Several weeks after celebrating the restoration of more than $120 million to the California State Parks system, some Central Coast parks are once again
facing closure for at least two years.
Painted Cave State Historic Park, La Purisima Mission, and Point Sal Beach are all on a list of 50 to 100 parks slated for closure because of cuts to the California Department of Parks and Recreation. That list is currently awaiting approval from Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, according to Rich Rozzelle, supervisor of the state parks Channel Coast District.
“The list has not been approved. It could change, but we’re looking at
closing up to 100 parks,” Rozzelle said, adding that the parks department is expecting to hear from the governor sometime this week.
Overall, state parks are losing $14.2 million in funding. Originally, Schwarzenegger proposed closing 220 parks—about 80 percent of the state park system—to save approximately $143 million.
The three Santa Barbara County parks are on the list because they generate small amounts of funding, Rozzelle said.
To compensate for the cuts, the district looked into forming funding partnerships with the county of Santa Barbara and the city of Lompoc. But, Rozzelle said, like most government agencies today, they were unable to help because of their own budgeting shortfalls.
Rozzelle said he plans to appoint a caretaker to monitor the three parks, should they close. He said the caretaker would “make sure the parks are secure and members of the public aren’t entering them.”
The district is “still open to ideas” for keeping the parks open, he said, but the effects of a down economy make it difficult to find alternative funding.
For more information, visit parks.ca.gov.
This article appears in Sep 3-10, 2009.