Saturday, February 20, 2010

State Parks & Historic sites to close

Closings Loom for New York Parks, Historic Sites

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP/ 1010 WINS) -- New York state's parks system, the nation's oldest, is facing another round of budget cuts that is likely to result in some parks being closed this summer, something officials and advocates say would be a first in its 125-year history.

New York is among several states considering closing parks a year after some were either shut down or had service and staff reductions.

Park advocates and members of New York's State Council of Parks, a statewide volunteer advisory panel, say they fear scores of the system's more than 200 parks and historic sites could be closed this summer because of an ongoing budget crisis.

State parks officials say they're still compiling the list of facilities that will be closed. That list is expected to be released in a few weeks.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

this has never happened before. Even during the Great Depression they managed to keep the parks open.

Anonymous said...

Time for all the politicians to be held accountable with our tax dollars. There is so much waste and inefficiency on both federal and local levels. I'm sure they can find money for parks if they look hard enough. As for the local levels, how about halting all major construction projects, i.e. Willets Point and stop lining the developers pockets?

Klink Cannoli said...

What an overreaction to just shut them down. Here's a hat tip Parks Department. Local volunteer brigades.

People like me who use the parks would be more than happy to volunteer to help during a crisis.

Babs said...

I blame the collapse of Wall Street for this - they collapsed because of mismanagement and ineptness - they were then bailed out only to bring their lack of productivity down to a new low.

DISGRACE!

Missing Foundation said...

A tatic by the manderins in office.

When Washington is under budget crisis, they alway shut down the most stupid thing to get attention and funding restored knowing that the public will howl - stuff like the Washington Monument - like that will take care of the budget.

Georges said...

I have a camp in the Adirondacks - Gov Patterson loves to NYS helicopter over my house and adjacent to the lake - it's a 5 minute ride from the capital 35 minutes for us shmoos. The huge Adirondack Park is a great place run by idiots that all Governors appoint their buddies to these quasi boards to make all residents and vistors miserable. The facilities are basically defunct except for the lavish salaries and perks who serve on the boards overseeing them.

The beautiful Adirondack are still wide open for all vistors to enjoy for free, rarely saw any money because it was squandered but I oppose any other Park facility eleswhere being closed because it does not take much to run them.

If you remember that Gov Patterson gave every welfare child parents for each child $200 for school supplies last August. He said he would find the moeny. Now Gov PAtterson before you lose your office find some money for all children to have a nice park to play in!

Klink Cannoli said...

Missing Foundation wrote:
"A tatic by the manderins in office."
=================

I've been caught thinking with my heart instead of my head. My own naiveté surprises me sometimes.

So let me get this straight. Park advocates, members of New York's State Council of Parks and State parks officials are all using the same tactic, liken to the MTA's recent metro pass funding for school kids threats? And this is normal governance?

Where the hell has ethics gone!?

Anonymous said...

Time for a new WPA. Give the people on extended unemployment part-time work in the parks instead and keep them open.

Anonymous said...

It could be worse: they could sell them to developers.