Foundation aims to rally community to pay for parks’ operations

Faced with the state’s plan to shut down about 70 state parks throughout California, groups are scrambling for ways to generate funding to keep them open before July 1, when the parks are set to close.
Locally, one of the parks slated to shut down is Castle Rock State Park, a popular destination for hikers, mountaineers and rock climbers.
Hoping to change that is the Portola and Castle Rock Foundation, a community organization that has been dedicated since 1991 to supporting Castle Rock, as well as Portola Redwoods State Park near La Honda. The foundation is working alongside the Sempervirens Fund, the Save the Redwoods League and the outdoors organization Adventure Out to raise money to keep both parks open.
According to Andrew Vought, program director of the Monte Sereno-based foundation, the plan is still in the early stages, but the group hopes to emulate the supporters of Henry W. Coe State Park in Morgan Hill. In September, those backers announced an agreement with the state to cover the operation costs of the park — also slated for closure — with community-sourced funding for a period of three years.
The foundation and its supporters are drafting a proposal to present to the state, as well as working to enlist the support of individuals and business owners to raise $500,000 Vought thinks would be necessary to run the Castle Rock and Portola parks.
Vought said informational meetings and events would be announced during the next several months to make people aware of the impending closure, and he expressed confidence that the community would support the parks.
“This is important for a lot of people, luckily,” Vought said.
At a glance
To make a donation, or to learn more, visit www.portolaandcastlerockfound.org or call 650-283-1283.