By HAYLEE BATES, Student Reporter
After a budget deficit, the state of Oklahoma may have to cut funding for 16 state parks and one golf course.
According to KFOR, the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department decided which parks to propose for closing by evaluating the amount of visitors that come to each state park. The department also looked into which parks bring in the least amount of revenue.
“There are kids everywhere that could benefit from these parks to keep them from a life of trouble and crime,” Clayton Garcia, NWOSU baseball graduate assistant. “It also builds character from interaction with other kids and their families.”
Even though tourism is Oklahoma’s third largest industry, the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department has seen a total cut of $13.5 million since 2009.
“It saddens me that we’re taking away one of the only free opportunities that families have for outings,” Jenny Redinger, office of recruitment office manager, said. “We always push family values in Oklahoma, but we’re taking away the opportunity for families to use these facilities. It shouldn’t be their right to take something away that God gave us.”
Although the parks would no longer be funded by the state, they may not have to close their gates completely. The state could choose to hand the parks over to municipalities that may just handle the upkeep of the parks differently, according to KFOR.
Three of these state parks are located within a 60 mile radius of Alva, including Boiling Springs State Park, Alabaster Caverns State Park and Great Salt Plains State Park.
“Tourism is a big thing for Oklahoma,” Redinger said. “It brings people to our state. If we cut three parks in just the northwest, how is that a good thing?”
The possible state park closings include:
Talimena in Talihina
Great Plains State Park in Mountain Park
Cherokee Landing State Park in Park Hill
Natural Falls State Park in Colcord
Red Rock Canyon State Park in Hinton
Great Salt Plains State Park in Jet
Lake Eufaula State Park in Checotah
Lake Wister State Park in Wister
Alabaster Caverns State Park in Freedom
McGee Creek State Park in Atoka
Foss Lake State Park in Foss
Osage Hills State Park in Pawhuska
Greenleaf State Park in Braggs
Lake Texoma State Park in Kingston
Grand Lake State Park in Langley
Grand Cherokee Golf Course in Langley
Boiling Springs State Park in Woodward