CCC Lodge renovation back on track
May 27, 2015
Charlea Mills
After much consideration, Roaring River State Park’s CCC Lodge renovation will continue as planned, according to Missouri State Parks division information officer Steph Deidrick.
Missouri State Parks director Bill Bryan announced that state parks would be investing $1.25 million into a full renovation of the CCC Lodge at the Roaring River informational meeting last September with an anticipated opening date of Opening Day 2016. However, after issues with funding, the project was tabled until decisions were made regarding what projects would proceed and which would be postponed.
Deidrick said, “Since the legislature passed the Fiscal Year 2016 budget without the Governor’s recommended $15 million in reappropriation for state parks projects, some of Missouri State Parks projects had to be put on hold.
“Despite these funding cuts by the legislature, Missouri State Parks has determined that renovations to the historic lodge at Roaring River State Park will proceed.
“Additional projects in Missouri State Parks continue to be on hold while the impact of these cuts is evaluated.”
State Parks initially halted the project due to $15 million in General Revenue funds not being reappropriated for historic site renovation and maintenance at state parks. According to State Representative Scott Fitzpatrick, the decision to not reappropriate those funds was due to issues with the construction of a new state park.
Fitzpatrick said, “Last year, we gave State Parks $20 million out of General Revenue, which was on top of what they already get from dedicated funds. We were providing additional funds that were intended to be used for maintenance, repair, and rehabilitation projects at existing state parks.
“Then, without discussing it with the legislature, they started building a brand new park in Shannon County on the Current River that is expected to cost around $60 million. We appropriated new money under the impression that they needed it to take care of existing parks, and then they started building a whole new park. We felt like they needed to fix what we already have before starting a new project.”
Missouri State Parks operates on funds from use fees and a 1/10-cent tax that is split with soils. Typically, State Parks does not receive General Revenue funds to operate or do maintenance on parks.
Initially, the legislature appropriated $20 million to State Parks, but they only spent $5 million before the new budget was decided on. After the remaining $15 million wasn’t reappropriated, Governor Nixon requested both the $15 million reappropriation and an additional $50 million through bonding for state park maintenance despite the funding being used on the new Shannon County state park.
Fitzpatrick said, “The department’s options in responding to the legislature’s decision to not reappropriate the $15 million are not limited to halting projects at all the other state parks. It is clear to me, and I told them this in our budget hearings, that they could slow the construction at the new state park for a year and carry on with all of their other planned projects.”
At time of press, State Parks had not responded to questions regarding when the CCC Lodge renovation is expected to be completed or where they are in the renovation process.
Charlea Mills
After much consideration, Roaring River State Park’s CCC Lodge renovation will continue as planned, according to Missouri State Parks division information officer Steph Deidrick.
Missouri State Parks director Bill Bryan announced that state parks would be investing $1.25 million into a full renovation of the CCC Lodge at the Roaring River informational meeting last September with an anticipated opening date of Opening Day 2016. However, after issues with funding, the project was tabled until decisions were made regarding what projects would proceed and which would be postponed.
Deidrick said, “Since the legislature passed the Fiscal Year 2016 budget without the Governor’s recommended $15 million in reappropriation for state parks projects, some of Missouri State Parks projects had to be put on hold.
“Despite these funding cuts by the legislature, Missouri State Parks has determined that renovations to the historic lodge at Roaring River State Park will proceed.
“Additional projects in Missouri State Parks continue to be on hold while the impact of these cuts is evaluated.”
State Parks initially halted the project due to $15 million in General Revenue funds not being reappropriated for historic site renovation and maintenance at state parks. According to State Representative Scott Fitzpatrick, the decision to not reappropriate those funds was due to issues with the construction of a new state park.
Fitzpatrick said, “Last year, we gave State Parks $20 million out of General Revenue, which was on top of what they already get from dedicated funds. We were providing additional funds that were intended to be used for maintenance, repair, and rehabilitation projects at existing state parks.
“Then, without discussing it with the legislature, they started building a brand new park in Shannon County on the Current River that is expected to cost around $60 million. We appropriated new money under the impression that they needed it to take care of existing parks, and then they started building a whole new park. We felt like they needed to fix what we already have before starting a new project.”
Missouri State Parks operates on funds from use fees and a 1/10-cent tax that is split with soils. Typically, State Parks does not receive General Revenue funds to operate or do maintenance on parks.
Initially, the legislature appropriated $20 million to State Parks, but they only spent $5 million before the new budget was decided on. After the remaining $15 million wasn’t reappropriated, Governor Nixon requested both the $15 million reappropriation and an additional $50 million through bonding for state park maintenance despite the funding being used on the new Shannon County state park.
Fitzpatrick said, “The department’s options in responding to the legislature’s decision to not reappropriate the $15 million are not limited to halting projects at all the other state parks. It is clear to me, and I told them this in our budget hearings, that they could slow the construction at the new state park for a year and carry on with all of their other planned projects.”
At time of press, State Parks had not responded to questions regarding when the CCC Lodge renovation is expected to be completed or where they are in the renovation process.
