Indoor Recreation Centers Under this heading are reported schools, churches, city halls, social centers and other buildings which are not used exclusively for recreation but in which a recreation program is regularly carried on under leadership. More cities reported centers than in 1935 and the number of centers was 308 greater. Sixty-three per cent of the centers were open three or more sessions weekly, and they accounted for 74% of the total attendance of participants. Number of centers open 3 or more sessions weekly (370 cities) Total yearly or seasonal attendance of participants (2,029 centers in 272 cities). Number of centers open less than 3 sessions weekly (200 cities) ... Total yearly or seasonal attendance of participants (1,238 centers in 135 cities).. Total number of indoor recreation centers (415 cities) Play Streets Twenty-six cities report a total of 212 streets closed for play under leadership. 76 of these streets in 10 cities were open in 1936 for the first time. Although comparatively few in number, 2,494 22,842.514 1.453 7,866,801 3.947 30,709.315 these play streets serve large numbers of people as indicated by the fact that 15 cities report an average daily attendance of 17,238 participants at 135 centers. Recreation Facilities The table which follows indicates the extent to which several types of recreation facilities were made available and used during 1936. The list includes picnic areas and day camps in addition to the facilities reported in previous years. In general, the number of facilities reported and the participation for the year are appreciably greater than for 1935. Archery and shuffleboard courts show a marked increase, and to a lesser degree, ice skating areas, ski jumps, outdoor swimming pools and tennis courts. Many new facilities were open in 1936 for the first time. Figures for the total number of uses made of various facilities are incomplete but they indicate certain trends in the popularity of recreation facilities and areas. The total participation at archery courts increased nearly four fold, at baseball and softball diamonds more than one-third and at outdoor swimming pools nearly one-half. Among the few facilities at which a smaller use was recorded were ski jumps and toboggan slides. The widespread appeal of outdoor swimming is evidenced by the participation reported at bathing beaches and swimming pools in 1936, totaling nearly eighty million. Next in order are the baseball diamonds with 13,710,000 participants, followed closely by softball diamonds, ice skating areas and picnic areas, in the order named. These figures corroborate the reports indicating the increasing popularity of swimming, ice skating and picnicking. Throughout the following table the figures in parentheses indicate the number of cities reporting in each particular case and the figures in brackets indicate the number of facilities for which information relative to participation is given. Municipal The forms of municipal administration in the cities reporting recreation service in 1936 are summarized as follows: Mayors, City Councils, City Managers, and Borough Authorities *Municipal Playground Committees, Associations and Advisory Commissions 119 28 27 21 Departments of Public Welfare II II Departments of Parks and Public Property or Buildings Golf Commissions Swimming Pool, Beach and Bath Commissions Forest Preserve Districts Other Departments * These authorities administer recreation facilities and programs financed by municipal funds although in some of the cities it is probable that they are not municipally appointed. Many of these authorities function very much as Recreation Boards and Commissions. Private Private organizations maintaining playgrounds, recreation centers or community recreation activities in 1936 are reported as follows: Managing Authority Number of Agencies Community House Organizations, Community and Social Center Boards and Me- 38 Playground and Recreation Associations, Committees, Councils and Leagues, Com- 31 Y. M. C. A.'s .... Civic, Neighborhood and Community Leagues, Clubs and Improvement Associations Kiwanis Clubs Park and Playground Trustees Parent Teacher Associations Industrial Plants 6 Welfare Federations and Associations, Social Service Leagues, Settlements and Child Agencies Reporting Full Time Year Round Workers In the following table are summarized the types of municipal and private agencies reporting one or more recreation workers employed on a full time year round basis during 1936. Since in a number of cities two or more agencies employ such workers, it should be kept in mind that the figures indicate agencies rather than cities. The tables which follow indicate very little Municipal Managing Authority change as compared with recent years in the number of agencies of various types which employ full time year round leadership. Except for the playground and recreation departments, and to a much lesser extent, the park departments, comparatively few of the municipal agencies employ recreation workers on this basis. Playground and Recreation Commissions, Boards and Departments. Number of Agencies 124 57 25 16 8 5 5 4 4 2 15 Number of Agencies Community Building Associations, Community House Boards and Recreation Center Playground and Recreation Associations, Committees, Councils and Community Settlements and Neighborhood House Associations, Welfare Federations, etc... A total of $23,945,398.93 was reported spent by 774 cities from regular sources, public or private, in 1936. This amount represents an increase of nearly $2,500,000 or more than 11% over the expenditures reported in 1935, which in turn exceeded those of the preceding year. The increase in expenditures from regular sources in a year when large emergency funds were available indicates the acceleration of an upward trend which is encouraging. It is impossible to determine how much of the increase was spent for various purposes such as permanent improvements or salaries for leadership because many cities failed to classify their expenditures. It is evident, however, that much of the additional funds was spent for land, buildings or permanent equipment because the amount reported spent for these purposes was more than 75% greater than in 1935. Fewer cities reported their expenditures for leadership than in 1935 and consequently the total amount is less. If one of these cities which reported leadership salaries of $1,262,000. in 1935 had reported its 1936 expenditures in detail, the total for all cities reporting would have been the same for both years. Salaries for workers other than leaders show a marked increase. The following table shows the amounts spent from regular funds for various purposes in 1936. The figures in parentheses indicate the number of cities reporting. The sources from which regular funds were secured for financing community recreation programs and facilities are summarized in the following table. Receipts from fees and charges supplemented the sources in 234 cities: The following table indicates the amounts spent from three main sources of income. Of the total amount, the source of which was reported, 86 per cent came from public funds, as compared with only S2 per cent in 1935. A corresponding decrease in the amount from fees and charges suggests that revenues from income producing facilities were considerably less in 1936 than the previous year. Nineteen cities reported bond issues for recreation passed in 1936 totaling $829,600. Expenditures from bond funds in 23 cities total $1,782,433.55. |
