Good Times - State Park Shut Out

06/08/09

“We are finding more and more people going to state parks during the down economy,” says Bonnie Hawley, executive director of Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks.

Hawley and other community leaders emphasize that parks’ affordability serves as an economic backstop during the recession while still bringing in revenue.

These attractions are essential in Santa Cruz, where state parks and beaches attract millions of people a year. More than half of all those visiting the area are interested in outdoor and recreational activities, according to Maggie Ivy, executive director of the Santa Cruz County Conference and Visitors Council. Already this year, places like Big Basin Redwoods State Park, which became the first state park in 1902, and parks in Big Sur have seen more visitors than ever before.