Budget cuts will not shut down splash pad at Vermilion Parish's Palmetto Island State Park

Budget cuts have affected parks and historical sites all around Louisiana.
The Office of Louisiana Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne announced last week that swimming pools at four state parks will not open this summer. The same announcement stated that water playgrounds at other parks will be open.
One of those areas includes the splash pad at Palmetto Island State Park in Vermilion Parish.
“That will definitely be open,” said Jacques Berry, communication director for the Lt. Governor’s office. “It will be up and running at the times it normally would.”
The splash pad is expected to open on April 1 and remain so through Sept. 30. The area is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays. Access to the park is $2 per person, which allows use of the splash pad. Visitors 62 and older as well as children three and under get into the park at no charge.
While the splash pad will be in operation, Palmetto Island State Park will see some ripples from the budget cuts, including the loss of some staff.
“Layoffs have affected every park,” Berry said. “In Palmetto’s case, what will likely be the major effect is that the interpretive programs that would have regularly occurred, will instead move to by-request only. If a group or school group comes in and wants to do a program, they would have to make a reservation before hand. The rangers are doing everything now, working the entrance station and maintenance.
“Some of the programs may not be available at all times.”
Dardenne’s office oversees 40 properties, including parks and historical sites.
“Those sites have lost a total of 106 people,” Berry said.
Palmetto Island Manager Marcelle Guidry said she and her staff will work to make the park run as smoothly as possible.
“We are still going to offer the highest quality of costumer service we can under the circumstances,” Guidry said. “We have had staff layoffs, but we are still open.”
Berry said local support has Palmetto Island State Park on solid footing.
“That park has such good community support,” Berry said. “Even getting it open and up and running, the community was so great.
“We really want to do as much as we can to make everything available, but the fact is that the money that was there is no longer there.”