Massachusetts. Metropolitan Park Commission

St 1893, c 407, established the Metropolitan Park Commission, also known as the Board of Metropolitan Park Commissioners, to acquire, maintain, and make available to the public for exercise and recreation open space in Boston and surrounding communities to be known as the Metropolitan Parks District. The legislation set limits to be observed in acquiring property, but granted the commission authority to make and enforce regulations for its use.

The commission's responsibilities were extended to the construction and maintenance of roadways necessary to make parks accessible to the public. In this capacity, it could appraise and take land, set rules to govern its use, and appoint police for enforcement (St 1894, c 288), and cooperate with cities and towns to maintain roads adjacent to the parks (St 1896, c 465). Improvement of parks for recreational use included furnishing band concerts (St 1906, c 375) and establishing a zoo at the Middlesex Fells area (St 1907, c 449)

St 1893, c 475 had authorized the commission and the State Board of Health to investigate and improve sanitary conditions of the Charles River. St 1907, c 404 granted the commission joint authority with the Charles River Basin Commission to license boat clubs to construct boathouses, landings, and floats. On the abolition of the Charles River Basin Commission in 1910, its responsibilities were transferred to the Metropolitan Park Commission, including, as defined by St 1909, c 524, those for construction, maintenance, and improvement of dams and bridges on the river and for licensing boathouses, landings, and other structures. Authority to control pollution in the Charles River Basin, also included in the act, was strengthened by St 1914, c 531.

In 1919 the Metropolitan Park Commission was abolished along with the Metropolitan Water and Sewerage Board, and their combined functions were transferred to a new Metropolitan District Commission (St 1919, c 350, s 123)

NAME AUTHORITY NOTE. Series relating to the agency described above can be found by searching the following access point for the time period stated: 1893-1919--Massachusetts. Metropolitan Park Commission.