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State beach closures would mean more drownings, lifeguards say

Posted by: Maven on June 15, 2009 at 6:28 am

From the O.C. Register:

If the economy has you thinking you may want to visit California state parks in comng weeks or months instead of flying off somewhere, think again. The state’s proposal to stop using its cash-starved general fund to support state parks could mean that 220 of California’s 279 state parks and recreation areas will close.

No Orange County state parks are on the closure list, but Steve Long, a retired superintendent/lifeguard supervisor at San Clemente, San Onofre and Doheny state beaches, warns that swimmers will drown at other unprotected state beaches and aquatic recreation areas. “You will not be able to keep people off those beaches,” Long said. “You can anticipate there will be drownings because there will be no lifeguards during peak season.”

The money the general fund contributes to state parks – said to be $143 million – is just over one-tenth of 1 percent of the fund. Long says that’s insignificant as the state struggles to close a $24 billion budget gap.

“Monetarily, it doesn’t make sense,” said Mike Silvestri, president of the California State Lifeguard Association. He cited a 2002 study that said that for every dollar of general-fund money spent on state parks, tourist spending in communities around the state parks generated $2.39 in tax revenue for the state.

Read more from the O.C. Register by clicking here.

June 15, 2009 · Filed Under Oceans & Beaches

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