Group Making Headway to Keep Salton Sea Park Open
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The Salton Sea State Recreation Area is one of 70 parks statewide that are slated to close this year because of state budget cuts. But the Sea and Desert Interpretive Association is working hard to raise money before the July 1st deadline to close. Video by kmir6.com
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The Salton Sea State Recreation Area is one of 70 parks statewide that are slated to close this year because of state budget cuts.
But the Sea and Desert Interpretive Association is working hard to raise money before the July 1st deadline to close.
John Nelson and his family are casting their lines into the Salton Sea, waiting for a fish to bite.
"I think anything they can keep open for recreation is a good idea," said Nelson.
Even though he lives in Indio, Nelson only recently visited the Salton Sea.
"If I hadn't been here and seen what it looks like I would maybe it should close, but after seeing it, I don't think that its polluted, I think it would be a good park to stay open," said Nelson.
And the Sea and Desert Interpretive Association is going city to city, asking for money to try to keep the park open.
"In the last three or four weeks we've raised just about 123,000 dollars, we have about that much to go although that will cover the first year we are co-managing," said Jennie Kelly, director with the Sea & Desert Interpretive Association.
But with the deadline for the park closing fast approaching, and another 127,000 to go, the question is whether the state will allow the park will stay open.
"I anticipate that the state parks because they've done it with another organization are not going to require that we have the full funding in force," said Kelly.
A tourism study estimated with 125,000 visitors, the park has an economic impact of 4.1 million dollars.
The park offers bird-watching, boating, camping, a nd the fishing reels in visitors like Morgan Inmany from Fresno.
"I was talking to the worker here and they were saying they were going to be closing on the end of this month, I feel sorry about that because I love it, this is the second time I've had fun fishing here, today and tomorrow I'm going to have a lot of friends coming too," said Inmany.
And people may be able to continue visiting the park, as the association work hard to keep the gates open.
If you are interested in making a tax deductible donation to keep the park open you can send a donation to:
SDIA
100-255 State Park Road
North Shore, CA 92554
or visit www.seaanddesert.org
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