. Providence : the sovthern gateway of New England, provd of its honorable history, happy in its present prosperity, confident of its fvtvre. of semi-public institutions, thefull development of its Metropolitan ParkSystem would be an easier task. Theseplaces of recreation and enjoyment have beenso long and so fully made use of, that it isdifficult for the average citizen to perceivethat their use is a fleeting privilege, and thatthe rapid growth of the population, whichin itself increases the need, will certainly obliterate, or close to public use,most of the places that have ministered to the
. Providence : the sovthern gateway of New England, provd of its honorable history, happy in its present prosperity, confident of its fvtvre. of semi-public institutions, thefull development of its Metropolitan ParkSystem would be an easier task. Theseplaces of recreation and enjoyment have beenso long and so fully made use of, that it isdifficult for the average citizen to perceivethat their use is a fleeting privilege, and thatthe rapid growth of the population, whichin itself increases the need, will certainly obliterate, or close to public use,most of the places that have ministered to the well-being of past order that such a sad calamity might not come to pass, the MetropolitanPark Movement was started. It proposes to connect eventually all theout-lying towns of Greater Providence into one complete and attractivewhole; and when finished, with its miles of smooth driveways, its beautifulwooded parks, traversed by winding streams and dotted with many lakes,it promises to make Providence notable for its wealth of recreation places,within easy access. To those who perceive that the loss of existing oppor- 50. tunities, and an almost overwhelming cost of artificial substitutes, mustalways be the penalty of delay, the movement appears to proceed ratherhaltmgly, although the acreage of public recreation grounds has doubledwithin the last two years. Providence started with a glorious legacy of river and hill and bay, anda climate stimulating to the best fruits of labor. At the head of a commandingwaterway, in the midst of country well-suited to be the abiding place of anactive and happy population, the reasons for its growth and prosperouscondition are not difficult to discover; but its present achievements are in manyways accidental, or the result of independent and spasmodic effort. Thishas been the case with the parks as with most other things. Thirty-three parks, containing an aggregate of 646 acres, are under thecontrol of the city park commissioner
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookidprovidenceso, bookyear1910
