MONTGOMERY, Ala. — The director of the state parks, Greg Lein, disseminated a memo Wednesday morning announcing that the state parks will remain open “until further notice.”
Earlier this month the director and Governor Bentley announced that 15 of the state’s 22 parks would close on May 1st if the legislature passed a budget making cuts to the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
“Since that time, we have received a tremendous amount of support from the public. In addition, the governor’s office and the legislature have received an outcry for our parks to stay open and for them to receive full funding,” Lein said. “Given these recent developments and discussions that are taking place in Montgomery, Gov. Bentley has instructed the state parks division to delay these closings slated for May 1 until further notice.”
Lein added that “extreme measures” would have to be taken in the event of budget cuts.
The public outcry witnessed across the state over the last week has been primarily against what has been perceived as scare tactics from the Bentley administration.
In the wake of the closure threats, several members of the legislature jumped into action with plans to find savings or have different departments within the agency work together to keep the parks open.
Because parks are largely self-funded legislators are urging Alabamians to spend more time enjoying the parks this Spring and Summer to help make them more profitable.
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— Elizabeth BeShears (@LizEBeesh) January 21, 2015
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