General powers; acquisition of property

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40:61-1. General powers; acquisition of property

The governing body of any municipality may:

Parks, playgrounds, beaches and resorts. a. Acquire, lay out, improve, embellish and maintain, within and without the municipality, such public parks, squares, open spaces, playgrounds, beaches, water fronts and places for public resort and recreation, and also streets, avenues, boulevards and parkways leading to and connecting the same, as it may deem advisable, and extend and enlarge the same, or any of them; and for such purposes, acquire, in fee or less estate, and by gift, devise, purchase or condemnation, any real estate, improved or unimproved, or interest therein, within or without the municipality, suitable therefor;

Pavilions and other buildings. b. Construct therein and thereon pavilions, stands, shelters, and all other suitable buildings and structures, and equip the same with all suitable apparatus and furniture;

Recreation piers. c. Acquire, by lease, gift, devise, purchase or condemnation, one or more docks, wharves or piers within the municipality to be used for public recreation, in whole or part; construct docks, wharves or piers for such purpose and use, and acquire the real estate and rights necessary therefor, by gift, devise, purchase or condemnation;

Lakes and ponds; beautify banks. d. Acquire by lease, gift, devise, purchase or condemnation, lakes, ponds, streams and other waters and the lands covered thereby, rights of flowage, and other rights therein, and the banks, and shores thereof; and convert the same into public parks and places for resort and recreation; improve and embellish the same; construct dams and other means of impounding waters to create artificial lakes and ponds for places of public resort and recreation; and construct suitable buildings and structures in and upon such lands;

Music. e. Provide music in the public parks, recreation grounds, and public places of the municipality;

Rules and regulations posted. f. By ordinance make and enforce rules and regulations for the government, use and policing of all such public parks, open spaces, playgrounds, beaches, water fronts and places for public resort and recreation and to provide penalties for violations thereof. All such rules and regulations shall be conspicuously posted in all places where effective;

Lease of public places. g. Lease, for any term not exceeding five years, any part of any public resort and recreation place owned by the municipality and any building thereon, or part thereof, not presently needed for such use; and,

Lease of concessions; advertisement for bids; terms of lease. h. Let out and rent any privilege in any of its parks, beaches, water fronts and places for public resort and recreation, to the highest responsible bidder therefor, after advertisement of the time and place of such letting, at least ten days prior to the receipt of bids, in a newspaper circulating in the municipality, and upon such terms and conditions as it may prescribe. Upon the violation of the terms upon which any lease or privilege is granted, the same shall become void, and said governing body may so declare, and may re-enter any place so leased and prevent the exercise of the privilege so forfeited.


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