- April 24, 2024
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The two parks are on the list of 53 to close statewide.
The message from the Flagler County Board of County Commissioners to the state was crystal clear at its workshop Monday, Feb. 7: Washington Oaks Gardens State Park and Bulow Creek State Park must remain open.
County Administrator Craig Coffey and County Attorney Al Hadeed will draft a letter to the state, citing the historical and financial benefits of the parks.
The proposed closings are part of Gov. Rick Scott’s state budget cuts. The Department of Environmental Protection listed 53 parks in the state as targets to help meet Scott’s goal of slashing the state’s budget by $4.6 billion.
The parks were selected on attendance numbers, and neither Washington Oaks nor Bulow Ruins ranks in the top 25 most visited in the state. Also, neither of the county’s parks offers camping facilities, another factor considered by the DEP. One of the pitfalls at Washington Oaks is not having a park ranger collect entrance fees; it’s on the honor system, and therefore difficult to accurately calculate attendance.
After the meeting, County Commissioner Milissa Holland, who also chairs the Tourist Development Council, said she understands the fiscal challenges the state is facing.
“I think every decision has an impact, whether it is fiscal or emotional,” Holland said. “And I think you have to find that balance between the two.”
Holland acknowledged the volunteer work residents of the county have put into the two parks, particularly Washington Oaks.
She added that the parks issue is a prime example of the “disconnect between local communities and Tallahassee.”
Acquired in 1981, Bulow Creek boasts 150 acres and features a 6.8-mile hiking and biking trail.
Washington Oaks covers 425 acres nestled between the Atlantic Ocean and the Intracoastal Waterway. The property was once owned by a relative of President George Washington. Additionally, of the seven parks on the proposed closure list stretching from Flagler Beach, north to Jacksonville, Washington Oaks has the highest attendance numbers listed, at 59,998 visitors last year.
