NEW CAMPSITES TARGETED FOR FT. DEFIANCE PARK IN CAIRO

CAIRO, Ill. -- A decade ago, the people of Cairo "sort of adopted" Ft. Defiance State Park.

The park, although a state facility, was overgrown with weeds, brush, even small trees, and the large concrete riverboat-shaped lookout at the could hardly be seen.

The people, under a special program, "Operation Enterprise," organized a group in 1986, armed with mowers, rakes, clippers, and shovels, and cleaned up the park.

Located at the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, the park is included in the annual Ohio River Cleanup Sweep, and has remained clean ever since.

Ft. Defiance was the special pickup spot for Saturday's river sweep, which was held along the entire 900-mile length of the Ohio River.

A Cairo group policed the river area through the city, to the park.

"The park is looking good," said Carolyn Mayberry of Cairo, coordinator for the Cairo and Alexander County portion of the annual river cleanup. "We're looking forward to some new campsites in the park."

Funds are included in the $41 billion Illinois state budget for the year 2000 to develop 25 campsites at Ft. Defiance Park, said Mayberry.

Alexander County will receive $60,000 for the campsites.

"We already receive a lot of tourists to Ft. Defiance Park," said Mayberry. "The concrete campsites will bring in overnight visitors to the park."

It was in 1987 that Operation Enterprise was granted a 40-year lease by the state, on the park, Four years later, the lease was amended to include a building at the entrance of the park, which was once occupied by the Illinois State Police. The State Police vacated the building in April of 1990 to move to Interstate 57 mile-marker 18, near Ullin, Ill.

When the State Police vacated the building in April of 1990, the structure, which was owned by Central Management Service, was donated to the Illinois Department of Conservation.

The old state police building was later remodeled into a restaurant, but is vacant again now.