4 ]
Plan of Evanston
The Small Parks and Playgrounds Association has been in existence since 1909, when it was organized to manage Mason Park, the gift of William S. Mason to the people of Evanston. In 1914 it relinquished this control to the City Council, in order, as was admirably stated by the then president, Mr. James P. Petrie, that the City of Evanston might be developed as a single unit in compliance with a comprehensive city plan.
The Association's activities during the past two years have comprised the persuasion of the City Council to adopt a three-mill tax for park purposes-ratified at the last electionand in securing from the State Legislature the passage of a law permitting Park Boards to disband. The passage of this law in 1915 makes possible the consolidation of the control of all Evanston's parks. Another activity of the Association was the. adoption of a fifty thousand dollar bond issue for building breakwaters to protect the shore line and for sand beaches.
As a logical development of these activities, the president of the Association was authorized in 1916 to appoint a City Plan Committee and to solicit funds for carrying on the work of having plans and a report prepared.
A fund of several hundred dollars was subscribed by the public spirited citizens whose names are printed herewith. The owners of the Hoyburn Building generously gave us the use of quarters, which were furnished without expense by members of this committee. The money has been used for hiring draftsmen and paying for the necessary supplies. The committee has met weekly during a number of months, and individual members of the committee have done much work outside. I t has enjoyed the hearty co-operation of Mayor H. P. Pearsons and the Park Committee of the City Council, Messrs. Sherman Kingsley, Wirt E. Humphrey and Edwin Sherman, of Mr. George C. Cone, the park superintendent, and Mr. William A. Dyche of Northwestern University has generously helped with his advice and encouragement.
