Independent from Long Beach, California • 90

0 nty ns "If the public haino concern, no interest the problems we pass on to our children will be insurmountable." Normarr SrJohnson- But Hurt by Funds Shortage 1 4 minds to find a wayward pattern of life. Johnson said there must-be public awareness of what the consequences are going to be steps are not taken now. He pointed to the City Of Philadelphia, which -re cently'had to vote a $120 million, bond issue to buy a tenement area, then tear down the structures to provide land for parks. If the people wait too long, Johnson warned, the land is gone -or the price, is prohibitive. Not only, must land be obtained, but it must be.

developed, he emphasized. Otherwise, bit by bit, it is dissipated by this encroachment and that encroachment," Johnson said. such as new jails or juve-' nile facilities seem more critical. Recreation officials, however, argue that if a little more money were allocated to parks and recreation, it might not be necessary spend' so much in combating juve-' nile delinquency. At county budget hear-.

ings last Arthur said the department does not say that all our problems delinquency, probation, courts, crime, etc. are going away because of adequate recreation facilities. But he said the county commission strongly believes that lack of adequate recreation facilities provides "the opportunity for idle hands and idle ing with our very able county Park and Recreation Commission," is attempting to anticipate future park requirements through a well-balanced program of land acquisition before it is too late." Such an awartnesswili pay long range dividends benefiting all citizens throughout Los Angeles County now and in the years ahead, Chace asserted. Supervisors, however, face the problem of mounting cpunty expenses in the face of growing taxpayer opposition. When tax revenues are-limited, supervisors find themselves turning to park and recreation budg-.

ets when they have to slash expenses. Projects MAJOR DEVELOPMENT IS THE PROPOSED 219-ACRE VICTORIA PARK By DON BRACKENBURY Recreation Booms are its golf courses. Because the Employes Retirement Fund has been willing to loan money for purchase and development of golf courses, the county now has 13 Whittier Narrows has two; one an 18-hole and one a nine-hole. In the southern area, the county has three courses in use and two more expected to be added this fkll The courses now hearing completion are Victoria in the Carson area and Los Amigos Golf Course adjacent to Rancho Los Amigos, Downey. In operation are 'Lake-wood Golf Course, La Mirada and Los Verdes.

The county has leased Lakewood course for the past 14 years, but supervisors voted last year to acquire the property by condemnation so they can continue to use it for golf. LOS VERDES GOLF Course is the pride of the department. It sits at the southwesterly corner of Palos Verdes peninsula and, county officials contend, rivals Pebble Beach on Monterey Peninsula for scenic beauty. There has been speculation that the annual Los Angeles Open Golf Tournament eventually will be moved to Los Verdes. But, in spite of the facilities that exist, the coun-.

ty is far below standard in the amount of space available for recreation, according to both Arthur and Johnson. The National Recreation Association standard is that there should be 25 acres of parks for every 1,000 residents 15 acres for regional parks and 10 acres for local parks. The standard used by Los Angeles County is a considerably more modest 10 acres per 1,000 population six acres for regional and four acres for local parks, Johnson said. Even by the Los Angeles County standard, park and recreation space now owned by the department totals only 12,500 acres when it should be about 66,500 he said. Supervisor Chace said the county board recognizes the need and, work- Park and recreation facilities proposed for southern Los Angeles County in the next five years can be compared to a department store window just before Christmas.

Behind the glass are items wondrous to. behold, and every one is available to the public if the customers want to pay the price! The master plan" for recreation in the up-' dated and approved by county supervisors last March, proposes a variety of major projects in the southern part of the county. This table shows the a year Los Angeles county will at a variety according to estimates by of Parks and Recreation. number of activity days residents have spent, and of recreation activities, the County Department Figures are in millions. because it is based on the county obtaining $6 million from the federal government and $3 million from the none of which has materialized yet" The county basically is responsible for parks which are of a regional nature that is, that draw residents from a wide area of the county.

