Park staff told the Bidwell Park and Playgrounds Commission they will prepare a prioritized one‑ to five‑year list of facilities projects and recommended updates to the bench‑donation policy, after commissioners raised questions about capacity, maintenance funding and alternatives for in‑park memorials.

Shane, the parks supervisor, said the commission’s directive is to identify immediate capital project priorities and to refine the facilities portion of the master management plan. Shane said he will circulate a draft priority list to commissioners before the next meeting and aims to present a finalized priority list early in the year so the commission can request capital projects funding.

On the bench donation policy, Shane told the commission that available installation space in the park is effectively exhausted and that maintenance responsibilities have grown. “There’s simply not any more room in the park to install,” he said, and staff are dealing with a backlog of maintenance expectations for previously donated benches. Commissioners and volunteers proposed alternatives such as personalized bricks, tree plantings in memoriam and a planned Caper Acres fence project that would accept purchased metal leaves as a lower‑impact memorial option. One commissioner asked that the updated policy use a single standardized plaque design and remove wording promising a balance of all park users’ needs, replacing it with protections for the park environment and visitor safety.

Staff also summarized operational items and recent work: the six‑month trial closure of Pearson Drive ended and council reverted the road to seven‑day vehicle access beginning at 11 a.m.; Butte County Public Health has submitted water samples from Big Chico Creek and expects results in November after turbidity conditions improved; the Iron Canyon fish ladder project completed a phase of road improvements with major construction expected in 2026–2027 depending on migratory season windows; an eucalyptus removal project completed with subsequent native restoration planned; and the department reported large volunteer engagement — “we average about 20,000 hours a year [of] volunteer service,” Shane said — including a recent cleanup that removed six tons of debris from the Nord–Rose corridor.

Commissioners asked staff to produce a clearer work plan for updating the master management plan’s facilities section, to share a draft priority list, and to circulate the proposed revisions to the bench donation policy for public and commission review.

The commission did not take a final vote on policy changes but directed staff to return with written proposals and options.