONATED BY THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY TO THE CITY
OF NEW YORK AS A PERMANENT EXPRESSION OF GOOD WILL.
The existing building, a fine replica of the pre-Revolutionary War
Barracks located in Trenton, New Jersey, was built by the New Jersey World's
Fair Commission, of permanent materials. Of north Jersey Colonial
Architecture, the Barracks is a two-story, gable-roofed structure about 70
feet by 150 feet with two short wings forming a broad, shallow entrance court.
The harmonious colors of the 8 inch stone walls were attained by
using the red and brown shale which is characteristic of the Trenton site. A
flagstone paved portico with wooden floor balcony lines the three walls of the
court and is supported by 14 thin wooden square columns reaching to the eaves
line. Typical colonial detail is found in the wide double entrance doors, the
several double hung multipaned windows, the narrow slate roofed dormers and
the six massive chimneys.
The building which will be used to house a permanent police
precinct for the 1216 acre Flushing Meadow Park now under construction will be
located near the east boundary at the intersection of Lawrence Street and
Horace Harding Boulevard.
* * *
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Tuesday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 January 14, 1941
The Department of Parks announces a change in the policy of
operation of Highbridge play center located at 173 Street and Amsterdam
Avenue.
Up to the present, this has been operated as a recreation center
for young folks. Starting January 13, the program was expanded to include
activities for the adult population of the neighborhood in accordance with the
following schedule.
Facilities will be open weekdays from 10 A. M. to 12 noon as a play
area for children over four years of age; from 2 P. M. to 6 P. M. as a play
center for children under 17 years of age; and from 7 P. M. to 10 P. M. for
adults. Men will have the use of the gymnasium on Tuesdays and Thursdays and
the auxiliary rooms on Mondays and Wednesdays. Women will have the gymnasium
on Mondays and Wednesdays, and the auxiliary rooms on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Friday evenings will be open to all for special features, such as
basketball games and dances, educational moving pictures, lectures and amateur
shows.
On Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, the center will be open
from 10 A. M. to 6 P. M. as a general recreational area.
The Park Department extends a cordial invitation to adults to visit
and inspect this facility and to tako part in the activities arranged for
them. There will be no charge connected with any function at the above center.
* * * *
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Saturday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 January 11, 1941
The Department of Parks announces in connection with the ice
and roller skating rinks at the New York City Building in Flushing Meadow Park
on Sunday, January 12, at 3:30 P.M. the following programs Introduction -
George E. Spargo, Executive Officer, Department of Parks
National Anthem
Sung by Miss Lucy Monroe
Unfurling of Flag
SPEAKERS
Hon. Robert Moses, Commissioner of Parks, Chairman
Hon. George TJ. Harvey, President, Borough of Queens
Hon. Joseph McGoldrick, Comptroller
Hon. Newbold Morris, President of the City Council
Hon. Fiorello H. LaGuardia, Mayor
***************
Solo Skating Exhibition by
Miss Dorothy Goos
Pair Skating Exhibition by
Miss Dorothy Goos & Edward Le Maire
Solo Skating Exhibition by
Edward LeMaire
Solo Skating Exhibition by
Miss Charlotte Walther
Pair Skating Exhibition by
Miss Sandy MacDonald & Harold Hartshorn
National Dance Champions
Group Skating Exhibition by
New York Skating Club
Roller Hockey
Rinks Open to Public
The ice skating exhibitions were arranged by Hon. Newbold
Morris
Lucy Monroe, the "Star-Spangled Soprano", and star of the
World's Fair "American Jubilee" will sing the national anthem. Miss Monroe, a
concert and operatic star of note, returns from a concert engagement in
Washington, D. C., expressly to sing the "Star-Spnagled Banner" at the opening
ceremonies in Flushing Meadows. It is a sentimental occasion for this lovely
singer for she sang the national anthem four times a day in the stirring
finale of the "Jubilee" during the six and a half months the 1940 Fair was in
progress.
All of those participating in the skating exhibition are
members of the New York Skating Club and most of them are participating in the
Eastern States Figure Skating Championships now being held at Rye, New
York. Some of the top ranking figures in this competition will be seen at the
Flushing Meadow rink through the courtesy of the New York Skating Club.
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Saturday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 January 11, 1941
Bids were received today by the Department of Parks at the
Arsenal Building on three contracts for general construction, lighting and
planting the addition to City Park at Flushing Avenue and Elliot Place,
Borough of Brooklyn. The work will be done in connection with the proposed
Fort Greene Housing Development to be located in the vicinity of the Brooklyn
Navy Yard. The property has been acquired by the New York City Housing
Authority for park use. The present St. Edwards Street between Park and
Flushing Avenues will be permanently closed and will be included in the park
area. Construction costs will be paid for out of Housing Authority
funds. This is the first time that recreation facilities for the neighborhood
have been provided as part of the housing development in connection with the
constitutional amendment approved at the last Constitutional Convention.
The work comprising the development of the new park addition
consists of regulating, grading, construction of curb and walk, erection of
fencing and benches, water and drainage lines, planting trees, topsoiling and
seeding of lawn areas and the installation of all facilities for providing a
complete lighting system.
