Kentucky lawmakers created a two-year state budget putting $150 million for a major overhaul of the state’s parks.
Officials said the state parks need dire upgrades since many of their facilities are old and outdated. Currently, state leaders are creating a list of projects to improve Kentucky’s 45 state parks.
“We have to make a huge investment. This has been coming for the last 30 years,” Kentucky State Parks Commissioner Russ Meyer said.
Meyers said it’s about time to reinvest in their state parks because many have major structural and infrastructure needs, such as Jenny Wiley State Park in Floyd County.
“It has structural needs at the main lodge, and that will be a $5 million fix there at Jenny Wiley, and the marina has to be redone,” he said.
Other parks are looking to upgrade their infrastructure.
“We got to find ways to prevent that big electrical outage after a major storm or ice storm so we can still operate with heat and electric,” Chris Perry, park manager at Carter Caves State Park, said.
He said improving the park’s electrical grids is vital since it is one of five state parks with its own electrical system.
Our campground was built for the campers of the 1960s, and so we need to look at upgrading those to 50 amps — more 50 amps service to accommodate the newer bigger model campers,” Perry said.
“We own those utilities — that utility infrastructure within those parks, and we have to reinvest in them and basically rebuild a lot of them,” Meyers said.
The Kentucky General Assembly earmarked $150 million for overhauling state parks.
“You have wants. You have needs. You have “have to’s,” and these are “have to’s.” We have $250 million of “have to’s” out there,” said Meyer.
Officials plan on starting the listed projects by July 2023, when the next state budget with $150 million for the state parks takes effect.
This article originally appeared on WCHS.
