Funding restored, 9 Mat-Su parks will remain closed

JUNEAU -- At literally the 11th hour Sunday -- 11:30 p.m., to be precise, the Alaska Legislature agreed to allow the Alaska Division of Parks to use $80,000 in fee receipts to help cover the cost of opening some of the state parks that were, last week, on the chopping block.

"Eighty thousand was added back into the budget," said Division Director Jim Stratton. "We're able now to keep the parks in Sitka open."

Statewide, Stratton said, 11 parks remain closed, and three park ranger positions -- two of which are in the Mat-Su -- will be cut. Funding for four seasonal summer positions -- three in the Mat-Su -- was also cut.

Stratton said he was not yet able to say when the nine Mat-Su parks

effected by the remaining $186,100 shortfall in the budget will be closed, but work on the closures will likely begin in the coming weeks. The following parks are slated for closure:

Kepler-Bradley State Recreation Area, at Mile 36.4 Glenn Highway

King Mountain State Recreation Site, at Mile 76 Glenn Highway

Long Lake State Recreation Site, at 85.3 Glenn Highway

Mat-Su Glacier State Recreation Site, at Mile 101 Glenn Highway

Little Nelchina State Recreation Site, at Mile 137.4 Glenn Highway

Lake Louise State Recreation Area, at Mile 160 Glenn Highway

Big Lake North State Recreation Site, north of Wasilla

Big Lake South State Recreation Site, north of Wasilla

Rocky Lake State Recreation Site, north of Wasilla.