Ohio State Parks to Close During Winter (?)

[W8IZ]

There is a report that the Ohio State Parks are considering closing their campgrounds after gun season in January to sometime in April. It is possible that resort campgrounds might stay open.

Steve
Wolf's Words under the motorhome link

[NLOVNIT]

Can you please point us to the source of that report? There's no such info in the news section on ODNR website.

Lori-

[W8IZ]

The report was learned from a VIP who indicates the information is being circulated internally.

Steve
Wolf's Words under the motorhome link

[Superslif]

Well, the way their cutting back funding, You might as well close um. Case in point. A few years back while camping at Punderson here in NE Ohio in Oct., we arrived to find the grass 10" high and the restrooms and showers filthy. The officer driving around said after Labor Day you can forget about the grass getting cut. I read an acticle a few months back about many states out west funding their state parks at a rate of $3-$6 per $100 of general fund spending. You want to guess what Ohio was??? between 69-70 cents per $100 over the last year with a downward trend. In 1980 it was $3 per $100 of GRF. This was off of a Ohio State website. I'm going to have to find it....

I think I was in the Ohio "friends of" website (FPOSP)" (Friends for the Preservation of Ohio State Parks) In some of their minutes there have been state wide quarterly meetings to find a short term goal and to not have current funding cut every year—long term is to find dedicated funding for the four divisions of the parks so heavily dependent on GRF. (General Revenue Funding). One idea was a 1/10% of a percent increase in the state sales tax going to the parks ($129 million a year) Our Governor said "No way" now their looking at a tax on real estate transfer fee or water/utility fee. but at the last study group meeting they said the best option would be the 1/10% sales tax. So that is the one they will push for....



The summit was held sometime in the spring

the next Summit will include a reception for house/senate
members and staff where there will be an address from one or two of the members of the
stakeholders group along with a power point presentation rather than doing a formal presentation.

I also have started to see some small state park projects being funded by the Legacy Foundation

[Superslif]

Another tid-bit of info for Ohio's State Parks. Here is a link to the "Ohio State Parks and Recreational Area Study Committee Report" ( dated Feb 27 2009) This is a 30 page PDF file. If you go down to page 15, that is the report for the Division of Parks and Recreation. One paragraph that kind of stood out was:

The Division has been subject to well over $17.5
million in GRF reductions since 2000., Revenues
generated from fees and charges increased from
19 percent to 41 percent of the operating budget
between 1991 and 2008. However, in spite of the
Division’s innovation in bolstering existing revenue
streams, it is facing steeply increasing operating
costs, rising equipment, renovation and capital
needs, and 45 percent fewer permanent staff.
Thirty-two state parks have no on-site manager
and 22 state parks have no permanent staff. Yet,
the Division has witnessed consistently strong

visitation, especially in overnight venues.

~So let me get this right "

the Division has witnessed consistently strong

visitation, especially in overnight venues" we have raised overnight fees, cut funding, cut park staff " 45 percent fewer permanent staff ". I see this as a very short term vision (rob Peter to pay Paul) syndrome. Somewhere all the years of cutting the funding will turn our parks into disrepair too far to dig out of. I'm sure many other state park systems are in the same boat.

[W8IZ]

From the same source attendance is report down ten percent this year compared to last year.

Steve
Wolf's Words under the motorhome link

[Superslif]

We just got back from 14 nights in SW. PA. I noticed a big drop in the number of campers....It might have been the rainy weather, but some was due to the economy...Were leaving for 17 days to North Central PA. later this week. 7 nights at Kettle Creek SP., 7 nights at Cook Forest SP. & 3 nights at Jamestown SP.....

Usually at Cook Forest with a little under 300 sites (40% electric) just about all the sites are full on the weekends in a normal year. All the electric ones are full and maybe 90% of the non-electric ones will be filled......

[W8IZ]

Besides the drop in attendance, I have noticed a significant increase in the civility of the campers that remain. By that I mean that the ones that are not there were troublemakers. Less drunks. Less loud radios. Less (though not all) dogs left to bark. You still have the opportunity to end up next to such a problem, but on weekends when the camp is full, it seems far more quiet and peaceful.

I've spoken to two rangers who, in bouncing from park-to-park-to-park due to the budget cuts, agree. They are seeing less problems and the problems that are reported are less serious or more easily resolved.

Steve
Wolf's Words under the motorhome link

[Superslif]

While we were at Findley SP. this spring (mid April). The camp office lady was covering another state park 75 miles away. The ranger was handling yet another state park 50 miles away. It created problems because we arrived without a reservation like some other people Thursday morning. I did the self-register thing. I had first called the reservation number to confirm that my site was open for the weekend. I few hours later I called the camp office number which I thought was at the park I was at. Here it was redirected to the park the lady was at 75 miles away. She said I was fine....She would get a tag to me later in the day Thursday. All the time I though she was up at the park office. Well, Friday rolls along and still no tag, In the mean time another Rv'er reserved the site I was on. It turned out fine. Fact, I only saw the park ranger once or twice the whole 3 days I was there.

[W8IZ]

An October 20, 2009 update after a WONDERFUL three days at East Harbor: The VIPs say ALL campgrounds will be closing on November 1 until some time in the spring.

I really like to winter camp.

I can't describe how angry I'd be.

Steve

[Superslif]

Tell me it can't be true??? We would like to get out one more time. I did read something about the Ohio State parks shortening their season back a few months ago in the Cleveland DP. If that is true about closing Nov 1st., next weekend will be the last one open.

[eieioh]

I suggest we look at the official Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources website. There, under parks, camping information, winter, we find that most of the campgrounds will be open; some will not have shower houses open though. There will be a few of the less used parks that will be closed.

I'm going to try to paste a link in here, we'll see what happens.

Ohio State Parks - Winter Camping

ed

[Ken-55]

Quote:

Originally Posted by eieioh I suggest we look at the official Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources website. There, under parks, camping information, winter, we find that most of the campgrounds will be open; some will not have shower houses open though. There will be a few of the less used parks that will be closed. I'm going to try to paste a link in here, we'll see what happens. Ohio State Parks - Winter Camping ed

That link brought me to last winter's info.

Not sure how you got to it . . . I backed out and tried the path you suggested and couldn't find a "Winter" link.

[eieioh]

Joe,
I'll do a little more homework. I did not notice the dates. I do know that last night, the wife made reservations for Stonelick for November. I'm going to look up some other links and possibly some phone numbers. Try to get back later.

ed