The three lowest bidders on each of the contracts were as follows:
GENERAL CONSTRUCTION
1. Harlem Contracting Company, Inc. $43,481,25
44 Exchange Place, New York City
2. Melwood Construction Corporation 46,944.50
507 Fifth Avenue, New York City
3. Frank Mascali & Sons, Inc. 48,608,50
4634 Third Avenue, New York City
PLANTING
1. Henry J . Tamke $5,697.65
475 Fifth Avenue
New York City
2. Grand Yiew Nurseries 5,768.70
6 Grandview Avenue
Mt. Yernon, N, Y.
3. Roman Landscape Contracting Co. 6,218.60
551 Fifth Avenue
New York City
LIGHTING
1. Edward Zwicker Corporation $2,056,00
415 Lexington Avenue
New York City
2. Jandous Electric Equipment Co.,Inc. 2,095.00
210 East 40 Street
New York City
3. Supreme Electric Equipment Co., Inc. 2,100.00
27-35 Jackson Avenue
Long Island City
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Thursday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 January 9, 1941
Bids were received today by the Department of Parks on a
contract for lighting the first section now under contract in the development
of Flushing Meadow Park, between 72nd Road and the subway yard in the area
abutting the Grand Central Parkway Extension.
The work under this contract consists of the installation of
all underground splice boxes, conduit, cable and lighting fixtures necessary
to provide a complete park lighting system for the area.
The three lowest bidders for the project were:
1. ELco Installation, Inc. $5,321,00
345 East 23 Street, New York City
2. T. Frederick Jackson, Inc. 5,370,00
25 West 43 Street, New York City
3. Supreme Electric Equipment Co., Inc. 5,500,00
27-35 Jackson Avenue
Long Island City
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Wednesday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 January 8, 1941
The Department of Parks announces the opening with ceremonies
of ice and roller skating rinks in the New York City Building at Flushing
Meadow Park, Queens, on Sunday, January 12 at 3:30 P. M.
This is the first unit of that part of Flushing Meadow Park
occupied by the Fair to be opened to the public. Immediately after the
closing of the Fair on October 27, 1940, the various city departments began
the removal of their exhibits. A contract was let to remove temporary
construction and to build the roller skating rink 150 feet long and 116 feet
wide. The ice skating rink 178 feet long by 116 feet wide was built as part of
the building when it was constructed in 1938. The rinks are separated by a 12
foot walk.
There will be daily afternoon and evening skating sessions. On
Saturday mornings children under 14 years will be admitted free of charge.
Charges for the other sessions will be 20 cents for the
afternoon period at 2:30 P.M. and 35 cents for the evening period at 7
P.M. Admission price will include the use of roller skates. A charge of fifty
cents will be made for the rental of ice skates. Patrons may bring their own
ice and roller skates but rollers must be suitable for wooden floors. No
charges will be made for the checking of wearing apparel.
There will be a cafeteria where food may be bought at
reasonable prices and a skate shop will be provided where skates may be
sharpened and necessary equipment purchased.
For the opening Newbold Morris, President of the City Council,
has arranged an ice skating exhibition by the members of the New York Skating
Club including Charles G. Meyer. Besides Mayor La Guardia, Newbold Morris and
Borough President George U. Harvey will participate as speakers. Park
Commissioner Robert Moses will preside as chairman. After the opening ceremony
both rinks will be open to the public for skating for the remainder of the
afternoon session.
The City Building in Flushing Meadow Park may be reached by
1. I.R.T., B.M.T. and 2nd Ave. Lines to Willets Point Station
or 111th Street Station.
2. Flushing Ridgewood Trolley to 52nd Avenue, walk one block
north to park.
3. Triborough Bus Q, - 23 to 51st Avenues.
4. Independent Subway - Queens Line to Woodhaven Boulevard and
transfer to Bus Q, - 23 to 51st Avenues.
The park may be entered at the following gates:
111th Street and 54th. Avenue.
Horace Harding Boulevard, 800 feet east of the Grand Central
Parkway.
Roosevelt Avenue, east of Grand Central Parkway.
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS
ARSENAL, CENTRAL PARK FOR RELEASE Friday
TEL. REGENT 4-1000 January 3, 1941
The Department of Parks announces that special recreational
activities are scheduled for three Park Department playgrounds during the
month, of January, 1941, in commemoration of their official opening to the
public.
The program of these anniversary celebrations will in clude
demonstrations of recreational activities, group games, team games,
exhibitions of handcraft. Weather permitting, novelty ice skating events will
be scheduled in the wading pools, which are used for ice skating during the
winter months.
The January schedule for playground birthday parties is as
follows:
Borough Playground and Location Opened Time of Celebration
Brooklyn Leiv Eiriksson, 8 Avenue & 1/15/35 2:00 P.M.
66 Street
Queens Junction Boulevard, 39 Avenue 1/3/38 2:00 P.M.
and 96 Street
Bronx East 136 Street & Alexander 1/16/40 3:30 P.M.
Avenue
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