"Olmstead was not much good at building the kind of parks that people actually wanted--and the more parks he built, the more evident this became. Olmstead was convinced that all the ills of urban life were owing to bad air and a lack of exercise, producing 'a premature failure of the vigor of the brain.' Quiet walks and tranquil reflection were what was needed to restore health, energy, and even moral tone to a jaded citizenry. So Olmstead was absolutely against anything that was noisy, vigorous, or fun. He especially didn't want diversions like zoos and boating lakes--the very sorts of amusements park users craved." (276)

(Bryson, Bill. At Home: A Short History of Private Life. New York: Doubleday, 2010.)