Oroville staff set Hewitt Park opening, publish draft rules for courts, pavilion and river access

Parks staff (S6) told the commission the city is targeting April 3 for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Hewitt Park and described draft park rules and operations for Hewitt and related facilities. "No fee to enter the park," S6 said, noting that staff plans to keep general admission free while charging for pavilion rentals and special uses.

S6 gave an overview of operating hours (6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday; 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday) and said phase 1 construction for Bedrock Park is currently estimated at about $1,000,000, which staff intends to pursue with grant funding. S6 also proposed first-come, first-serve access for pickleball courts, with limited reservation capability for pavilion rentals until the city develops online infrastructure.

Rules outlined by S6 include prohibitions on weapons, drugs, camping/overnight parking, glass containers, campfires, skateboards and on-court chairs; the picnic pavilion would allow charcoal only in that location. S6 described the splash pad requirements tied to Butte County Environmental Health, including signage and hygiene guidance. For organized events such as tournaments, staff said a special use permit is required and that the current fee is $100.

Commissioners asked for clarifications about enforcement and inclusivity. Several commissioners supported a "pickleball only" designation for the new courts to protect nets and playing surfaces and discussed time limits to ensure court turnover; the commission also debated how to define "kids-only" zones to avoid excluding disabled adults or teenage users. Staff said key-card access for courts would be expensive now; a card key for the restroom is more feasible in the short term.

Operational details: pavilion rental has been discussed at $50 for a three-hour period (staff to reassess cost recovery); staff proposed a refundable cleaning deposit for rentals and an income-based fee-waiver process (which staff said can take months to process). Staff said the city will post required environmental health notices in restrooms and that park rangers/volunteers will be used for park-watch efforts.

Next steps: staff requested direction on the draft rules, confirmed that Bedrock is in design and will return with design documents, and said staff will present permit and fee recommendations to council as appropriate.