Comments on: Camping Out on Regional Rail-Trails http://www.tedvillaire.com/chicago-rail-trails-camping/ Hiking, Biking, and Other Outdoor Pursuits Around Chicago Fri, 21 Nov 2008 01:10:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Rick Pawela http://www.tedvillaire.com/chicago-rail-trails-camping/#comment-44 Rick Pawela Thu, 18 Sep 2008 16:34:23 +0000 http://www.tedvillaire.com/?p=61#comment-44 It's a shame but several campsites on these routes will be closing due to IDNR budget cuts. Many communities have spoken out against this and shown their disapproval of the governor’s decision. The disapproval caused an emergency meeting of The Illinois House of Representatives resulting in a vote to restore DNR funding. In order for the funding to be restored, both the House and Senate must agree. The Senate will not be in session until after November 1st and after the park closures have been made. If enough people speak out it may cause the Senate to have an emergency meeting on this issue as the House of Representatives did. If you are interested in helping keep these parks open, you can go to the following website and sign the petition against closing these parks: http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/stop-blagojevich-closing-our-state-parks/sign.html It should only take a minute of your time. If people don’t express their opinion then our state government wont think that state parks, history, and culture are important to the people of Illinois and will be more likely to close more parks. Possibly some of the parks most of us frequent. If you really want to help, feel free to forward this message to family and friends that respect and support the use of these parks and landmarks. Here’s a listing of the state parks and landmarks that are currently scheduled to close due to the cut. * Castle Rock State Park, Oregon * Lowden State Park, Oregon * Hennepin Canal Parkway State Park, Sheffield * Illini State Park, Marseilles * Channahon Parkway State Park, Channahon * Gebhard Woods State Park, Morris * Hidden Springs State Forrest, Strasburg * Kickapoo State Park, Oakwood * Moraine View State Park, Leroy * Weldon Springs State Park, Clinton * Wolf Creek State Park, Windsor * Dana-Thomas House, in Springfield * David Davis Mansion, in Bloomington, Illinois * Fort de Chartres, in Randolph County * Pierre Menard Home, in Randolph County * Apple River Fort, in Elizabeth * Bishop Hill, Henry County * Bryant Cottage, in Bement * Fort Kaskaskia, Randolph County * Hauberg Indian Museum at Blackhawk State Historic Site in Rock Island * Jubilee College, in Peoria County * Lincoln Log Cabin, in Charleston. * Old Cahokia Courthouse, in Cahokia * Carl Sandburg State Historic Site, in Galesburg * Vandalia Statehouse, in Vandalia It’s a shame but several campsites on these routes will be closing due to IDNR budget cuts.

Many communities have spoken out against this and shown their disapproval of the governor’s decision. The disapproval caused an emergency meeting of The Illinois House of Representatives resulting in a vote to restore DNR funding.

In order for the funding to be restored, both the House and Senate must agree. The Senate will not be in session until after November 1st and after the park closures have been made. If enough people speak out it may cause the Senate to have an emergency meeting on this issue as the House of Representatives did.

If you are interested in helping keep these parks open, you can go to the following website and sign the petition against closing these parks:

http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/stop-blagojevich-closing-our-state-parks/sign.html

It should only take a minute of your time.

If people don’t express their opinion then our state government wont think that state parks, history, and culture are important to the people of Illinois and will be more likely to close more parks. Possibly some of the parks most of us frequent. If you really want to help, feel free to forward this message to family and friends that respect and support the use of these parks and landmarks.

Here’s a listing of the state parks and landmarks that are currently scheduled to close due to the cut.

* Castle Rock State Park, Oregon
* Lowden State Park, Oregon
* Hennepin Canal Parkway State Park, Sheffield
* Illini State Park, Marseilles
* Channahon Parkway State Park, Channahon
* Gebhard Woods State Park, Morris
* Hidden Springs State Forrest, Strasburg
* Kickapoo State Park, Oakwood
* Moraine View State Park, Leroy
* Weldon Springs State Park, Clinton
* Wolf Creek State Park, Windsor
* Dana-Thomas House, in Springfield
* David Davis Mansion, in Bloomington, Illinois
* Fort de Chartres, in Randolph County
* Pierre Menard Home, in Randolph County
* Apple River Fort, in Elizabeth
* Bishop Hill, Henry County
* Bryant Cottage, in Bement
* Fort Kaskaskia, Randolph County
* Hauberg Indian Museum at Blackhawk State Historic Site in Rock Island
* Jubilee College, in Peoria County
* Lincoln Log Cabin, in Charleston.
* Old Cahokia Courthouse, in Cahokia
* Carl Sandburg State Historic Site, in Galesburg
* Vandalia Statehouse, in Vandalia

]]>