4 area state parks on closure list

SANTA ROSA BEACH - Deer Lake State Park is among more than a dozen state parks, including two others in the Panhandle, that might be closed indefinitely next year because of Florida's financial crunch.
   
The possible closure of Deer Lake, named after one of the rare coastal dune lakes along the 26-mile Walton County coastline, and 18 other state parks comes after Gov. Charlie Crist directed all state agencies to cut 10 percent from their proposed 2009-10 budgets, said Jessica Kemper, public information officer for the Florida Parks Service.
   
Other area state parks targeted for closure are Constitution Convention Museum State Park in Gulf County and the John Gorrie Museum State Park in Franklin County.
   
"The closing of the Gorrie Museum would be a serious blow to Apalachicola's efforts to develop new economic resources based on museums and historic tourism," said Apalachicola Area Historical Society president Bill Spohrer.
   
A spokesman for the state's Division of Recreation and Parks said the 19 state parks in the proposal temporarily to close public access were chosen based on low visitation numbers and revenue compared to relatively high operating budgets.
   
If the parks are closed, a full-time caretaker would supervise each of them and Parks Service officials would try to move staffers to other parks, according to a Parks Service news release. However, funding for temporary and seasonal employees at the parks would be eliminated or reduced. Kemper said Crist must approve the proposed cuts. If he does, the parks likely would close next July.
 
"There's no set time for how long (they) would be closed," she added. "How long (the parks) would remain closed depends on the economic climate and the state's finances."

The 19 parks were selected based on visitation numbers compared to the cost to keep them open.
   
According to figures from Kemper, 5,370 people visited Deer Lake in fiscal 2007-08, and its operating budget was $45,479. The Gorrie Museum saw 3,323 visitors in fiscal year 2007-08 and has one full-time employee, and no OPS staff members, who are temporary and seasonal employees who do not receive benefits.
   
Also slated for possible closure is Constitution Convention Museum State Park in Port St. Joe, which saw 2,534 visitors last year. It too has one full-time employee and no OPS staff members.
   
Another nearby facility slated for possible closure is San Marcos de Apalache Historic State Park, which had 10,422 visitors last year. It has one full-time employee, and one OPS staff member.
  
The cost to operate all 19 parks on the list was about $1.5 million.