According to major news sources, including the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, and The Washington Post, major budget shortfalls in Arizona will result in the closure of 13 state parks by June. Eight others have already been closed.
The Los Angeles Times:
The action represents the largest closure of state parks in the nation, although several other states are considering similar moves.
“It’s a dark day for the Arizona state parks system,” said Renee Bahl, the system’s executive director.
“We have 65,000 acres around the state and the majority of them are closing.”
The Arizona parks receive about 2.3 million visitors per year who bring about $266 million into the state, Bahl said.
The Arizona State Parks Board has voted unanimously to close 13 parks in response to budget cuts.
The Arizona State Parks Board is closing some of the state’s iconic Old West landmarks, including the Tombstone Courthouse in one of the West’s most storied towns, and the Yuma Territorial Prison, which housed hundreds of Old West outlaws and was portrayed in the film “3:10 to Yuma.”
The decision also closes parks such as Red Rock State Park near Sedona that draw tens of thousands of tourists a year.
The Legislature has cut 61 percent of the state parks budget since July.
In a Huffington Post editorial, Chad Campbell, the House Democratic Whip in the Arizona State Legislature, describes the reappropriation of a quarter of a million dollars meant for state parks:
GOP legislators recently pilfered a nearly $250,000 gift left by an elderly woman – now deceased – for the Arizona State Parks system.
The severity of budget cuts in Arizona is quite disturbing, but the cuts to State Parks have touched an especially raw nerve. In 2003, 82-year-old Asta Forrest left nearly $250,000 to the Arizona State Parks Board. This Danish immigrant’s gift to Arizona was inspired by her love of its beautiful natural surroundings.
It’s ironic that, in today’s rough economic times, state parks are being closed. During the Great Depression, construction of state parks provided need work for thousands of young men in the Civilian Conservation Corps.
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
I’m glad Asta wasn’t around to see it happen…it hurts me just to read about it. Thank you for passing this information on.
Cheerful Monk´s last blog ..Connecting, Building Memories
I agree. I think it’s shameful. We were actually thinking of visiting Arizona during next year’s cold season. We’ll be rethinking that idea. Maybe southern New Mexico, instead.
This is really sad, and I suspect that more will follow unless all the states can fix their economies.
Dot´s last blog ..Comment on Dollop by Mike Goad
Nuts. I’m sad to hear this. With the economy the way it is, it is doubtful that many people will be able to leave the country for vacations. I was hoping that TGH and I could take some road trips and see more of the states, which might have included some of those state parks. I know there are still others that will remain open so I guess we will have to do a lot of re-checking before we make our trip plans though.
teeni´s last blog ..Shopping Carts Thieves
Dot – It is sad. Unfortunately, a number of other states are taking actions that will impact the parks. Some are closing parks. Others are raising fees or taxes.
teeni – there will still be places to visit. Even though Arizona has closed — or will be — most of its state parks, there are still plenty of places to see and camp in Arizona. I’m sure that also applies to other states as well. We won’t be letting it hamper our travels later in the year.