The Key West Citizen

PROJECTS WORTH SPONSORING

Concerned over an impending shortage of work for WPA eligibles in Key West, city, county and civic officials have been conferring with WPA officials during the last several days.

It was brought out at a meeting at the Chamber of Commerce last Thursday night that there are three projects now being routed through the WPA machinery.

They are mosquito control, which would give the greatest amount of work for the sponsorship fund, the creation of a boat and yacht basin at Garrison Bight and the development of a public beach along the boulevard above Bertha street.

Each one of these projects is worthy of the last dollar of sponsorship available in the city and county treasuries. Mosquito control is one of the primary necessities. The pests can drive tourists out of Key West faster than any other annoyance. They have aroused complaint among the naval men and their families, have made life unpleasant for visitors and residents alike. The mosquito birth rate can be controlled. The Citizen hopes this project is pushed immediately.

Garrison Bight development is very important. Widening the entrance to the bight so that boats with drafts of eight feet may reach the safe anchorage available there will afford our fishermen the benefits of this fine land-locked body of water and give visiting yachts a rare haven. When the bight job is finished it should add thousands of dollars to the income of Key West.

An incidental job in connection with the improvement of the bight is the disposal of the dug material. Under plans recently worked out this is to be deposited on city-owned park land adjacent to the incinerator where it is planned to build a baseball field and athletic stadium. The importance of such a field to the entire community, including the servicemen, cannot be minimized. Baseball is mixed in the Key West blood. Such outdoor activities must be fostered for the health and well-being of our citizens.

No one questions the need of a public beach. The day is not far distant when South Beach and Rest Beach will be fenced in and restricted to the use of visitors registered at hotels and apartments scheduled to go up there. Key West must provide a public beach for the free use of our visitors and our citizens. A resort city without such a beach is like a house without a roof.

The Citizen commends these projects and hopes our public officials will go into action to produce the cash to sponsor them. Our idle workmen need work; our visitors and citizens need the recreational and practical resort facilities in mosquito-free surroundings.