For the first time in several years, Fort Verde State Historic Park will be returning to a seven-day schedule.
The park, in the heart of downtown Camp Verde, was forced to reduce its schedule in 2009 in the wake of budget cuts to the Arizona State Parks system during the economic downturn.
“One of the main reasons is to give back to the community that stuck by us through the tough times,” said Sheila Stubler, manager at Fort Verde.
The park has been closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays since the reduced schedule was implemented.
Often on those days, potential visitors from around the state, country and world could be found wandering around the fort’s grounds looking at the outside of the remaining buildings but unable to access the wealth of information contained within.
“We estimate that during the busy season during the budget crunch we may have lost about 25 percent of revenue,” Stubler said.
The fort was fortunate to stay open at all.
In 2010, the Arizona State Parks Board voted to shutter 21 of its 30 state parks after the budget had been gutted by the state legislature.
To read the full story, see the Wednesday, Feb. 4, edition of The Camp Verde Journal.
