The California Department of Parks and Recreation today announced that in just a few days, parks across the state will reduce service and adopt other cost-saving measures in order to meet budget cuts.
In September, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger announced that roughly 100 state parks, which were slated to close because of last-minute line-item vetoes he made in July and other cuts in the state budget, would remain open.
However, he said service reductions would be essential in saving $14.2 million necessary to help close the budget deficit.
Beginning Nov. 1, all 279 parks will adopt some sort of cost-saving measure.
Some parks will begin reducing days of operation by two or three weekdays, closing a portion of a campground or outlying day-use areas, closing and consolidating some park offices and/or reducing hours of operation, reducing off-season lifeguard levels at some beaches, removing some trash cans and fire rings from the beach and closing about half of the restrooms at some beaches, and closing many park visitor centers two or more days a week.
Park superintendents designed a specific plan to reduce service tailored for each park within their district.
Six parks in Marin County will be among those affected by the reductions. Olompali State Historic Park will be closed to public use Monday through Friday through June 30, 2010.
The Back Ranch Meadows Campground at China Camp State Park will be open on weekends and some holidays on a first-come, first-served basis through March 25, 2010.
The park’s Weber and Buckeye Point Day Use areas and the lower China Camp Village parking lot will be open on weekends and some holidays through June 30, 2010.
Most restroom facilities at Angel Island State Park will be open on weekends and some holidays through April 30, 2010. The park’s environmental living programs will no longer be conducted. Other interpretive programs not related to the U.S. Immigration Station will be offered on a limited basis.
The Madrone Group Camp and Irving Group Picnic Day Use areas at Samuel P. Taylor State Park will be closed through March 26, 2010. The family campground will be opened as needed and available on a first-come, first-served basis through March 25, 2010. Restroom facilities in closed areas will also be closed.
At Tomales Bay State Park, the main park entrance, Shell Beach parking lot, and Millerton Point parking lot will only be open weekends and some holidays through June 30, 2010. Restroom facilities in closed areas will not be open. Environmental living programs will not be conducted during the 2009-2010 academic year.
Mt. Tamalpais State Park’s upper mountain will only be open to vehicles on weekends and some holidays through June 30, 2010. The Bootjack parking lot will only be open weekends and some holidays in that time. Restrooms in these areas will also be closed. The Alice Eastwood Group Camp will be closed through March 25, 2010, and the Frank Valley Horse Camp will be closed through June 30, 2010.
