Recreational Park Gift of Suffolk Management: Will be Available for Use by Children of Boston and Revere, Daily Racing Form, 1950-05-02

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Recreational Park Gift Of Suffolk Management Will Be Available for Use by Children of Boston and Revere BOSTON, Mass., May 1. — In the presence of mayor John B. Hynes of Boston, mayor John M. Liset and city manager Edward Monahan of Revere, and Rev. Louis Toma, pastor of St. Lazarus Church of East Boston, judge John C. Pappas, president of the Eastern Racing Association, announced last week that Suffolk Downs will contribute a recreational park to the children of both cities that will be a year around center of activity. With an area 300,000 square feet available in the off-season at the track, ample space will be provided for the most modern playground equipment including two handball courts, two outdoor basketball courts, a large skating rink that will be lighted for night use, an extensive play area for the smaller tots who enjoy swings, sandboxes, climbing ladders, etc., and one or more Softball diamonds for the older boys benefit. Twelve representatives of the St. Lazarus Parochial school met with the mayors and judge Pappas when the Suffolk Downs plans were revealed. Their recommendations and requests were accepted as authoritative comments on the facilities they felt would make the proposed playground the last word in completeness. In accepting the playground for the city of Boston, mayor Hynes stated that the Suffolk Downs contribution to the happiness and welfare of the youths in the vicinity of the track was "a wonderful thing to do." "I dont believe the management of any sport ever made a more generous contribution to our youth. I am so pleased by judge Pappas proposal that I shall recommend the playground be supervised by a member of our playground instructors staff when the doors are thrown open for the first time on or about August 7." Mayor Liset and city manager Monahan of Revere joined the Boston chief executive in welcoming the Suffolk playground as a very useful and permanent addition to the winter sports facilities at the disposal of revere children. Judge Pappas, in return, commented that if the Suffolk playground proved less convenient to the youth of the Beachmont area than their own Fredericks Park, the Eastern Racing Association would be very happy to purchase and present the park department of Revere with additional equipment to improve Fredericks Park. Judge Pappas revealed that the Eastern Racing Association has for a number of years given considerable thought to using the spacious grounds of Suffolk Downs for some worthwhile purpose during the many months it is closed. "A short while ago," Pappas continued, Father Toma and others came to us with the suggestion that a fine playground at Suffolk Downs would be an exceptional contribution to the children of East Boston and the Beachmont section of Revere. Their thought was accepted at once, and it is our hope that we can provide pleasure to all who wish to avail themselves of our playground." Judge Pappas promised the young representatives who attended the conference that he also had an ace up his sleeve that should make the park popular with all young visitors. Every day during the warm weather months ice cream and soda will be handy, and skaters who use the flooded rink will find that hot chocolate will be available to warm the winter sport enthusiasts. "We are slightly more than inexperienced in the playground world," Judge Pappas told the assembled kids, "but I as-i sure you that when you and others of-your age come to us with suggestions, your re-i quests will be filled at once. We want this park to belong to the children who use It."


Persistent Link: https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1950s/drf1950050201/drf1950050201_40_4
Local Identifier: drf1950050201_40_4
Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800