Riverbend Park renovation

Riverbend Park, heavily damaged during the Oroville Dam spillway crisis, will be closed through July while undergoing flood damage restoration.

Phase 1 of the project, undertaken by the Feather River Recreation and Park District (FRRPD), will include terraforming the soccer fields and surrounding hills/berms, installing new turf and restoring water and power to park facilities.

FRRPD General Manager Randy Murphy (pictured) said what wasn’t damaged by the storm has been damaged by vandals. “It’s really been an ongoing nightmare, so it’ll be nice to get this done and back open for everybody,” he said.

Total costs are estimated at $7 million to $8 million, according to project manager Shawn Rohrbacker, of Melton Design Group. Insurance will cover most of the work, aside from a $250,000 deductible, which FRRPD intends to have the Federal Emergency Management Agency cover.