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| Parks should avoid closure this year |
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By BRUCE A. SCRUTON
bscruton@njherald.com
It appears New Jersey’s state parks will remain open this summer, despite a state budget crunch worse than last year when the idea of closing nine parks and severely cutting back services at others was given serious consideration.
“At this time, there are no plans to close parks,” said Elaine Makatura, spokeswoman for the Department of Environmental Protection, which oversees the state’s parks, campgrounds and forests.
Gov. Jon Corzine will present his budget proposal next month and that will outline what cutbacks and reduced hours he and his staff are proposing.
Last year, the governor proposed closing nine parks, five in this area. While there was no shutdown of parks, there were reductions this winter in the number of hours that park offices were open.
The budget crisis did cause the department to take a closer look at some of its agreements with vendors, those people and businesses who lease parklands for private businesses or have contracts with the state to operate facilities, such as campgrounds.
Last year’s original budget proposal called for the closing of Worthington, Stephens and Jenny Jump parks, all in Warren County, and their camping areas.
High Point State Park, which straddles the line between Montague and Wantage, also was to be closed, which would have shut down not only the campgrounds there, but also the popular swimming beaches and the many summer programs for kids and families. Access to the monument at the highest point in New Jersey also would have been eliminated.
While it appears the parks will remain open, just what kinds of programs will continue and the level of funding is being looked at.
Makatura would not rule out changes, but declined to identify what changes could be made.
“We are looking at the funding obligations across the system,” she noted, “and looking at models from other states.”
Last year, the state initially was told to cut about $8.8 million from its parks budget of about $34 million.
In the end, however, public outcry and an unanticipated windfall in tax receipts softened the blow and the parks and campgrounds stayed open.
The county’s campgrounds all expect to open this year but made no predictions on what business would be like.
Nationally, economists have said moderate downturns in the economy often result in more people taking local vacations, such as camping.
However, it still is too early in the year to see if consumers will turn to outdoors activities for their vacations or stay in their own back yard.
Created: 2/14/2009 | Updated: 2/15/2009
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