The Place of Golf In the City Recreation Plan

Recreation has come to be an accepted function of local government. It is, to be sure, a comparatively new function. Within the memory of most of us, cities gave no attention whatsoever to the establishment of publicly owned recreation facilities for their citizens, with the exception, however, that parks have had a place in city planning and operations for ages. Parks, however, were justified primarily from the standpoint of city beautification and until modern times were not developed with the view to their use for active recreation. It is now considered good practice and an imperative necessity that cities plan public facilities for recreation. It is not the accepted viewpoint, however, that all recreation is a proper sphere for local governmental enterprise. Recreation by and large continues to be as it properly should remain, the prerogative of the individual in his private capacity. Under our democratic way of life the American people would resent any intrusion on the part of government upon their right to make chokes of recreation for their own enjoyment and benefit. Nevertheless they recognize that in some respects recreation properly becomes a concern of government and especially in respect to the setting aside and the improvement of land' wherein the people may pursue the conventional American outdoor sports and pastimes with the minimum of regimentation and with no dictation whatsoever upon the part of government insofar as the choices of recreation are concerned. Local government in setting aside and improving places of recreation must refrain from competing with private enterprise. Public facilities for recreation are usually established only when there is no other way of providing them. If the provision of children's playgrounds were left whoily to the initiative of individual citizens in their private capacity, there would be relatively few playgrounds and most of the children in the congested cities would be denied the right to participate in wholesome play activities in an attractive and safe environment. Accordingly, public