Page:Report of the Park Board 1903.djvu/45

 little value for residential purposes, and yet are very picturesque and would make attractive features in a public pleasure ground. In some cases it would seem that their preservation as part of the park ought to be worth so much to the owners of the adjoining higher lands that they could afford to give the land in the ravines to the city. Belmont avenue would form an adequate approach to the summit for many years, but adequate provision should be made for an approach drive with easier grades from the southwest also. So much has already been done in the way of clearing that it would cost but little more to put the ground in suitable conditions for use by the public. The existing residence on the summit and its stable should be sold for removal, and a suitable public shelter should be erected at the summit. Arrangements should be made for the sale of the purest possible milk at this shelter, as nothing is better for many of the hot weather troubles of infancy than absolutely pure milk and plenty of fresh air.

COLUMBIA SLOUGHS PARK.
The remaining great landscape feature of the city is that of the Columbia Sloughs which border the eastern part of the city on the north. This region is low and distant from the city and seems to be at present comparatively valueless for any other than farming purposes. It is therefore to be hoped that a much larger park of the meadow type than can elsewhere be afforded will gradually be acquired here by the city. It is important that the first purchases should be made along Slough road (now called Columbia boulevard) from the Vancouver electric railway eastward and also north along the railway to and including Switzler's Lake, and if the upland margin of the sloughs can be secured as far east as the present eastern boundary of the city, it will prevent occupation of this land by numerous small residences which would otherwise be likely to occur in time. With this frontage secured, it might be safe to leave the acquisition of land further north for another generation. It may seem to your citizens a decidedly foolish proposition to secure large areas of land for a park In the Columbia Slough district, and some explanation of the purposes to be accomplished is therefore called for. If the city acquires the hills and river frontages as suggested it will have an exceedingly valuable series of public pleasure grounds, but in none of these grounds is it possible to provide that entirely different type of landscape which is made up of great stretches of meadow land bordered and diversified by groves of trees. No other form of park has ever proved so attractive and so useful to the masses of the people as the meadow park, particularly when there can be associated with it long reaches of still water as a landscape attraction and for boating purposes. There is a surprisingly