Section 17. If in a town in the metropolitan parks district, or in any city, tenement buildings are built about or contiguous to open spaces, the owners of such buildings may apply to the park commissioners, if any, or, in a city or town of said district having no park commission, to the metropolitan district commission, and said boards may, with the approval of the board of health of the city or town, take a lease of such open spaces for a neighborhood playground for a term not exceeding fifteen years, subject to renewal, at a rental not exceeding the taxes thereon. The owners of such buildings shall have the care and control thereof under the supervision of the park commissioners, or if there are none, of the selectmen.