1 week Ago By Story by Donna Thornton [email protected]
The National Park Service office in Fort Payne isn’t going anywhere, according to Jacksonville State University. Jax State announced this week that the park service will continue its operation at the Little River Canyon Center, operated by the university, beyond this year. Questions arose almost two months ago, when the lease for the National Park Service office in Fort Payne was included on a termination list from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), according to information on its website.
The office is located in Jacksonville State University’s Little River Canyon Center. The site claimed savings from the terminating leases on federal offices. However, the lists of leases being terminated said savings from the closure of the park office in Fort Payne would be $0.
It states that the cost annually of leasing the office is $78,171. JSU President Dr. Don C.
Killingsworth, Jr. issued a statement affiriming the college’s commitment to the center. This week, JSU made another announcement -- reversing the previous one: “We have received confirmation that the previously announced lease termination has been revoked, and the NPS office located at the Canyon Center is no longer on the list of sites scheduled for closure.
” The statement credits the hard work and dedication of the federal delegation and state and local partners with the preservation of the lease, and expresses gratitude to them for preserving a “vital resource for education. “We are especially thankful for our longstanding partnership with the National Park Service and are excited to continue our collaborative work at the Canyon Center,” the statement continued. “Together, we will build on our shared mission to provide meaningful programming, research opportunities, and public engagement that highlight Little River Canyon’s unique natural and cultur al heritage.
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