Parks, like people, feeling the pinch

“I’ve made my career working in parks here because I love that they make it possible for everyone to share and enjoy what is most beautiful and valuable about the islands,” Parks Department Director Dona Wuthnow said Friday.

There has been a lot of belt tightening at the San Juan County Parks and Recreation Department over the past two years, but Wuthnow says her department remains dedicated to insuring County Parks are places where everyone can play, relax and enjoy the natural beauty of the islands without having to open their wallets.

The 2009 County budgets forced widespread cutbacks to the point that earlier this year it appeared that many of the County’s day parks would have to be shuttered and that restroom facilities at many parks could not be maintained.

Although those drastic steps were averted at the last minute by a combination of volunteers, a grant from the Lodging Tax Facilities Fund and funds from the County; on Tuesday , July 7, Wuthnow announced that lower-than-expected use fee income has forced her to eliminate garbage service at Eastsound Village Green Park.

Right now only 15% of our budget is covered by County general operating funds, so when our income from fees is less than planned, we have to find a way to reduce expenses.”

In general, park fees are charged for camping, reserving an area for exclusive use or for promoting a business or organization. The Parks Department also charges fees and requires permits to use the park for commerce such as kayak and bicycle tours and the farmers market.

“The income from fees enables us to maintain the parks for everyone and host community events, such as the Orcas Sunday Summer Concert Series, Solstice Celebration, 4^th of July at Waterfront Park, and the Holiday Tree Lighting without charge.”

Neither she, nor County Administrator Pete Rose think the County’s Parks can be sustained over time without additional funding from other sources – there is a growing backlog of increasingly urgent repairs and capital projects that have been put on hold because there is not enough money, but at the same time Wuthnow does not consider “pay to play” parks to be an option.

“Putting turnstiles at the entrance to a park would change the way they look, feel and the way they are used,” she said. “It is a sad day to see that happen anywhere. If it were to happen in San Juan County, it would be a tragedy.”