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)

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