Chattahoochee National Rec Center Would Close if Feds Shut Down

Buckhead residents looking to take a pleasant stroll in the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area should start looking for other trails to forge if the federal government shuts down.

The entire recreation area – trails, parking lots, everything – will be closed, including Buckhead’s closest access point to the river, the East Palisades unit on Northside Parkway.

The Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area is operated by the U.S. National Park Service, under the U.S. Department of the Interior. National parks throughout the country were victims of the last federal government shutdown, in 1995.

Park officials have confirmed to Patch that the facilities would close should another shutdown occur. They were also unclear how soon the parks would re-open when the national, billion-dollar-plus budget crisis is resolved.

In another shutdown-related issue, U.S. Rep. John Lewis’ Atlanta office has confirmed that it would remain open during a shutdown.

Mail would also continue to be delivered.