PARKS COMMISSION HITS WALL OF OPPOSITION AS IT UNVEILS PLAN TO CLOSE ANOTHER 36 PARKS

It was only a draft list of parks to be mothballed (AKA closed), but the list unveiled Thursday at a public hearing of the state Parks and Recreation Commission in Tumwater hit a wall of opposition from the union and parks users.

The parks already targeted in the governor’s budget are: Brooks Memorial near Goldendale; Bogachiel near Forks; Fay Bainbridge and Fort Ward on Bainbridge Island; Fort Okanogan near Brewster; Camp Moran Environmental Learning Center on Orcas Island; Joemma Beach on Key Peninsula in Kitsap County; Kopachuck near Gig Harbor; Lake Sylvia near Montesano; Old Fort Townsend in Jefferson County; Osoyoos Lake near Oroville; Schafer near Elma; Tolmie in Thurston County; Wenberg in Snohomish County; Nolte near Enumclaw; and Squilchuck near Wenatchee.

The 36 new targets the commission would forward to the Legislature to fill a $29 million funding gap are: Jarrell Cove, Fields Spring, Federation Forest, Sacajawea, Rainbow Falls, Beacon Rock, Lewis and Clark, Fort Columbia, Alta Lake, Columbia Plateau Trail, Wallace Falls, Lake Easton, Yakima Sportsman, Maryhill, Illahee, Dash Point, Potlatch, Twin Harbors, Ginkgo/Wanapum, Flaming Geyser, Peace Arch, Saltwater, Ocean City, Fort Ebey, Wenatchee, Confluence, Lake Wenatchee, Fort Flagler, Mount Spokane, Millersylvania, Memorial, Sun Lakes-Dry Falls, Larrabee, Fort Casey and Saint Edward.

“These are dire times but we cannot sacrifice the investment in our state parks,” said Federation Statewide Parks Local 1466 President Brian Yearout. “They are some of this state’s crown jewels. If we lose them, we believe we will never get them back.”

Yearout and other speakers urged the commission to consider a number of revenue alternatives, including raising some user fees.

“We may be reluctant to ask users to pay a little more,” Yearout said. “But we have to remember, this is Washington and these are the people’s parks.”

Federation President Carol Dotlich asked the park commissioners to speak “truth to power” and to take back the message to the governor and legislators that the loss of state parks is inconsistent with the vision of the citizens of Washington.

“State parks are gifts to the citizens of our state,” Yearout said. “The people’s parks are crown jewels that the public will continue to support.”

CALL TO ACTION TO SAVE PARKS

Call your legislators at 1-800-562-6000 (8am-8pm M-F/9am-1pm Sat) and urge them to reject the closure of state parks in the governor’s all-cuts budget, HB 1244 and SB 5600. Citizens will support these crown jewels if given a chance.