Fall colors along with a soft breeze and sunny skies greeted visitors to Watson Mill State Park on the Madison – Oglethorpe county line Oct. 15, and about 30 of those visitors gathered on the porch of the park office to talk about what they can do to preserve a place they all love.
As of October 1, Watson Mill is no longer considered a state park by the Department of Natural Resources, but has been downgraded to an “outdoor recreational area.” For park patrons, this means a significant reduction in staff and services, but many also think it means the upkeep of the park will suffer and that crime is likely to increase, destroying the safe and family-like atmosphere they enjoy.
And for park supporter Patricia “Pat” King, and others like her, that is just not acceptable.
King and her husband Luther love to spend time together with their friends riding the equestrian trails in the park. A former resident of Ila, King has always loved riding horses and was delighted to find Watson Mill nearby.
“We used to cross the river from Chip’s (Chandler) place and ride the woods when there were no trails,” she said. Now she and Luther live on a horse farm just a few miles from the park in Oglethorpe, and are two of many who enjoy the equestrian trails, barn and camping area on a regular basis.
“I love this park, it breaks my heart for what is happening to it,” King said Saturday, surrounded by other Friends of Watson Mill State Park members, a local group formed a few years ago to support the park through volunteer work and fundraising. Along with Friends members, several local residents and other park patrons from as far away as Gilmer and Cherokee counties were also on hand to express their concern and see what can be done.
Madison County District 4 commissioner Pete Bond, whose district covers Watson’s Mill, along with District 1 commissioner Stanley Thomas and BOC chairman Anthony Dove were also on hand for the meeting.
The Department of Natural Resources cited budgetary constraints as the reason for downgrading the park, which also eliminated three jobs. Though the park will remain open year-round, all amenities are on a “first-come, first served” basis, with the campground open only half the year.
The equestrian campground and buddy sites, stables and log cabin bunkhouses will be open year-round, also with self-registration and on a first come-first served basis. The group shelter and pioneer campsites have closed.
Visitors are still expected to pay the $5 parking fee on the “honor system,” and a park employee continues to live and work onsite. The state has said they expect to save approximately $90,000 with the downgrade.
Chairman Dove pointed out that approximately 225,500 people visited the park in 2010, ranking it 13th of the state’s 47 state parks for visitors.
“And we’re a county of 28,000 people,” he said, adding that that means a lot of out-of-county visitors to the park. Dove said he was also upset about the way the downgrade came about, with local officials not having a chance to know about what was coming or make a plan.
Once Madison County officials found out last month, commissioners offered $15,000 to help with expenses and keep the park fully functional, at least for the short term.
Dove said he found out the matter had been settled by seeing the official downgrade on the state park website.
“It was just done, and they didn’t contact me or anyone,” he said.
James “Smitty” Smith, the former maintenance ranger at the park for the past 11 years, saw his last official day at the park Sept. 30. But that didn’t stop him from coming to the meeting to voice his concerns, and his frustrations.
“They (DNR) did it this way on purpose, to keep people from knowing until it was done,” he said. “…State parks are not designed to make money, they’re something for the enjoyment of families, of children….all the DNR is interested in is a dollar – that’s what happened here….You can replace me, but you can’t replace this place.”
Smith said the park received a letter from the DNR stating that they intended to “preserve the mill at all costs.”
“There is no mill here,” Smith said, shaking his head, adding that many of those on the DNR board making the decision have likely not visited the park.
Moe Vaughan, of Ballground, GA said he and his family have been making the 2.5-hour drive to Watson Mill to ride horses for years, but that he couldn’t afford to come on a “maybe” without being able to make a reservation for a campsite.
“We come a long way to get here because we love it,” he said.
“This park needs a voice,” Jim Gitzinger, of Jasper, said. “It needs a representative, someone who will stand up for it.”
Commissioner Bond noted the number of people from other areas of the state who enjoy the park, and told the crowd that they need to get as many groups as possible to “say the same thing” to legislators, who could potentially reverse the decision in the next session in January.
Chip Chandler, president of the Friends, told the group that they need everyone’s help to get the Friends group rejuvenated with new members, volunteers and voices. “We need your help,” he said. “Forty years ago this was not a nice place for families, we don’t want it to go back there.”
Chairman Dove encouraged all those present to write, call and speak with lawmakers.
“You never know who is going to know the right person who can do something,” he said.
Weyman Cochran, of Danielsville, a volunteer who built and helps maintain the horse trails in the park, said the work is a labor of love.
“We built three more miles (of trails) last year,” Cochran said.
His wife, Diane Cochran, has spearheaded an annual workday for the past five years, where equestrians from all over the state come and help. “We have 40 – 50 people every year,” she said.
Beth Kelley Zorbanos, also of Danielsville, said she has loved Watson Mill Park since moving to Madison County many years ago and has spent time there with her sons as they were growing up.
Chandler noted that Zorbanos has also volunteered at the park and even helped build the log cabins.
“This is a sacred place to me,” she said.
All agreed to continue the fight by contacting state legislators by email, mail and phone, and by using the social media site Facebook, where a “Save Watson Mill State Park” page has been started. The site has over 400 members currently.
“We just want the park back the way it was,” King said.
