On May 13th, the California Department of Parks and Recreation released their proposed list of park closures due to a $22 million general fund budget cut. Of the 278 State Parks, 70 are slated for closure. These proposed closures affect many of the historic resources associated with the State Parks system and, in fact, would close 40% of all state parks categorized as historic.

What does this mean for the historic resources? The Santa Cruz Mission State Historic Park can serve to illustrate the effect of such a closure. Constructed in 1822-1824, the Santa Cruz Mission is the only remaining building of Mission Santa Cruz and is the oldest building in Santa Cruz County. With the proposed closures, this site would no longer be available to the countless 4th graders who study mission history as part of their required California state curriculum. For the historic adobe building it would means deferred maintenance, such as a delay for the annual whitewashing or scheduled mud plaster repairs. Postponed maintenance can lead to significant problems, since water infiltration can cause adobe brick deterioration. Preservation of these historic sites is essential, with continued maintenance paramount. Closing these historic sites not only prevents the public from visiting the sites now, but it may endanger the very existence of the structures, thereby taking the site away from future generations as well.

Proposition 21 would have increased vehicle license fees in the state by $18 a year in order to raise about $500 million a year in a dedicated fund for the state’s parks. In turn, most California vehicles would have received free admission and parking at state parks and beaches. This would have ensured that the parks stayed open and received proper care. Short sighted citizens voted against this proposal and now the public must grapple with the concept of closing these important cultural resources.

In addition to the Santa Cruz Mission State Historic Park, other parks near the South Bay and Santa Cruz slated to close are Henry W. Coe State Park (the largest State Park in Northern California), Castle Rock State Park, Twin Lakes State Beach and Zmudowski State Beach in Watsonville.

Find out more or donate at: http://www.calparks.org/ or http://www.thatsmypark.org/