WREX.com – Rockford’s News LeaderParks, Historic Sites Closing Sunday

Parks, Historic Sites Closing Sunday

OREGON - This weekend is your last chance to take in the sights at two popular state parks in Oregon.

Lowden State Park and Castle Rock State Park are two of seven state parks that did not survive budget cuts after a rollercoaster ride of efforts to find funding to keep them open.

Oregon Area Chamber of Commerce director Marcia Heuer says Lowden and Castle Rock state parks are at the center of her efforts to market the area.

Hundreds of people turned out over the past few months to show their support for the state parks, with many people signing an online petition to try and save them.

The 12 historic sites and seven state parks are closing Sunday because Governor Rod Blagojevich cut the state budget to deal with what he says is a $2 billion budget deficit.

85 state workers in three state agencies are also losing their jobs Sunday because of those cuts. Blagojevich spokeswoman Marcelyn Love said Wednesday 48 workers will be laid off at the Department of Human Services, 13 will be let go from the Department of Natural Resources, and 24 will be laid off at the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency.

Spokesman Anders Lindall said the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees has filed grievances with the state Department of Central Management Services over how the layoffs were handled. That might enable some laid-off employees to move into other state jobs.

Originally, more than 320 state workers were targeted for layoffs at the end of November. Lawmakers stepped in with extra money to try to spare some layoffs.

Below is a list of the 12 Illinois historic sites and seven state parks that will close Sunday:

PARKS CLOSING:

--Castle Rock State Park, Oregon

--Lowden State Park, Oregon

--Illini State Park, Marseilles

--Hidden Springs State Forrest, Strasburg

--Moraine View State Park, Leroy

--Weldon Springs State Park, Clinton

--Wolf Creek State Park, Windsor

HISTORIC SITES CLOSING:

--Dana-Thomas House, Springfield

--Lincoln log cabin near Charleston

--Fort de Chartres, Randolph County

--Vandalia statehouse

--State center at Bishop Hill, Henry County

--Carl Sandburg birthplace, Galesburg

--Cahokia courthouse

--Hauberg Indian Museum, Rock Island County, but the adjacent natural area will stay open.

--Jubilee College, near Peoria

--Apple River Fort, Elizabeth

--Fort Kaskaskia, Randolph County

--Pierre Menard home, Randolph County

Local funds and volunteers will keep open at least temporarily:

--Bryant cottage, Bement

--David Davis mansion, Bloomington

(Above list from Associated Press)