11-28-2011, 01:32 PM
"So are they going to open the gates on the south marina ?? Closed for the season ?? Whats up with full price ?? I set my sights on willard this yr. for some new ice fishing.. Thanks"
[cool][#0000ff]In the "olden days" the south marina was never closed. Open year round. In recent years they have closed it to the public about the first part of October. In response to angler petitions they did leave it open through the winter last year...to see how much it would get used. Evidently it was not utilized enough to justify opening it again this year. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]There have been several articles this year on the big budget cuts in the State Parks program. Several more are due to be closed...if not all of them. They are doing anything and everything they can to keep the parks open and within budget. But I have a real problem with their policy of continuing to raise fees while reducing amenities. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The restrooms are only one area that bugs me. They have been horribly maintained at some of the state parks I visited this past year...worse than restrooms in remote gas stations. In days of old you could count on being able to change into waders or ice fishing gear inside warm restrooms. The last couple of trips I made to Willard Bay found the restrooms all locked up. Fortunately, I had "taken care of business" at the Maverik store where I got my breakfast burrito. But what about a family of youngsters...and they all "gotta go"?[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Also peeved about the fish cleaning stations. Part of what I pay my annual fees for. But each year they open them later and later...and close them earlier and earlier. This year they remained closed through some of the best early season fishing...and were closed well before good fishing ended.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Kinda like some of the things DWR is doing. They change regulations (like the deer hunting thing) and then wonder why license sales are down. If the State Parks reduce services and raise rates much more they will collapse under their own mismanagement. In fairness, it is not the folks in charge of the State Parks to blame. They get their money from the state funds...and those are subject to a lot of politics and other "more important" projects.[/#0000ff]
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[cool][#0000ff]In the "olden days" the south marina was never closed. Open year round. In recent years they have closed it to the public about the first part of October. In response to angler petitions they did leave it open through the winter last year...to see how much it would get used. Evidently it was not utilized enough to justify opening it again this year. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]There have been several articles this year on the big budget cuts in the State Parks program. Several more are due to be closed...if not all of them. They are doing anything and everything they can to keep the parks open and within budget. But I have a real problem with their policy of continuing to raise fees while reducing amenities. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]The restrooms are only one area that bugs me. They have been horribly maintained at some of the state parks I visited this past year...worse than restrooms in remote gas stations. In days of old you could count on being able to change into waders or ice fishing gear inside warm restrooms. The last couple of trips I made to Willard Bay found the restrooms all locked up. Fortunately, I had "taken care of business" at the Maverik store where I got my breakfast burrito. But what about a family of youngsters...and they all "gotta go"?[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Also peeved about the fish cleaning stations. Part of what I pay my annual fees for. But each year they open them later and later...and close them earlier and earlier. This year they remained closed through some of the best early season fishing...and were closed well before good fishing ended.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Kinda like some of the things DWR is doing. They change regulations (like the deer hunting thing) and then wonder why license sales are down. If the State Parks reduce services and raise rates much more they will collapse under their own mismanagement. In fairness, it is not the folks in charge of the State Parks to blame. They get their money from the state funds...and those are subject to a lot of politics and other "more important" projects.[/#0000ff]
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