10-13-2003, 04:22 AM
I am glad to hear you are pationate about this topic, I have herd much to do about Castiaic Lake over the past two years.
what you need to know about keeping the lake open is the amount of revenue it gennerates for the state. tht is the real issue here. the states tend to keep money makers open and those that are borderline they close down.
you may be able to sub lease the park and open a metro park the same way several areas here in michigan have done. in my area there are about 20 metro parks that runs it self free from city and state intervention. they hire their own park gaurds to police the park. their own concessions and even have a small farm on the grounds that care for injured animals and maintain a petting farm where kids can see chickens and pigs hold on to fresh layed eggs feed the bunny rabbits and goats and ducks. guest pay for the feed to feed the animals, what a giveme eh? they even have a loge with a kitchen that serves sunday breakfast. What a deal...
the point is you need to come up with a workable plan and show how funds can be raised to suport your efforts. there are grants available from the state and privet sectors that will fund a major undertaking of this nature.
if you are waithing for a pot of gold to fall out of the sky in to your lap, thats kool, but dont bank on it, only a well layed plan will have a chance of surviving.
a good place to start would be to start a bass club in your town. set short range goals and high in the sky range goals. you will be surprized as to how many residents and bussiness that will suport your efforts.
both lakes you speak of need just this kind of planning. it is the failure to make ajustments to the needs of the public that causes it to dwindle in revenues. provide a beach where fishing is not allowed. provide natural walk areas, provide sesonal programing to keep things moving along year round.
form a nonprofitable commity to oversee this venture to make sure it meets its goals and if it isnt they need to be flexible enough to say hey we have to make a change here because a certain type of people are not comming in, (swimers, paddle boad/conoe renters, anglers, nature lover walkers,) this means you need to build bird houses to accomidate our fethered frends create natural habitats and protect them. there are countless number of clubs like scouts - 4-H - bass lovers of america who would love to over see and work with you to accomplish these task. you need a park superviser who will work with you and these other groups on these projects
I pay 4 for each time I enter these metro parks, I can buy a yearly metro park sticker for $25 like the state park sticker for a yearly pass if I think I will use the park more than 4-5 times in a particular year. the metro park makes money and dose not have a financial buget problem. if your state park is having financial problems it is as you said a mismanagement problem.
if they are not doing any thing to attract people in to the park then they are just waiting for the chance to close it and make a realestate deal. meaning some body is gong to get a pocket or two lined with gold.
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what you need to know about keeping the lake open is the amount of revenue it gennerates for the state. tht is the real issue here. the states tend to keep money makers open and those that are borderline they close down.
you may be able to sub lease the park and open a metro park the same way several areas here in michigan have done. in my area there are about 20 metro parks that runs it self free from city and state intervention. they hire their own park gaurds to police the park. their own concessions and even have a small farm on the grounds that care for injured animals and maintain a petting farm where kids can see chickens and pigs hold on to fresh layed eggs feed the bunny rabbits and goats and ducks. guest pay for the feed to feed the animals, what a giveme eh? they even have a loge with a kitchen that serves sunday breakfast. What a deal...
the point is you need to come up with a workable plan and show how funds can be raised to suport your efforts. there are grants available from the state and privet sectors that will fund a major undertaking of this nature.
if you are waithing for a pot of gold to fall out of the sky in to your lap, thats kool, but dont bank on it, only a well layed plan will have a chance of surviving.
a good place to start would be to start a bass club in your town. set short range goals and high in the sky range goals. you will be surprized as to how many residents and bussiness that will suport your efforts.
both lakes you speak of need just this kind of planning. it is the failure to make ajustments to the needs of the public that causes it to dwindle in revenues. provide a beach where fishing is not allowed. provide natural walk areas, provide sesonal programing to keep things moving along year round.
form a nonprofitable commity to oversee this venture to make sure it meets its goals and if it isnt they need to be flexible enough to say hey we have to make a change here because a certain type of people are not comming in, (swimers, paddle boad/conoe renters, anglers, nature lover walkers,) this means you need to build bird houses to accomidate our fethered frends create natural habitats and protect them. there are countless number of clubs like scouts - 4-H - bass lovers of america who would love to over see and work with you to accomplish these task. you need a park superviser who will work with you and these other groups on these projects
I pay 4 for each time I enter these metro parks, I can buy a yearly metro park sticker for $25 like the state park sticker for a yearly pass if I think I will use the park more than 4-5 times in a particular year. the metro park makes money and dose not have a financial buget problem. if your state park is having financial problems it is as you said a mismanagement problem.
if they are not doing any thing to attract people in to the park then they are just waiting for the chance to close it and make a realestate deal. meaning some body is gong to get a pocket or two lined with gold.
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