The wrangling over government funding in Washington D.C., could have an impact on tourism in Greater Akron.
Talks to avoid a shutdown continue in the nation’s capital but if a deal cannot be reached, many government agencies – including the National Park Service – would be impacted in a shutdown.
Greater Akron is home to Ohio’s only national park and a government shutdown Oct. 1 would have a big impact on the popular destination for tourists and residents alike.
Aside from the Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Greater Akron, Northeast Ohio is also home to the William McKinley Tomb and the First Ladies National Historic Site in Canton that are also run by the park service.
There has been a call by some former national park superintendents to shutter National Parks during this possible shutdowns to prevent unsupervised visitors from wandering off paths and damaging plants and historic sites.
But the Cuyahoga Valley National Park is somewhat unique as it covers some 33,000 acres across Summit and Cuyahoga counties with many points of entrance so it would be virtually impossible to close it off to all visitors.
But visitors could find some parking lots closed.
The biggest impact would be closed restrooms, along with a shuttered Boston Mills Visitor Center.
There would also be no trash picked up within the park.
Signs announcing the government closure would likely be posted saying the park is closed and some barricades could be put up.
Any programs scheduled to be held within the park including ranger-led activities would be canceled.
How does government shutdown affect national parks?
Past shutdowns have not deterred many visitors to the Cuyahoga Valley National Park as they continued to walk and hike the park’s many trails.
Historic sites like ones in Canton, along with the James A. Garfield Historic Site in Mentor, would all be closed.
Lynee Bixler, spokesperson for the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, said they are meeting with park officials on Sept. 30 to see whether a shutdown would impact excursions through the Valley.
Past shutdowns have not impacted the independent scenic railroad.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: How would government shutdown affect CVNP? Closed restrooms, visitors center and trash piles
Reporting by Craig Webb, Akron Beacon Journal / Akron Beacon Journal
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