The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Garfield site may benefit from new federal funding
Restore Our Parks Act targets deferred maintenance at national parks
U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, visited the James A. Garfield National Historic Site Aug. 10 to see how the bipartisan Restore Our Parks Act may help address a more than $12 billion backlog in maintenance projects within the National Park Service.
The site, at 8095 Mentor Ave., Mentor, has $1.2 million in unmet maintenance needs, including building renovations and trail, road and infrastructure improvements, said site Manager Todd Arrington.
“We don’t yet know if any of that money will come to us here at James A. Garfield National Historic Site, but we certainly hope it will at some point,” he said. “But what’s good for the National Park System as a whole is good for us, so either way, we are happy that the national backlog will be addressed.”
The Restore Our Parks Act is part of the Great American Outdoors Act, which not only addresses the deferred maintenance but also provides permanent funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund.
The legislation, signed into law last week, will support more than 100,000 jobs during the next five years by rebuilding park infrastructure, according to a news release.
“I enjoyed my visit to the James A. Garfield National Historic Site (Monday),” said Portman. “I was able to see firsthand the maintenance needs at the park and discuss how my recently signed Restore Our Parks Act will fund critical projects here. … We must do our part to preserve these national treasures for generations to come.”
Arrington said his staff has sought special funding to complete maintenance projects in a timely manner, but said it’s an extremely competitive process.
“Many of those projects take years to receive funding,” he said.
Projects include work within the Garfield home, on the windmill and other buildings onsite, plus the paved entrance drive and parking lot area.
He noted that deferring them doesn’t save money in the budget. They aren’t covered by the site’s annual appropriation, which currently is $783,112, he said.
There have been no staff reductions as a result of COVID-19, he noted.
The visitor center reopened July 1, but the home remains closed to tours.