Day Trips
Seven state parks to be closed or transfered
By Gerald E. McLeod, Fri., June 24, 2011
The transfer or closing of seven state parks will reduce the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department's budget by $7.8 million for the biennium. The loss of these parks will cost the host communities much more.
"Final decisions haven't been made on how and where budget cuts will affect the Texas state park system, though we know there will be impacts," said TPWD spokesman Tom Harvey in an email. The state agency is facing a 20.8% or $145.5 million decrease in its two-year budget.
Parks aren't the only programs that will be affected. In February 2010, the department proposed a budget reduction by eliminating the merit pay, reducing land acquisition, canceling an off-road vehicle park on the Canadian River, and other cuts. Harvey says we won't know what gets sliced until the Texas Parks & Wildlife Commission meeting on Aug. 25.
The seven parks suggested for closure or transfer to city or county governments are Blanco, Big Spring, Daingerfield, Lake Casa Blanca near Laredo, Lockhart, Sebastopol House State Historic Site in Seguin, and Wyler Aerial Tramway in El Paso. Harvey stressed that there has been no legislative mandate to transfer or close any parks, and there is no deadline.
Of course, this threat comes at a time when cities and counties are as cash-strapped as the state. Losing the parks would mean less money spent in area restaurants, stores, and gas stations. For instance, a study showed that Lake Casa Blanca had an economic impact on the Laredo area of $1.2 million and created 25 jobs in 2004.
The state parks recoup between 60% and 70% of their operating costs from user fees. In the last 11 years, the number of state parks has dropped from 123 (including 18 historic sites transferred to the Texas Historical Commission in 2007) to 93.
Some of the previous transfers have worked out. The former Kerrville-Schreiner State Park continues as a city park since 2004. The Texas State Railroad between Palestine and Rusk is now run by a company that operates other excursion railroads. There is life in the parks after the state pulls the plug.
Not all of the seven communities are giving up their parks without a fight. Seguin has shown a willingness to run Sebastopol House. Caldwell County is considering taking over Lockhart State Park. The citizens of Blanco are raising funds for their park, but they'll have to sell a lot of cookbooks to make a difference.
Our state parks need our support more than ever. Visit a state park of your choice this summer, pay the entrance fee, buy a T-shirt, and tell a ranger "thank you" for going another year without a merit raise.
Day Trips will be reporting from these seven parks this summer in a nonconsecutive series. Watch for more on the history and future of these parks and others like them.
1,040th in a series. Collect them all. Day Trips, Vol. 2, a book of "Day Trips," is available for $8.95, plus $3.05 for shipping, handling, and tax. Mail to: Day Trips, PO Box 33284, South Austin, TX 78704.
