Paul M. Grist State Park is set to close May 1 due to proposed General Fund budget cuts by Alabama lawmakers if budgetary problems can’t be solved.

Alabama State Parks Director Greg Lein has already put a plan in place to handle the cuts, which calls for the closure of 15 state parks.

“We received a budget document saying that the house would take $11.4 million dollars from the Conservation Department with $10.4 million being state park money,” Lein said. “It’ll have a huge impact on us because it is basically 25 percent of our budget.

The first phase of park closures also includes Bladon Springs, Chickasaw, Buck’s Pocket and golf courses at Roland Cooper and Lakepoint.

The reason behind those being the first ones to close along with Paul Grist is because they are the least profitable.

“Those parks are the parks that never operate in the black,” Lein said. “They lose money every year, and they have the greatest ratio of loss when you look at revenue from guests compared to expenditures to operate.”

Paul Grist employs one full-time employee and additional summer staff, according to Lein. When the gates to Paul Grist and the other parks are closed, the people that maintain them will be out of a job.

“It makes me really sad and frustrated,” Lein said. “Our park personnel have worked so hard for so long to create this legacy that is the public service program in managing these parks. I just think it is a real tragedy.”

Jobs won’t be the only thing lost when the parks close. Revenue generated by tourists will also be lost.

“Not only is it important for people to have some public land to go to, but they are safe, family friendly environments,” Lein said. “That activity of people going to the parks generates a lot of economic activity that’s good for the general communities around them.”

According to Lein, the park system has a $375 million impact on the state. Lein urges people that don’t want to see these parks close to use them and encourage others to use them as well.

“Not only do we need our normal park lovers to go out and use their parks that they would normally go to, but we need them to bring ten of their friends that have never been to the park before and introduce them to the park,” Lein said. “I think when they have the positive experience that most of our guests have at the parks, they’ll walk away from that and feel motivated to talk to elected officials.”

The second phase of park closures will start June 1, when five other parks will be placed on an emergency operational plan.

“Those are parks that don’t have as big of a loss and may be able to operate in the black under some very strict operational procedures,” Lein said. “What I mean by that is instead of being open seven days a week, they may be open three or four days a week.”

If the budget cuts are not fixed by the beginning of the fiscal year in October, the other 11 parks on the list of 15 will be closed. Those are Blue Springs, Cheaha, Desoto, Florala, Frank Jackson, Guntersville, Joe Wheeler, Lake Lurleen, Lakepoint, Rickwood Caverns and Roland Cooper.