Washington State Park System
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Washington State Park System is a set of state parks owned by the government of Washington state, USA. They are managed by the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission. The parks are primarily funded through the state's general fund, but also by various usage fees (see parking fee controversy below). There are over 100 parks throughout the state, including 21 marine parks.
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[edit] History
The park system was first established in 1913 by the creation of the Washington State Board of Park Commissioners. The first two parks were formed from donated land in 1915, and by 1929 the state had seven parks. In 1947 the State Parks Committee was renamed to the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission and given authority to oversee the state park system. By 1960 the number of state parks had increased to 130.
[edit] Parking fee controversy
In early 2006, the state legislature rescinded a controversial $5-a-day parking fee, returning the state park system to its status of the only system in the West without day-use fees[1][2]. Park use had slid more than 15% when the fees were imposed in 2003. Though the fees were levied for park-related construction projects, more than a quarter of the fees collected went into the fee-collection system itself [3].
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ State Parks: Parking FAQ
- ^ Seattle Times, March 21, 2006
- ^ Parks are fee-free again, as they should be Ron Judd editorial, Seattle Times, March 30, 2006
[edit] External links
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