Mr. NATCHER. The committee will come to order.

INTRODUCTION OF WITNESSES

We take up at this time the request for the Recreation Department for the fiscal year 1972. We have before the committee Mr. Joseph H. Cole, the director, along with certain members of his staff. If you would, Mr. Cole, tell us who you have with you?

Mr. COLE. On my right is Mrs. Wilhelmina Marshall. She is our new deputy administrative officer.

Mr. NATCHER. We are glad to have you.

Mrs. MARSHALL. Thank you.

Mr. COLE. And directly behind me is Mr. Lawrence Lemmon, director of planning and development; and our deputy director, Mr. Edward Thacker, and Mr. Robert Fleming, our administrative officer, who is new this year. Last year we had Mr. Jesse Johnson.

Mr. NATCHER. Fine; if any of these fine people need to come up to the table with any of the figures, put them in the chair right next to you, Mr. Cole.

Mr. COLE. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. NATCHER. I believe the amount requested is $12,826,400 and 843 positions. Here we have an increase of $845,300 and 172 positions. Mr. Cole, it is a pleasure to have you and the members of your staff before the committee and we will be pleased to hear from you at this time.

GENERAL STATEMENT OF DIRECTOR COLE

Mr. COLE. Mr. Chairman, I do have an opening statement which I think would set the tone for this hearing. I have already introduced the members of the staff who are here with me.

As usual, we are pleased to appear before your committee, Mr. Chairman, to present and justify the Department of Recreation's 1972 requested budget increases to support essential and basic recreation needs of our citizenry.

I would like to express our thanks, and those of our Community Recreation Advisory Board, to you, Mr. Chairman, and members of your committee, for your support of the Department's increases in the past fiscal year.

IMPORTANCE OF RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES

Mr. Chairman, a vital and necessary governmental service within any urban community is a well organized and productive Department of Recreation. Perhaps in our concentration on problems of cities and current events, there may be a tendency to overlook the latent power and importance that a sound and comprehensive public recreation program has in the development of cities and unity among our citizens through participation in wholesome leisure time activities. Recreation, or the wise use of leisure, contributes positively to man's physical, social, cultural, and mental growth. If a city is to be lively and responsive to urban living, it must provide its citizens of all ages with comprehensive and whole recreation programs, activities, and services.

MAJOR OBJECTIVE

Our major objective, or thrust, as an essential agency of the District of Columbia government, is to plan, administer, and deliver a broad, comprehensive, and diversified public recreation program of activities. and services to meet the expressed needs and interests of our citizenry from preschool age through senior citizens. We, likewise, plan, organize, and operate special recreation programs for the mentally retarded, the mentally ill, the blind, and the handicapped. We focus and place special emphasis on socially maladjusted youth and young adults through our well-known and well-accepted roving leader program. Our youth gardens program focuses on improving the quality of our environment. We have requested an increase of $36,000 to meet an urgent need to service many more children and youth who desire youth gardening services, especially in the Anacostia-Congress Heights community.

COORDINATION OF ACTIVITIES

The Department's comprehensive and varied programs also include a wide variety of sports and athletic programs, cultural activities and events, social programs and services, and many types of mental activities. We place emphasis on coordination of services with other District and Federal agencies, such as the Mayor's Youth Opportunity Services and the Department of the Interior "Summer in the Parks" program and "Parks for All Seasons."

In all areas of achieving our goals, citizen involvement throughout our planning and operations is stressed and carried out.

Our programs, activities, and services are carried out in 161 recreation centers and playgrounds of various sizes and complexities. These centers and playgrounds are located in public schools, National Capital Housing Authority properties, and in recreation areas directly under control of the Distirct of Columbia government.

In addition to the year-round centers and playgrounds, the Department operates 16 large outdoor swimming pools, one natatorium (year round), three year-round indoor pools, one of which is operated solely for the handicapped, and 15 small walk-to-learn-to-swim pools for ages 2 through 12 years.

Through coordination with and support from other city services, chiefly the Mayor's Youth Opportunity Services, and the military, the Department last summer, for the first time, operated its 217-acre resident camp for over 1,200 deprived boys and girls in Scotland, Md. Surplus military tents and four old structures built in 1934 were used in the operation of this camp. In addition to the resident camp, 16 day camps are operated, two of which are for the mentally retarded and two for the orthopedically handicapped. Ten tennis day camps, with the help of interested citizens and Youth Opportunity Services, are also operated.

MOBILE RECREATION PROGRAM

Mobile recreation services are provided by the Department through its mobile recreation program, which includes the Department's youth orchestra and showmobile, fun wagons, and music wagon.

With your permission, Mr. Chairman, at this point I would just like to insert, that since this statement was written we have added another potent part to our mobile recreation program. We have now a craftmobile where we move into areas of greatest need, also a skatemobile loaded with roller skates and we use playground and parking areas for this program. We also have a dramamobile which we call a rolling stage where we take dramatic activities into the community.

Community input and support from businesses pave the way for the Department to develop and expand its football, baseball and basketball programs for youth and teens. Equipment, officials, insurance, and awards are provided. This exemplifies, Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, the efforts of business establishments to help our city's youth programs.

MAINTENANCE DIVISION

One of our major achievements during the year, although under difficult circumstances, was the establishment of a maintenance division to take over full maintenance responsibilities of our 161 operating units. It is essential and urgent, Mr. Chairman, that we receive full support from this Congress to strengthen our maintenance capability as requested in our 1972 increases to protect and keep up with our vast capital investment. Preventive maintenance is of great importance to us as well as day-to-day in-house maintenance. Our 1972 requested increase of $137.1 for maintenance operation is small but urgently needed. Our main problems relate directly to our inability to have sufficient authorized manpower to provide for essential and necessary services to meet our workload requirements.

We have an authorized staff of 671 positions, including general schedule and wage board, to carry out the administrative, supervisory. recreation leadership, and maintenance functions in the Department.

BUDGET REQUEST

The Department's 1971 operating budget is $11,981,100. Our 1972 requested operating increase is $845,300. The greater percentage of our operating requested increases, Mr. Chairman, is to meet mandatory personnel costs, such as within-grades, annualization of salaries, night differential, staffing of new centers, overtime, terminal leave, and increased operation cost. The Department's 1972 capital outlay request for 15 urgently needed capital projects is $9,085,900. Well planned and well constructed recreation facilities as requested in our 1972 capital outlay program will greatly enhance the city's urban environment and the recreation life of our city. Approval of our capital outlay request will provide us with the capability to construct urgently needed recreation centers, playgrounds, and swimming pools in areas of the city that are in greatest need. Our city, the Nation's Capital, is heavily populated by youth and young adults who desire and urgently need more wholesome recreational outlets to expend their energies and to improve their skills.

INCREASE IN FACILITIES

Your committee, Mr. Chairman, in 1969, together with a grant from the Bureau of Outdoor Recreation, supported our capital outlay re