sunsoaker8
03-01-2007, 09:18 AM
Havasu State Park expecting to get $2 million for repairs, upgrades
BY DIANA PARKER
Wednesday, February 28, 2007 10:45 PM MST
Lake Havasu State Park should get about $2 million in needed repairs and upgrades over the next year, said State Parks Assistant Director Jay Ream.
The park plans to implement four major projects:
� Installation of a water main required by fire codes
� Replacement of three floating docks
� Electrification of the campground
� The addition of a large-boat parking area.
Each improvement will cost about $500,000, Ream said. The money will come from several sources, including the Arizona Department of Transportation, the State Lake Improvement Fund and a federal grant facilitated by the Arizona Department of Game and Fish, he said.
The improvements are just a few of $43 million in repairs and upgrades that are urgently needed at the State Parks, said Ellen Bilbrey, spokeswoman for the system. A total of $188 million in improvements are needed to bring the parks in line with their master plans, she said.
Capital improvements fell behind when the parks' funding structure was changed in 2004, Bilbrey said. Previously, half of the money taken in fees and concessions went to operations and the other half went to capital improvements.
Since 2004, because of a state budget crunch, 100 percent of revenues have been applied to operations. The only money available for repairs and improvements was $1.7 million a year from the Heritage Fund, which comes from lottery proceeds.
A plan by Gov. Janet Napolitano would dedicate money from the general fund to operations, returning about $4.5 million a year to funding capital improvements.
But that won't go far to alleviating the backlog, Bilbrey said.
“Every one of (the parks) is suffering. Every single one,” she said. “They've been draining all the money out of the park system and everybody struggles to keep (the parks) open.”
Lake Havasu State Park is the busiest in the system, with 364,000 visitors a year, Ream said.
“That's a hundred thousand more (visitors) than the next closest (park),” he said.
Lake Havasu also is one of only four parks in the system that brings in more revenue, about $889,000, than it needs to operate. The surplus goes to parks that aren't self-supporting.
Still, Lake Havasu doesn't make enough money to pay for the expensive improvements it needs, Ream said.
“Those are all things that make the park nice to be in, and (the park) really doesn't make enough money to pay for those. Those are the responsibility of the state of Arizona,” he said.
Working with Game and Fish, the park has secured federal money to replace three floating docks at the park. Heavy use, weather and increasingly larger boats have taken their toll on the docks.
“Our docks are getting to a critical mass. We can't put it off any longer,” Park Manage Brian Pendley said.
State Parks will seek another grant, from the State Lake Improvement Fund, to add electricity to the park's campground.
“The seasons (for camping) are really the spring and late fall. You can't camp there in the summer without air conditioning. So (by adding electricity) we're really expanding our camping season,” Ream said.
Replacing run-down restroom facilities also is a priority, Bilbrey said. But for the time being, staff members are making minor repairs and renovations themselves. Eventually the buildings will have to be replaced, at a cost of $750,000.
“That sounds like a lot, but understand that everything we do has to be under OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) standards,” she said. “Nobody wants to bid on state contracts because of the hassle it is. Everything costs more.”
BY DIANA PARKER
Wednesday, February 28, 2007 10:45 PM MST
Lake Havasu State Park should get about $2 million in needed repairs and upgrades over the next year, said State Parks Assistant Director Jay Ream.
The park plans to implement four major projects:
� Installation of a water main required by fire codes
� Replacement of three floating docks
� Electrification of the campground
� The addition of a large-boat parking area.
Each improvement will cost about $500,000, Ream said. The money will come from several sources, including the Arizona Department of Transportation, the State Lake Improvement Fund and a federal grant facilitated by the Arizona Department of Game and Fish, he said.
The improvements are just a few of $43 million in repairs and upgrades that are urgently needed at the State Parks, said Ellen Bilbrey, spokeswoman for the system. A total of $188 million in improvements are needed to bring the parks in line with their master plans, she said.
Capital improvements fell behind when the parks' funding structure was changed in 2004, Bilbrey said. Previously, half of the money taken in fees and concessions went to operations and the other half went to capital improvements.
Since 2004, because of a state budget crunch, 100 percent of revenues have been applied to operations. The only money available for repairs and improvements was $1.7 million a year from the Heritage Fund, which comes from lottery proceeds.
A plan by Gov. Janet Napolitano would dedicate money from the general fund to operations, returning about $4.5 million a year to funding capital improvements.
But that won't go far to alleviating the backlog, Bilbrey said.
“Every one of (the parks) is suffering. Every single one,” she said. “They've been draining all the money out of the park system and everybody struggles to keep (the parks) open.”
Lake Havasu State Park is the busiest in the system, with 364,000 visitors a year, Ream said.
“That's a hundred thousand more (visitors) than the next closest (park),” he said.
Lake Havasu also is one of only four parks in the system that brings in more revenue, about $889,000, than it needs to operate. The surplus goes to parks that aren't self-supporting.
Still, Lake Havasu doesn't make enough money to pay for the expensive improvements it needs, Ream said.
“Those are all things that make the park nice to be in, and (the park) really doesn't make enough money to pay for those. Those are the responsibility of the state of Arizona,” he said.
Working with Game and Fish, the park has secured federal money to replace three floating docks at the park. Heavy use, weather and increasingly larger boats have taken their toll on the docks.
“Our docks are getting to a critical mass. We can't put it off any longer,” Park Manage Brian Pendley said.
State Parks will seek another grant, from the State Lake Improvement Fund, to add electricity to the park's campground.
“The seasons (for camping) are really the spring and late fall. You can't camp there in the summer without air conditioning. So (by adding electricity) we're really expanding our camping season,” Ream said.
Replacing run-down restroom facilities also is a priority, Bilbrey said. But for the time being, staff members are making minor repairs and renovations themselves. Eventually the buildings will have to be replaced, at a cost of $750,000.
“That sounds like a lot, but understand that everything we do has to be under OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) standards,” she said. “Nobody wants to bid on state contracts because of the hassle it is. Everything costs more.”