Repository: UIHistories Project: SWE - Proceedings of the First International Conference of Women Engineers and Scientists [PAGE 193]

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authoritative so that it controls development in accordance with desired goals, and it must be flexible enough to allow revision as conditions require. These are the goals for our city planners. One of the biggest problemsfeeingurban areas is that of coordination. Most metropolitan areas are composed of many separate municipalities, each with its own government. In addition to the municipal administration, the County, the State and the Federal Governments have varying degrees of responsibility. Coordinating these activities plus private action is essential to the orderly development of the urban area. There are those who have proposed establishment of one super-government to replace individual municipalities. It is doubtful that this could be realized in the near future in most metropolitan areas. It is also doubtful that it would have as many advantages as proponents claim. Realization of and emphasis on the need for coordination eventually will result in the development of a vehicle for accomplishing the goals. All of us are responsible for seeing that it happens before the lack results in chaos. There is evidence that urban renewal will play an increasingly dominant role in the future of our cities. We have long since passed the time when our old cities with all their problems could be abandoned in favor of building new centers of urban activity. Therefore, our alternative is to improve the existing physical plants. Urban renewal provides the opportunity for making many of the necessary improvements to urban neighborhoods. Renewal projects bring with them a concentrated expenditure of public funds to be used in revitalizing worn-out section of cities. The public expenditure in turn provides the incentive for private investment and civic pride. President Johnson has strongly recommended the establishment of a cabinet level post for the coordination of research, experimentation and action in the field of urban problems. It is likely that many revisions will be made to present urban renewal methods. One of the most important determinants of a successful program is a widespread understanding and realization of its importance. Urban renewal was never conceived as the remedy for all urban ills. It provides cures for the deficiencies in the physical surroundings and as such acts as a catalyst in removing many social ills, but separate and concentrated effort is needed to solve such problems as juvenile delinquency, unemployment, lack of respect for property, etc. Human renewal must receive attention similar to that given customarily recognized urban renewal. Aesthetic and cultural amenities of our cities will become more important as leisure time increases and as the population becomes more sophisticated. It is important that city builders and rebuilders seriously consider open space, landscaping, art, and other cultural activities. Even though complete facilities cannot be built now, land should be set aside for ultimate development for these purposes as the urbanized areas expand into the countryside. The automobile has brought with it the defacement of highway frontages with billboards and drive-in commercial

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