The Tonto Natural Bridge didn't make the cut, but Kartchner Caverns State Park (above) did. It and nine other state parks will stay open because they make money.
(Local News Faster: You read it here on the Blog first.)
The Arizona State Parks Board met Friday morning and voted unanimously to begin closing 21 of the state's 30 parks -- all but one-third of Arizona's state parks and recreation areas. Included on the list to be closed is Tonto Natural Bridge State Park between Pine and Payson on Arizona Highway 87.
The meeting lasted almost six hours and was emotional at times as citizens and officials from around the state argued that closing their respective parks would have a devastating impact on their local economies. Some offered to work for free to keep their parks open.
But facing $8.6 million in cuts by the legislature (after $34 million in cuts last year) left them no choice, board members said. The parks will be closed in groups, with Tonto Natural Bridge scheduled to close with the last group on June 3.
The board promised to reopen the parks when it can. One possibility: adding a $9 fee to the cost of registering a vehicle with the money paying for park operations -- an idea currently being considered by the state legislature. Other options are also under consideration.
The board decision adds 13 parks be added to the three that are already closed. Besides the Bridge, parks that would be closed include Fort Verde, Homolovi Ruins, Lyman Lake, Riordan Mansion, Roper Lake, Tombstone Courthouse, Tubac Presidio, Yuma Territorial Prison, Alamo Lake, Lost Dutchman, Picacho Peak, and Red Rock. The only parks that will remain open are those that make money -- Buckskin Mountain, Catalina, Cattail Cove, Dead Horse Ranch, Fool Hollow Lake, Kartchner Caverns, Lake Havasu, Patagonia Lake, and Slide Rock.
0 comments:
Post a Comment