As lawmakers in Washington debate a stop-gap funding bill to keep the government up and running — the National Park Service is preparing for a potential closure of federal sites in Greater Akron.
Even if a compromise is not reached by midnight on Friday, the park service says visitors to places like the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, and the William McKinley Tomb and the First Ladies National Site in Canton would not see any impacts on operations through the weekend.
Come Monday — that’s a different story.
With some 33,000 acres across Summit and Cuyahoga counties, it would be impossible to close it off to visitors.
The biggest impact visitors will notice is closed restrooms, a closed Boston Mills Visitor Center and no trash pick up in the park.
Visitors might encounter signs saying the park is closed and some barricades.
And any programs scheduled to be held in the park like planned scavenger hunts to celebrate its 50th anniversary on the Friday and Saturday after Christmas would be canceled.
Signs posted at the Ira Trailhead announce to area residents that the Cuyahoga Valley National Park has been closed due to a past government shutdown on Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2013, in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. (Ed Suba Jr./Beacon Journal file)
Past shutdowns did not deter most visitors to the park as they continued to walk and hike the park’s many trails.
Historic sites like ones in Canton and the James A. Garfield Historic Site in Mentor would all be closed.
The potential government shutdown will not impact this weekend’s runs of the North Pole Adventure by the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad.
The Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad held a ceremonial tree lighting Thursday, Nov. 7, in Peninsula, Ohio, to mark the start of its North Pole Adventure excursions.
Shut down in the past have not had an impact on the scenic railroad, said spokesperson Lynee Bixler.
Friday and Saturday’s holiday trips are the railroad’s final runs for the season before it takes a winter break.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: How government shutdown might impact CVNP, parks and other sites