Page:Report of the Park Board 1903.djvu/39

 walk or trail, perhaps dividing and reuniting at difficult places, is all that should ever be attempted as a way along or near the brook. A drive there would be ruinous to its natural beauty. Bridges, seats, steps, handrails at dangerous places, and any other absolutely necessary constructions should be substantial, but extremely simple and countrified. They should be mainly such as a woodsman builds at places remote from civilization. Cornell road should be kept narrow and care should be taken not to throw earth or rock from it down the steep slope, whenever it is further improved. Retaining walls should be used instead of slopes. It may sometimes cross the little side ravines by means of rustic stone arches. There may be a narrow hillside path or two along the hillside forming the north side of the ravine which runs about northeast. The boundaries of this park are very disappointing, being very ill-related to the essential character of the park which is meant to preserve a noble wooded ravine. The park should be extended down the ravine at least to Thurman street and preferably to the St. Helens road. There should be a boundary street on each side of the ravine, connecting with Thurman street, both on gracefully curving lines to fit the contour of the ground. That on the south side of the ravine should connect with the Cornell road. That on the north side should rise with a moderate grade to a connection with some street in Mountain View Park or in Addition No. 1 to that subdivision. The other boundaries should also conform to hillside streets with suitable grades. The undergrowth should never be cut off under any consideration. Large picnic parties should be prohibited and there should be no provision for popular amusements. Tributary to Balch Canyon and southwest of this park are two ravines, the sides of which are so exceedingly steep and so broken that it would seem that it would be good policy to add them to the park, although the woods in them have been much damaged by wood-choppers and fires.

FOREST PARK.
For about a mile northwest of the hill north of Balch Canyon the woods have been so much cut and burnt that they are not nearly as valuable as they are on the steep hillsides beyond the spur southwest of the northwest or broader arm of Guild Lake. From this spur northwesterly there are a succession of ravines and spurs covered with remarkably beautiful primeval woods, which have at present relatively little commercial value. The investment of a comparatively moderate sum in the acquisition of these romantic wooded hillsides for a park or reservation of wild woodland character would yield ample returns in pleasure to taxpayers and to those dependent on them, while to a large part of the poorer classes a visit to these woods would afford