Petitions circulated the campus as the 2001-02 school year ended and students left with the possibility of Fox Ridge State Park closing because of state budget cuts.

However, as the 2002-03 school year begins, students can take comfort in the fact that the park will remain open at least until the spring, said State Rep. Dale Righter R-Mattoon.

“There’s no substitute for a lot of loud voices,” Righter said. “We got active and tried to make a difference.”

Budget cuts from the State of Illinois last year resulted in listing cost-saving areas that included closing Fox Ridge.

Fox Ridge is located eight miles outside of Charleston on IL route 130 and has hiking trails, camping, horseback riding trails and picnic areas.

At an opposition meeting held last spring, Righter gathered with community members as well as students to petition to keep the park open. Thanks in part to hundreds of petitions collected at that meeting, Fox Ridge stayed open.

“There was enough noise made,” Righter said.

However, Righter said Fox Ridge is expected to remain open through the fiscal year which ends June 31. When the General Assembly reconvenes in the spring, the closing of Fox Ridge may come up again.

“There is a very, very outside chance that there could be further cuts in the fall,” Righter said.

Those cuts affected hospitals, prisons and even Eastern’s budget last year. The suffering state economy pushed the budget into a multi-billion dollar deficit, and has yet to improve.

Fox Ridge was saved when the budget was approved in July.