SBF Studies

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POTENTIAL WARM WATER SWIM FACILITY FOR THE OROVILLE REGION
PLEASE CLICK ON THE FOLLOWING FOR INFORMATION PRESENTED TO
THE SBF STEERING COMMITTEE ON October 7, 2015

CLICK HERE FOR THE POWERPOINT PRESENTATION

Direction was provided on July 7, 2013 by the SBF Steering Committee to establish the SBF ad Hoc Aquatic Center Committee (ACC) for the purposes of researching and discussing public swimming pool facilities for the Oroville area. During the discussions, for the Settlement Agreement for the Oroville FERC Project NO. 2100 it was recognized that one of the major losses to the Oroville Community was no longer having a warm water swimming facility. The Recreation Management Plan includes directing DWR to prepare a study of “Investigating Alternatives” for extended-season warm water swimming at various sites within the Project No. 2100 boundary.

In early 2014 the SBF Steering Committee approved funding up to $20,000 to assist in having an architectural design plan developed. A contract with Melton Design Group (MDG) was approved on March 18, 2014 and MDG began working with the ACC on a plan design that was centered at the North Forebay Recreation Area but was designed to be “lifted” from that location to a potential different location.

The ACC has met on an a consistent basis reviewing other communities approaches to providing warm water swimming facilities and identifying location options within the Oroville Region. Included in the on-going ACC discussions has been a recognition that a future facility would need to include elements to assist in insuring continued financial operations sustainability. Multiple locations were considered but the focus of the ACC, initially, was on the North Forebay Recreation Area as it provided highway visibility and substantial completed infrastructure. Issues centered around building an expensive facility on property that was not under local control, the distance from the Oroville Downtown District and that a parking fee is required.

Public outreach occurred on several occasions as well as the availability of aquatic center questionnaires at Oroville City Hall the Feather River Recreation Park District Activity Center. The questionnaires were also available electronically.

The public outreach response did not favor the North Forebay Recreation Area and instead favored a location at either Riverbend Park or at the FRRPD Activity Center. The ACC worked with MDG to see how either, or both, of the favored locations could accommodate a future warm-water swim facility.

The North Forebay Recreational Area is owned by the California Department of Water Resources with a long-term lease arrangement with the California Department of Parks Recreation.

Whitewater Study (DWR/December 2009)

As part of the Settlement Agreement the Department of Water Resources (DWR) agreed to prepare a Whitewater Study (Feather River Whitewater Boating Opportunity Feasibility Study). The final report was issued on December 30, 2009. Please open each of the following bullet points for detailed information about the final study.