Louisiana shuts down state park that has one of nation's largest botanical gardens

Louisiana is getting rid of a state park, and officials blame a legacy of budget cuts.

The original owners of what became Hodges Gardens State Park in 2007 say state government has allowed the property to crumble, so they exercised their contractual option to take back the 948-acre recreation area near Toledo Bend, which includes one of the nation’s largest botanical gardens.

“We have not been able to maintain the park,” said Robert Barham, the assistant secretary in charge of the state’s park system. “It’s just the reality of the current budget situation.”

No other state park is threatened with closure, Barham told The Advocate.

The state Department of Culture Recreation and Tourism can’t afford to repair the roads and foot bridges; water courses are not operable; and the greenhouses and arboretum need attention, Barham said. The park needs about $10 million in fixes that were deferred because of a lack of money.

Read more: http://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/politics/legislature/article_db432ece-8da9-11e7-a460-8f6df455e816.html