City of Oroville, CA
Home MenuPotential Oroville Aquatic Center Information
It has long been recognized that the Greater Oroville Region could benefit from a first-class warm water swimming facility and as part of the Settlement Agreement for the Oroville Project 2100, DWR is required to provide a Recreation Management Plan which has identified funds for studies, provide construction, provide management (as appropriate) and fund DWR infrastructure for the related projects for the life of the new license.
Included in the Recreation Management Plan will be a study of “Investigating alternatives” for extended-season warm water swimming at Project No. 2100 Loafer Creek or an acceptable alternative site.
Alternatives to be reviewed may include, but are not necessarily limited to:
- A surface water sub-improvement (swimming lagoon) on site
- A treaded-water, hardened facility (on-site pool
- An off-site swimming pool or water activity center
- A sub-impoundment/swimming lagoon at an alternative project recreation area or reservoir.
The Supplemental Benefits Fund Steering Committee (SBF) from 2013 to 2016 formed an ad- hoc Aquatic Center Committee (ACC) which began a series of investigations into an alternative site as the Loafer Creek site identified in the DWR commitment was considered remote and too far from the Oroville population that would most benefit from using the facility.
The ACC met on a consistent basis reviewing other communities approaches to providing warm water swimming facilities, visited several other facilities, had multiple public outreach meetings, used questionnaire mailers and social media to seek information that would need to be included elements to assist in insuring continued financial operations and sustainability.
In 2014 the SBF approved funding a contract with Melton Design Group in the amount of $20,000 for a design plan, initially for the North Forebay Recreation Area, but with the possibility to “lift” the design from that location to a potential different location.
Public outreach response did not favor the North Forebay Recreation Area (again too far from the local population) but favored a location at either Riverbend Park or at the FRRPD Activity Center. In 2024 the FRRPD Activity Center was sold leaving Riverbend Park, adjacent to Salmon run, as the preferred location.
Consideration should be given by DWR of how an extended-season warm water swimming facility would be utilized by the local community and furthermore a first-class facility could provide an additional economic stimulus to the community as it could be made available to the local schools, swim meeting competition, training and importantly water safety classes to the community’s youth.
The funds that DWR has earmarked for a warm water study, construction and future management costs coupled with funds from the SBF could make this “dream” a reality once the new license for the DWR Oroville Project NO 2100 is approved. In the interim, the SBF in 2019, provided $750,000 in funding to the Feather River Recreation & Park District (FRRPD) for major improvements at the Thermalito Family Center at Nelson Pool. FRRPD contributed $350,000 towards the overall improvement costs of $1,100,000.
Please refer to the following attachments for additional information: