14
Friday, April 22, 1977
University Dally Kansan
Parks enhance city improve recreation
By JANE PIPER
Staff Reporter
Parks for recreation and leisure have always held a special place in the development of Lawrence, beginning with the two parks in the original 1854 city plan.
Fred DeVictor, parks and recreation director, says "Parks enhance the city. They make the community a nicer place to live." And the quality of the environment is concerned."
LAWRENCE'S 27 city parks totaling 1,280 acres offer a wide variety of landscaping and activities, ranging from the Holcomb park to the wooded hiking trails in Martin Park.
The goals of a city park system parallel to expectations first outlined in a 47-year-old study.
A 1930 city plan, approved when the total park area in Lawrence was only 24 acres, said the purpose of a park system was to provide ample recreation areas for strenuous games, outdoor enjoyment and natural scenery in the community and
SPORTS-MINED Lawrence residents are drawn to the city's 13 ball fields, nine lighted tennis courts, three recreation centers—with basketball, gymnasium, bandball and rifle range facilities—and a municipal swimming pool.
Lawrence has about 285 acres of parkland, excluding the planned Riverfront Park. The Riverfront Park, to run along the Kansas River, is waiting for federal appropriations before it can be developed further. The park will have many interesting picnic areas, bike trails and boat ramps. One portion of the park is now open to the public.
Without the Riverfront Park, Lawrence falls short of the National Recreation and Park Association's recommendations for how much park acreage a city should have
Some of the older neighborhoods don't have enough park land, DeVictor said, adding that the park shortage is difficult to remedy.
He said another shortcoming was a shortage of camping facilities in city parks. Although the planned Riverfront Park will be overnight camping, no other city park will.
The Parks and Recreation Department, with a $656,000 budget, employs 35 full-time employees. There are an additional 100 to 150 job openings in the summer for maintenance workers, life guards, teachers and counselors.
A 22-MEMBER crew, under parks and forestry superintendent George Osborne, is in charge of maintenance, landscapeaping and reforestation of parks.
Osborne said the types of trees and flowers planted depend on soil types, sun exposure, breezes and park use. Flower varieties in the parks include purple basil, dwarf celosia and the Bradford pear tree. Here are descriptions of several parks:
SOUTH PARK on Massachusetts Street south of the main business district is Lawrence's oldest park. It has a bandstand—the scene of summer concerts—and a courtyard with horseback courts, a playground and wading pool. Art in the park is scheduled for May 1.
MARTIN PARK, one mile west of Lawrence on Peterson Park, is the only park outside of the city limits. The 19-acre park offers hiking and nature trails in a wooded environment, a picnic area, fire ring and grills.
HOLCOMB SPORTS COMPLEX, two blocks west of 25th and Iowa streets, is a new 31-acre park with four lighted ball fields, golf fields, tennis fields and bandball courts.
BROKEN ARROW PARK on south Louisiana Street has a group picnic shelter, which can be reserved, a ball diamond, a volleyball stand and ample open space.
CENTRAL PARK, Sixth and Kentucky streets, is the site of the Lawrence University area; there are many areas but original Santa Fe locomotive features of the park are a basketball court, volleyball standards and a picnic area. In winter, part of the park is flooded for ice.
VETERAN'S PARK, 19th and Louisiana
trees, provides two lighted tennis courts,
a basketball court, and a gymnasium.
CENTENIAL PARK, Sixth and Iowa streets, is 35 acres that were donated to the city in celebration of the Lawrence Centennial in 1954. The park has much open space—one-mile jogging course, small gardens and a group shelter, plaza area and tennis courts.
Other community parks are:
Lyons Street Park, Lyons Street and Haskell Avenue; Walnut Street Park, Walnut Street and Haskell Avenue; Woody Park, Second and Missouri streets; Clinton Robinson Park, south of the Kaw River bridge; Watkins Park, Harvard Road and Vermont Street; Brook Creek Park, 12th Street and Prairie Avenue; Parnell Park, 15th and Maryland streets; Edgewood High Chapman Park, High Chapman Park, 27th and Bonanza streets; Park Hills Park, Park Hill Terrace and Montana Street; Naisimuth Park, 28th and Florida streets; Water Tower Park, Oxford Road and Sun Drive; Ludium Deerfield Park and Schwarzer Road; Deerfield Park, near Deerfield Gros School.
From page nine
Christmas. Formerly the Arena, the bar now has a Greek crowd (the owners are Phi Gamma Deltan). A lack of tables and chairs present a standing-room-only problem because it crowds quickly. Entertainment includes beer chugging contests, drunken booting, a rocking jukebox and pickled egg eaters.
CLYDESDALE, 611 Vermont St.—Some students will hit this place on lunchtime, but the clientele is usually town-folks. There's some country-western decor on the walls and that's the kind of music that blares from the jukebox.
Town taverns
CONGO BAR, 520 N. Third St.-This North Lawrence bar attracts mainly an older crowd, who come to hear the country books booked on weekends. The only games
Weather draws crowds to Perry, Lone Star
By DIANE WOLKOW
ALSO AT Perry Lake are a game management area administered by the Kansas Fish and Game Commission and operated by the Army Corps of Engineers.
Lynn Burris Jr., director of the Kansas State Park Authority, said the park normally opened April 15. However, because of a snowfall, the park opened in March, Burris said.
Staff Renorter
According to Burris, the peak periods in the state park area are weekends in late May and in June and July. Vacationers who go to the park come after July 4, or in August, he said.
Bruce Waddell, game research biologist for the commission, said most of the activity in the area now was river fishing and rabbit hunting.
IT COSTS $3 a night to use the camping grounds' electricity, water and sewage.
Warmer weather and the accompanying urge to be outside are here and many University of Kansas students are taking advantage of various recreational areas near Lawrence.
The two largest areas are Lone Star Lake and Perry Lake, which are both within a half hour drive from Lawrence and now open.
PERRY LAKE, off U.S. 24 north of Perry is divided into three administrative areas
The area, which comprises nearly 11,000 acres under lease from the Coeps and is at least 25 percent water, includes
administrative areas. Perry State Park offers state and camp grounds with showers and public facilities, a boat launching ramp, parking areas and a developed sand beach on the lake shore for swimming. On the lake are picnic shelters with tables and crates.
People who wish to use state park facilities must purchase an annual motor permit of $10, with a $2 charge for each vehicle. Parking fees are $49, costing $1 each, are also available.
before sunrise to sunset. A valid hunting and fishing license is needed for entry.
George Hathaway, chief ranger for the Corps, said the areas administered by the Corps included nine public-use areas, two group-occupying areas and a motorcycle
FACILITIES IN each of the public-use areas include hot showers, modern toilet, sewage dumping stations for trailers, a water supply, picnic tables and grills.
Besides picnicking in the areas, nature-ers can fish - a valid fishing license is required.
The areas, administered by the Corps,
which opened in 1989, charge only for
overnight camping. The camping season is
May 13 to September. The charge is $45
per night.
Hathaway said the best way to reach the Corps areas was to take U.S. 24 to the town of Perry, then turn north at the sign. Signs in the area suggest where people can ask for further directions.
THE HEAVIEST use at Lake Perry is on Sunday afternoons, Hathaway said, but students are already coming out during the week because of the sunny weather.
The other popular lake, Lone Star, opened April 12 for use from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Ward Shul, manager of Lone Star, said the best time to see the lake is early so south on Iowa路 and follow the signs.
Lone Star Lake offers picnic areas with fireplaces and picnic tables, a camping area with individual hookups for trailers, showers and restrooms, play areas and boat rentals, and the main entrances on the first cove sells sandwiches, ice cream and other concessions.
A PERMIT FOR overnight camping, which can be purchased at the concession stand, costs $1.50 for motor vehicles and $1 for tents.
Boat rentals cost $2.50 to $5 an hour,
depending on the boat; motor boats cost $10
are pool tables. If you like dancing, there's room for it.
Shull said that a valid state fishing license was needed to fish at the lake and that the fish stock is declining.
FATHER'S, 4204 Iowa St. — Definitely a bar for the game types. The minute you walk in the door, you're staring down one of the many football tables. There's shuffleboard, pinball and a special room for pool, lacrosse and soccer. Mother's. Believe it or not, the clock runs about 10 minutes fast, so the place can be cleared by midnight.
GENE AND PATS' TOWN TAVERN, 4N. Second SL—Quite a few students flock to this bar in North Lawrence, even during the week. The jukebox songs country and there's the usual assortment of games. Hamburgers are served.
THE HARBOUR, 1031 Massachusetts St. — The atmosphere here is that of a dingy old building with colorful murals and colorful language and cheap perfume. Local yokels and part of the old Louise's crowd frequent here. The bar's size lends it to class keger parties, Greek functions and more.
DIRTY HERBIE'S, 708 Massachusetts St.—This was once a hotel that used to "rock n' roll in the 50s," says manager Ronn Johnson. Formerly Jackie's, it 's been a little more stylish, and its nickname of its owner, Dave Meyer. There's dart, foosball and pool tour-
narments. Friday's the most crowded day, and the afternoon usually commences with the Kansan staff having a few to start (or end) the week.
ICABHOB'S INC, RFD 3—Original,
known as "The White School," this bar
maintained schoolhouse features including
a dressing room, a name taken from
the schoolhouse bar and the
"Legend of Sleepy Hollow." Known for
its peanut gallery atmosphere, Ichabod's
also has walls of varnished boxcar siding,
decorated with murals depicting the
Archives and an engraved mirror behind
the bar. More than 800 personalized
schoners have been sold and those of
"Pretzel," "Flex," "Double Fault" and
regular customers are stacked behind the
bar.
INSIGHT LOUNGE, 2205 Haskell- Directly behind the Site gas station, this bar attracts mainly Haskell students. There's a happy hour daily, with the usual supply of games. An employee said the place "has a tendency to get rough on weekends."
J. WATSON/S, Hillcrest Shopping Center,
changed from the old, familiar Yu Dawn
Watson's offers both live entertainment and
disc. For tube bottle displays, there's a
See TOWN TAVERNS page 18
Special gifts for Special people
- Pewter Jewelry
- Handcrafted gifts
- Frames—all shapes, sizes for any picture
at
Doreta's Decorative Arts
843-7255 1006 New Hampshire
Like the Kansas Relays The Round Corner Drugstore is a vital part of Lawrence History
THE ROUND CORNER DRUGSTORE AS IT WAS IN 1898
(Photo courtesy of the Elizabeth Watkins Museum)
In 1855 when Lawrence was just a year old, Brinton Webb Woodward arrived here from Pennsylvania. With the help of $2,000 of his parent's money and a wild scheme, he established the second of only two drugstores this side of the Mississippi. At what is now 634 Massachusetts, the drugstore served the Lawrence community until August 23, 1863. On that day, it was destroyed by Quantrill during one
of his bloody raids. The drugstore was rebuilt on its present site at 801 Massachusetts and it was named "The Round Corner Drugstore" because of the building's round corner. For over a hundred years, the Round Corner's patrons have entered through its door.
today the Round Corner Drugstore is serving the Lawrence community with expertise that only 122 years of history can create.
The Round Corner Drugstore
801 Massachusetts 843-0200