McFarland State Historic Park

Arizona state park closures will turn away visitors and their money

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[Source: Bill Coates, Arizona Capitol Times] — The Civil War has been cancelled, due to lack of funding. The most historic mansion in Jerome can no longer defer its deferred maintenance. It closed to visitors Feb. 27.  And don’t bother walking over — or under — the world’s largest natural travertine bridge. That just closed, too — because of needed repairs to an old lodge that houses the gift shop.  Then there’s the 130-year-old adobe courthouse in Florence.  It’s in bad shape.  The McFarland State Historic Park closed in early February.

Such is the fate of parks and programs operated by Arizona State Parks. More closures are likely in the works, perhaps as many as eight.  All told, about half the state’s 22 parks could turn visitors away.  Blame the budget.  To help close a hole, the Legislature wants the parks department to hand over some $34.6 million through 2010.  It’s called a fund sweep.

The parks offer no critical public services.  They don’t provide medical care to the poor.  They don’t offer a college education.  They’re there just to enjoy and learn from.  And one other thing: They draw people and their money to rural communities.  For visitors, the parks present a smorgasbord of Arizona history, Indian culture and nature.  Some encompass thousands of acres.  Some consist of a few weathered buildings.

The two that closed this week are as different as day and night.  Jerome State Historic Park tells the story of one of Arizona’s most colorful mining towns.  It’s housed in a mansion built by copper-mine baron James Douglas.  The town of Jerome overlooks the sprawling whitewashed building.  Tourists gazing down on it can be heard to ask who lives there.  The Tonto Natural Bridge State Park describes a high geological arch, formed over thousands of years.  Travertine refers to the limestone and weathering process used to make it.  The park closed Feb. 27, pending repairs to the gift shop — and a turnaround in the state’s revenue picture.  [Note: to read the full article, click here.]

McFarland repairs proceed despite closure, state says

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1878 Territorial Courthouse, McFarland State Historic Park, Florence (Photo: Arizona Republic)

[Source: Casa Grande Valley Newspapers] — Although McFarland State Historic Park has been closed, the state is proceeding with plans to repair it, the Arizona State Parks agency announced Tuesday.  “Tonto Natural Bridge and McFarland State Historic Park have been slated for years for these repairs and both projects are ‘hammer ready’ jobs that small construction firms will be able to bid on soon,” Assistant Parks Director Jay Ream said in a prepared statement.

McFarland Park in Florence was closed Feb. 6 because the adobe walls are crumbling and the foundation of the building is washing away underneath the walls.  Handmade adobe bricks will have to be made to replace the older foundation.  That project is out for bid now and bids are due March 19, according to Arizona State Parks.

The State Parks Board voted Friday to temporarily close two parks for repairs and to move rangers to other parks that have lost many professional and seasonal personnel due to a $34.6 million sweep from state parks funds.  Tonto Natural Bridge has severe roof leaks and structural problems and Jerome State Historic Park has a wall that is collapsing.  Both of those parks will close at 5 p.m. today.  [Note: To read the full article, click here.]

Arizona House advances state parks funding measure

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[Source: Tucson Citizen/Associated Press] — Taking a path that critics said would put lawmakers on legally shaky ground, the Arizona House of Representatives on Thursday gave preliminary approval to a plan to keep threatened state parks open by diverting money from a voter-mandated program for land conservation for open space.  The measure aims to reverse recent state budget cuts that have put numerous state parks at risk of closure.  It has backing from parks advocates but is opposed by the Sierra Club, a lobbying group for environmentalists.  Because it would modify a voter-approved law, the Arizona Constitution requires that the measure both be approved by three-quarters of each legislative chamber and further the intent of the voter-approved law.

The land conservation fund, which provides grants for land purchases by local governments, was authorized under a growth-planning law approved by voters in 1998.  With Thursday’s voice vote, the Republican-backed measure faces an expected formal House vote next week.  Passage would send it to the Senate.  However, passage by the 60-member House is not assured as Democratic leaders criticized the measure during debate Thursday.  Even if all 35 majority Republican representatives vote for the bill (HB2088), a three-quarters vote would require backing from at least 10 of the 25 Democrats.

The legislation would return the $20 million to the land conservation fund in 2012, and supporters of the bill said the state money won’t be missed in the meantime because current economic hard times mean local governments can’t afford their shares of the cost of land purchases.  “We have a great opportunity, instead of putting money aside in a fund that we cannot use,” said Rep. Andy Tobin, R-Paulden.

Rep. Chad Campbell, D-Phoenix, said he supports keeping parks open but not by tampering with a voter-approved law.  “We see this bill as being illegal and not furthering the intent of the voters,” Campbell said.

The Parks Department has already closed three parks — McFarland Historic, Jerome Historic and Tonto Natural Bridge — but eight others are also listed as candidates for temporary closure because of the funding cuts made to close a big shortfall in the current state budget.  The eight are Fort Verde, Homolovi, Lyman Lake, Oracle, Red Rock, Riordan Mansion, Tubac Presidio, Yuma Quartermaster Depot.  [Note: To read the full article, click here.]

Visitors, volunteers, staff bid adieu to Tonto Natural Bridge park

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Leo Budd of Payson, who has been visiting Tonto Natural Bridge for more than 30 years, pays a visit on Feb. 26, 2009, the day the park was set to close due to state budget cuts.

[Source: Alyson Zepeda, Cronkite News Service] — Leo Budd has been coming to Tonto Natural Bridge since 1971, long before this site became a state park.  When he learned it was closing, he rushed here from his Payson home.  “It’s definitely a sad event,” Budd said.  “I bring all of my out-of-town visitors here to see this.”

As of Thursday, Arizona State Parks closed Tonto Natural Bridge State Park and Jerome State Historic Park.  The agency, grappling with budget cuts, said the parks, as well McFarland State Historic Park in Florence, which already was shut down for repairs, are in dire need of repairs.  A steady trickle of visitors took their last chance — at least for now — to view Tonto Natural Bridge on Thursday, some seeing it for the first time and others bidding farewell after years of dropping by.  “It’s sad that they have to close it,” said Tina Beebe of Pontiac, Ill., visiting for the first time with her husband, Pete.

At 183 feet high and more than 400 feet long, Tonto Natural Bridge, located about 10 miles north of Payson, is believed to be the largest natural travertine bridge in the world.  Once owned by a family that ran a guest ranch on the site, it opened as a state park in 1991.  Around 45 volunteers, some of whom have made caring for the park the focus of their retirement, have been told that their services are no longer needed because it’s a liability to have them on the grounds unsupervised.  [Note: To read the full article, click here.]