However, it also must provide local parks for residents of unincorporated county territory. When such unincorporated areas incorporate or annex to a city, the county turns the park over to the city to own and operate subject only to a re MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS projected by the countys Department, of Parks and Recreation include: The 219-acre Victoria Park, already under way northeast of San Diego Freeway and Main Street in the Carson area, which eventually will include an 18-hole golf course, an pool, picnic and play Two marine parks on the bluffs of Palos Verdes peninsula, each about 40 acres, and providing surf fishing, tidal pool explora- tion, skin and scuba diving and beach combing. Major parks, including 18-hole golf courses and facilities for all types of participation sports, in West Long Beach, Downey and Dairy Valley. Unfortunately, according to Norman S. Johnson, county director of parks and recreation, the only proposed development which appears to have any chance of being carried out is Victoria Park.

Because the state is making $1 million available from its 'bond issue, Victoria Park is expected to be completely developed by 1967, Johnson said. The county hopes to advertise for bids on the this June. Highlight of the Victoria Park development, he said, will be the Olympic-class swimming pool. However, the improvements a 1 'include landscaping, picnic areas and installation of play equipment. Two baseball diamonds and a playground area al-.

ready are in use. Under separate contracts, financed by the Los -Angeles County Employes Retirement Fund, the county is building a $1 million, 18-hole, golf course and a $166,000 clubhouse. The 1965 amendments to the master' plan for recreation added about 100 regional park arejft, Johnson said, but pointed out that a plan is no better than the ability to implement it" Today, we have no pretense of a program of implementation, Johnson declared. THE PROBLEM, he explained, is simply a matter CROWN, CAFETERIA plan envisions a development. program cariying forward to 1985, and would cost an estimated $206 million.

Thats a monumental figure that would scare anyone, Johnson admitted. Its a lot of money. But if the public would just give us $10 million a year, we could start the program and we could reach our goal, he said. Another major concern of the department is the county's rapidly growing -population. Not only does the continuing swarm of new residents cause a steady increase in demands for park and recreation services, it also is eliminating the space needed for such facilities, Johnson pointed out.

Supervisor Burton W. Chace of Long Beach, chairman of the county board, heartily agreed with Johnson and said the rapid increase in population, and its resulting rise in home development, creates a strong need for the preservation of park areas. -Land values continue to soar, and it becomes daily more important to earmark green areas for today's and tomorrows recreation needs, Chace said. Milton B. Arthur, former president of the Long Beach Recreation Commission and now chairman of the County Parks and Recreation Commis- sion, emphasized that Southland residents should not get the idea that no park and recreation facilities exist.

Parks, golf courses, beaches and other recreational areas occupy about 12,500 acres of Los Angeles County, Arthur pointed out, and all are well operated and staffed. The problem, the recreation offlcTals agreed, js keeping the program moving to meet the growing need, In 1957, Johnson 'said, the Department of -Parks and Recreation was allocated $17 million in the county general fund budget for acquisition and development of facilities. During the current fiscal year, it has only $700,000 for such purpose. THE BUDGET SHOWS a figure of $10 million this year, Johnson- said, but this really is fictitious striction that it be forever kept as a park. Typical of such facilities is Lakewoods Pan-Ameri-" can Park.

In the southern portion of the county, the department now operates five regional parks. These are the 77-acre Alondra Park in Lawndale; the basically 1 ped, 128-acre Friendship Park atop Palos Verdes hills on the San Pedro border, the 97-acre La Mirada Park; 53-acre Palos Verdes Shoreline also with limited development; and 31-acre Victoria Park, currently being developed. Shining jewels of the county recreation program if kjs 4. LONG Proud to bo a part of Long Bauch during ho noxf Half Docudo .1 i Growing Daily with Long Beach The Crown Cafeteria has come to enjoy a reputation that will delight even the most particular Decorated in pink, gray and gold, our 450-seat' restaurant, features fresh flowers on every table every Day! Our menu is extremely diversified, rcmging from prime roast turkey, halibut, ham, chicken, lamb stew and even chop suey. With 50 fresh salads every day, many, many entrees and 25 desserts to choose from, your dinner selection will become a pleasing task.

We think that after just one you will agree with us, and make the Crown Cafqferiayour favorite eating place during the half decade ahead. i BEACH FREE PARKING 101 ALAMITOS AVE. HE W000. Wyt 1 4Kr of money. 'The master A i IL i 1 L' I 1 -fey.

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