After news broke on Friday that more than 20 parks on Lake Lanier would close due to the government shutdown, Georgia Representative for Congressional District 9 Andrew Clyde released a statement.
“The recent announcement of several Lake Lanier park closures is just the latest example of how the ongoing Schumer Shutdown is negatively impacting Northeast Georgia,” Clyde said. “My House Republican colleagues and I did our job; we passed a clean, bipartisan continuing resolution to keep the government open. The pressure is now on Senate Democrats, including Senators Warnock and Ossoff, to abandon their radical demands and vote to reopen the government.”
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) announced a list of parks that would stay open, including:
- Old Federal Campground
- Bolding Mill Campground
- Bald Ridge Creek Campground
- Nix Bridge Park
- Thompson Creek Park
- Duckett Mill Campground
- Toto Creek Park
The 25 parks USACE runs that closed on Friday, with campers being urged to leave by 3 p.m. Saturday unless otherwise directed by their local office, are:
- Buford Dam Park
- East Bank Park
- Lower Pool West
- Lower Pool East
- Lanier Park
- Burton Mill Park
- Van Pugh North Park
- Balus Creek Park
- Long Hollow Park
- Keith’s Bridge Park
- Thompson Bridge Park
- Little Hall Park
- Vann’s Tavern Park
- Tidwell Park
- West Bank Overlook Park
- Two Mile Creek Park
- Little River Park
- Lower Overlook Park
- Mountain View Park
- Belton Bridge
- Sardis Creek Park
- Simpson Park
- Little Ridge Park
- West Bank Park
- Robinson Park
The City of Gainesville runs the following parks, which should be unaffected:
- Lake Lanier Olympic Park
- Holly Park
- Lanier Point Park
- Longwood Park
It is important to note that in June of this year, AccessWDUN reported that Hall County and USACE reached a cost-sharing agreement to reopen previously closed parks earlier in the year due to staffing shortages.
“This issue also highlights the need and importance of local partners managing additional recreation sites on Lake Lanier. My Lanier Parks Local Access Act provides a strong incentive for cities and counties to enter such agreements by expanding local governments’ flexibility over user fees,” Clyde said. “This commonsense solution ensures Georgians and visitors alike can safely enjoy Lake Lanier parks, regardless of U.S. Army Corps staff shortages or Democrat-led government shutdowns.”
It is unclear at this time how the agreement will affect the shutdowns at the reportedly closed parks.
The post Rep. Clyde releases statement following Lake Lanier park closures appeared first on AccessWdun.
