On October 6, 2021, the Task Force on the Economic Future of Western Maryland, chaired by State Senator George Edwards and Delegate Jason Buckel, recommended that “land within Rocky Gap State Park…could be developed by private businesses.”

That’s clearly an attempt to shut down public access to a State Park.

The group, including Allegany County Commissioner Jake Shade and Allegany County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Juli McCoy, recommended seizing public park land currently home to two public beaches, a large fishing dock, open waters for conservation, recreation and fishing, and public buildings.  The plan, as stated by the task force recommendations is to “turn state-owned land over to counties for economic development.” 

Their goal is simple: privatize a beloved state park for private gain.

Rocky Gap State Park boasts visitation to the day use area of the park of more than 600,000 people per year.  The park is host to public boat rentals, two public swimming beaches, a forested fishing peninsula, a fishing dock, and acres of picnic and recreational space.  The area is home to a popular seasonal café, ranger station and public restrooms, as well as a parking lot of nearly 700 spaces which often fills with state park enthusiasts on summer weekends, as well as for local events. 

Rocky Gap has been a gathering place for local events by community organizations holding fundraisers that often fund a significant portion of their annual budgets each year and draw record-setting crowds of local residents to support hometown non-profit agencies.  The park has hosted thousands of children for environmental education and groups who have planted today’s shade trees over the last 40 years.

The task force aims to eliminate those public spaces and instead utilize those spaces for “critical business development projects.”

 

With this petition, we are calling on the task force, local leaders and state decision makers to take specific action, as follows:

TASK FORCE MEMBERS - 

This petition specifically calls on all members of the Task Force, at their next meeting, to motion to RESCIND the recommendation to privatize Rocky Gap State Park land and vote to formally nullify the recommendation of October 6, 2021.  The Task Force's recall of their own recommendation would signal a thoughtful reconsideration of privatization of a public state park, beloved by the local community.

LOCAL LEADERS - 

This petition calls on local leaders to consider the positive impact that Rocky Gap State Park has had on families and publicly retract their own recommendation to privatize the public park.  Further, local leaders should publicly commit to keeping public lands public.

STATE DECISION MAKERS - 

This petition calls on state decision makers to publicly oppose seizing public lands for privatization and specifically declare, on the record, opposition to turning state owned land at Rocky Gap State Park over to Allegany County government for the purpose of private development.

 

The protection of this public space requires that voices of those who appreciate these lands make their voices heard.  We expect the protection of public land for local users and visitors, local non-profit organizations that utilize the park for fundraising, and for the generations of families who picnic, go fishing, and enjoy the park.

Decades of visitors have participated in outdoor education at Rocky Gap and planted the shade trees that provide shelter throughout the summer months.  Generations have enjoyed swimming, boating and fishing the waters of Lake Habeeb.  But if privatization occurs, these traditions may come to an abrupt end.

With this petition, we declare the need to KEEP PUBLIC LANDS PUBLIC and call on all recipients to commit to the same, on the record.

 

SaveRockyGap.com