'Just sad' | Some state parks at risk of closure

The grounds at Sequoyah State Park have decades of history, but it's one of the state parks at risk of closing if the state can’t maintain it.

The park has Oklahoma written all over it. It has quiet lake waters, a swimming pool, and a golf course.

“Overall, this is a very beautiful park,” Kathy Willoughby said. “It really is. And the campgrounds here are pretty.”

Kathy and Jim Willoughby love state parks, and they even spent their honeymoon at one of Oklahoma's 38 parks.

“We try to get the best value for our money. And this is one of the best places in the state,” Jim said.

The parks require a lot of upkeep. Sequoyah alone has several amenities. The state has kept it mostly up to par, but signs of its age are evident.

“I feel like Oklahoma is the place to live and be,” Kathy said, “If outsiders come to Oklahoma and see the way we keep some of our stuff, I would be sad.”

Sequoyah is in good shape compared to some, but it is at risk of closing if the state can’t make repairs in the next 12 months. Between appropriation and sales taxes, the state has about $22 million dollars on hand.

“Closing a state park, for any reason, will always be a last resort,” Shelley Zumwalt, the state’s director of tourism and recreation said in a statement, “We look forward to working with the legislature next session to build on the funding.”

She declined an interview.

“That would be horrible to let this close. It’d just be sad,” Jim said, “I don’t know why Oklahoma's lodges don’t do better. I really don’t.”

Part of the funding for state parks comes from the paying visitors. Oklahoma has 38 to choose from. Northeast Oklahoma is home to 14 of them.

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