News & Events
OROVILLE - Although construction crews had a confrontation with rocks, work started on three soccer and multi-use sport fields in Riverbend Park Monday.
The fields will be ready for use later this summer.
Franklin Construction, Inc. had planned to erect safety netting fence Monday, but rocks underneath the soil resisted attempts to drive in metal stakes.
Although the fencing is going slower, the Feather River Recreation and Park District has started the project that has been the dream of many for about 20 years.
"We wanted to announce that the long-awaited project has started," said District Manager John Buck III. "But when people come into the park they need to be aware of the construction and be careful."
Buck asked people to drive cautiously while the fields are under construction at the north end of the park.
The area will be fenced off and a trail will be barricaded. Buck asked people not to go into the fenced off or barricaded areas.
When the fence is finished, crews will start moving dirt around. The California Department of Water Resources hauled the soil from Bidwell Canyon last year when they were extending a low-water ramp.
Although the fields will be used mostly for soccer, they are multi-use sports fields, Buck said. People could play baseball, volleyball or even fly a kite on the fields.
The project was financed with $1,020,000 from the fund that came out of the relicensing the Lake Oroville dam, said Bob Marciniak, coordinator of the Supplemental Benefits Fund.
Water resources and the State Water Contractors set up the fund for projects to benefit the community outside of Federal Energy Regulatory Commission boundaries along the low-flow section of the Feather River.
Water levels and temperatures in the low-flow section of the river that flows through the city of Oroville and past the park were impacted after the dam was built to supply water to the State Water Project.
The sports fields are the first large project financed through the local fund.
"I was down there this morning, and it was good to see something is actually happening," Marciniak said.
Most of the money for Riverbend Park also came from DWR and the contractors as a goodwill gesture during relicensing.
The city and the park district partnered to fund the park with upfront relicensing money.
Shawn Rohrbacker of Land Image Landscape Architects said after the fields are leveled, the irrigation system will be installed
Originally, the park district planned to hydroseed the fields, which would take about a year to produce turf.
Now, after the fields have been graded and leveled, sod will be laid down that can be used for sports within a short period.
Land Image will maintain the turf for about a month, and the fields could be ready for use as early as June, he said.
In this first phase, about 27 parking spaces will be installed. In future phases, 200 parking spaces will be added.
The project timeline could be impacted by weather and other unpredictable things.
"This is the tentative schedule," Rohrbacker said. "Things could change."
Staff writer Mary Weston can be reached at 533-3135 or mweston@orovillemr.com
The fields will be ready for use later this summer.
Franklin Construction, Inc. had planned to erect safety netting fence Monday, but rocks underneath the soil resisted attempts to drive in metal stakes.
Although the fencing is going slower, the Feather River Recreation and Park District has started the project that has been the dream of many for about 20 years.
"We wanted to announce that the long-awaited project has started," said District Manager John Buck III. "But when people come into the park they need to be aware of the construction and be careful."
Buck asked people to drive cautiously while the fields are under construction at the north end of the park.
The area will be fenced off and a trail will be barricaded. Buck asked people not to go into the fenced off or barricaded areas.
When the fence is finished, crews will start moving dirt around. The California Department of Water Resources hauled the soil from Bidwell Canyon last year when they were extending a low-water ramp.
Although the fields will be used mostly for soccer, they are multi-use sports fields, Buck said. People could play baseball, volleyball or even fly a kite on the fields.
The project was financed with $1,020,000 from the fund that came out of the relicensing the Lake Oroville dam, said Bob Marciniak, coordinator of the Supplemental Benefits Fund.
Water resources and the State Water Contractors set up the fund for projects to benefit the community outside of Federal Energy Regulatory Commission boundaries along the low-flow section of the Feather River.
Water levels and temperatures in the low-flow section of the river that flows through the city of Oroville and past the park were impacted after the dam was built to supply water to the State Water Project.
The sports fields are the first large project financed through the local fund.
"I was down there this morning, and it was good to see something is actually happening," Marciniak said.
Most of the money for Riverbend Park also came from DWR and the contractors as a goodwill gesture during relicensing.
The city and the park district partnered to fund the park with upfront relicensing money.
Shawn Rohrbacker of Land Image Landscape Architects said after the fields are leveled, the irrigation system will be installed
Originally, the park district planned to hydroseed the fields, which would take about a year to produce turf.
Now, after the fields have been graded and leveled, sod will be laid down that can be used for sports within a short period.
Land Image will maintain the turf for about a month, and the fields could be ready for use as early as June, he said.
In this first phase, about 27 parking spaces will be installed. In future phases, 200 parking spaces will be added.
The project timeline could be impacted by weather and other unpredictable things.
"This is the tentative schedule," Rohrbacker said. "Things could change."
Staff writer Mary Weston can be reached at 533-3135 or mweston@orovillemr.com
Soccer field project begins at Riverbend Park
By MARY WESTON-Staff Writer
Posted: 03/22/2010 10:44:20 PM PDT
By MARY WESTON-Staff Writer
Posted: 03/22/2010 10:44:20 PM PDT
