LINCOLN — The Atkinson and Arnold State Recreation Areas no longer exist, but one year later, residents and visitors still have places to camp, fish and picnic.
The communities assumed control of the former state recreation areas in 2010, a transaction that saved the Game and Parks Commission between $11,000 and $13,000 while generating income for nearby towns and ensuring continued public access.
Now the commission hopes to expand the land transfers to Brownville State Recreation Area, Bowman Lake State Recreation Area near Loup City and Crystal Lake State Recreation Area near Ayr in order to save at least $7,000 annually. The move would decrease the number of state parks and recreation areas to 81.
Legislative Bills 207, 563 and 621 call for those transfers.
Roger Kuhn, an assistant director of the Game and Parks Commission, said his office wouldn't actively pursue additional transfers any time soon.
“The door's always open,” he said. “If partners are interested in helping run our state parks, we'll listen.”
That's what happened when state parks officials said they might mow Arnold State Recreation Area only twice a year.
Scott Winfield, former superintendent of the Village of Arnold, knew the Custer County community relied on tourism at the 22-acre lake and 10-acre recreation area. So village officials offered last March to assume maintenance of the area.
The work was handled by volunteers and a $10,000 grant from the Sandhills Open Road Challenge, an annual car race that goes through the village.
Despite removal of the state-park entry fee, Arnold Lake produced $2,346 in camping fees and provided other financial benefits to the community of 630, Winfield said.
The hardware store, for example, saw a large increase in the sale of camping and fishing supplies, said Winfield, who now lives in Grand Island.
Patty Lamberty, village clerk and treasurer, said the lake boosts the entire area's economy.
“If you stay out there, you're going to buy groceries, buy gas in town,” she said.
In Atkinson, Economic Development Director LouAnn Tooker said she has never seen a piece of trash near the recreation area lake. Out-of-town visitors often leave notes saying how impressed they are by the 50-acre property bisected by the Elkhorn River, she said.
Strong support in the Holt County community of 1,244 and rescinding the state park entry fee have helped to increase the amount of traffic and transform the Atkinson Recreation Area into Atkinson's recreation area, she said.
“It's maintained by volunteers in the community, and the city does what it can do,” Tooker said. “Last year we had a fundraising barbecue. The 4-H plants flowers there.”
Tom Bandur, like his counterparts in Brownville and Ayr, sees the potential in Bowman Lake for a synthesis of benefits to the community, county and the state.
The head of the Bowman Lake Advisory Board said he visualizes a walking and biking trail eventually being built between Loup City and the lake. He also hopes to incorporate it into the school system curriculum to give students a chance to learn outside the classroom.
As rumors circulated that the 43-acre recreation area would be closed, Bandur worked to get it into local hands.
Sen. Kate Sullivan of Cedar Rapids introduced LB 207, bestowing ownership of the lake on Sherman County. Although the community didn't want to lose the lake, Loup City feared it couldn't afford the maintenance. Youthful offenders in the county diversion program will be assigned to help keep the recreation area clean.
“We want to use community service to help beautify the park,” Bandur said.
Kids who did some bad things now can do some good things, he said.
As is common with many smaller state-owned sites, the Brownville Recreation Area has no full-time staff. Maintenance work is done by employees at Indian Cave State Park, 15 miles away. LB 621, introduced by Sen. Lavon Heidemann of Elk Creek, would give the Village of Brownville control of the property.
“Our intent is to keep the area open for public use — picnicking, camping — with no fees,” said Jay Tallmon, a member of the Brownville Village Board.
The 22-acre recreation area has a federally funded public boat ramp into the Missouri River, but its riverfront location means it's prone to flooding and was underwater for much 2010.
The residents of Ayr, which is 11 miles south of Hastings, already considered Crystal Lake State Recreation Area a local park, said Sen. Dennis Utter, who introduced LB 563. When a tornado hit last year, residents helped clear the debris.
Utter said the parks commission has had a tight budget for years, and this plan would help alleviate the problem. Kuhn called the bill a “win-win” for Game and Parks and the village of Ayr as budgets get tighter.
With just 107 residents of Ayr, the lake is important to the community, said Roger Kort, a member of the Ayr Village Board.
“We get a lot of visitors not just from Hastings, but from outstate Nebraska,” Kort said.
Kuhn said a lot of recreation areas are considered by residents as local parks.
“Communities can probably operate them quite well within their budget constraints because the community's right there,” he said.
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