The Future of Panorama Park in Redding
Exciting developments are on the horizon for the City of Redding, as plans for Panorama Park and Community Resiliency Center move forward with substantial new funding and an enhanced vision for serving the community.
Exciting developments are on the horizon for the City of Redding, as plans for Panorama Park and Community Resiliency Center move forward with substantial new funding and an enhanced vision for serving the community. With the support of a $9.25 million grant from the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s Community Resilience Centers Program, Panorama Park is poised to become a one-of-a-kind destination for recreation and emergency support in Redding. Here's what residents can look forward to when this transformative project is complete.
A park that fosters community
Panorama Park will span over 10 acres, providing a wealth of amenities to the Northwest quadrant of Redding. Picture this: lush landscaping, scenic trails, a vibrant playground, a spacious sports field, and even a dedicated dog park. This community park is designed for everyone, from families looking for a fun day out to fitness enthusiasts ready to hit the trails. It will be a place where Redding residents can relax, play, and connect.
More than a recreation hub
At the heart of Panorama Park will be a 22,000+ square-foot Community Resiliency Center, a first-of-its-kind facility in Redding. During regular times, the center will be a bustling hub of recreational activities. Equipped with a public gymnasium, basketball courts, classroom spaces, restrooms, and a kitchen, the center will host community programs, sports events, and educational workshops.
But here’s where Panorama Park truly stands out: the center is designed to seamlessly transform into a critical emergency resource when disaster strikes. The grant funding will enable the center to be equipped with essential features like backup power, solar panels, showers, a fully functional kitchen, and extra storage. In times of crisis, it will provide shelter and vital services to residents who need them most.
Emergency preparedness
The need for a dedicated resiliency center became evident during the Carr Fire of 2018, a devastating event that displaced thousands of residents. At that time, evacuees had to rely on local schools, churches, and hotels for shelter, as Redding lacked a purpose-built emergency facility. This experience underscored the importance of having a centralized community center to provide support during emergencies. With the completion of the Community Resiliency Center, Redding will be much better prepared to care for its residents, offering a safe and well-equipped space for those affected by future disasters.
The funding that made it possible
Securing additional funds for this ambitious project was no small feat. In 2021, the City of Redding received an $8.5 million California State Parks grant, laying the groundwork for Panorama Park. The recent $9.25 million grant from the Community Resilience Centers Program, awarded to only five communities across the state in a highly competitive selection process, brings the city’s vision closer to reality.
“With the rise of construction costs over the last few years, this additional funding is critical to the success of the community’s original vision for Panorama Park,” says Community Services Director Travis Menne. “The proposed move to turn the designed recreation center into a community resiliency center only makes this project more valuable to the community.”
A vision for the future
Planning for Panorama Park is well underway, and construction is expected to begin in 2025. Once complete, this state-of-the-art facility will not only enhance the Redding Parks system but also provide peace of mind to residents, knowing that their community is prepared for emergencies. Beyond disaster readiness, the park and center will enrich daily life for locals, offering a place to play, learn, and come together.
Community members and visitors alike can look forward to a park that embodies both recreation and resilience, providing a model for how public spaces can be both enjoyable and functional in times of need.
Stay tuned for more updates as Redding continues to build a stronger, more resilient future for all.
Support Panorama Park on Giving Tuesday
This Giving Tuesday, the Redding Parks and Trails Foundation is launching a campaign to fund essential amenities for Panorama Park. Your contributions can directly support the purchase of:
Benches: $2,500 each
Trees: $500 each
Sports Equipment: Contributions starting at $50
Pickleball Nets: $3,000 each (4 needed)
Volleyball Nets: $5,000 each (2 needed)
By donating any amount, you can help provide these vital features, ensuring that Panorama Park is a welcoming and well-equipped space for all. Every contribution, no matter the size, brings the community closer to realizing this vision.
To participate in the Giving Tuesday campaign and make a donation, please click here or visit our Giving Tuesday campaign page here. Your support will make a lasting impact on the community, creating a space that fosters both recreation and resilience.
Vine & Dine 2024 Tickets On Sale April 1!
Vine & Dine for Parks 2024
Thursday May 9, 2024, 5:30–8pm
Redding City Hall!
Vine & Dine for Parks has grown into a vibrant community event that offers a unique opportunity to share the Foundation's mission and vision to raise essential funding for park, trail, and open space projects, and to highlight local chefs and restaurants.
This year’s event will feature delicious cuisine samples from 10 different local chefs for attendees to enjoy along with live music and fantastic ambience! Each food offering will be paired with a delicious wine provided by our Presenting Sponsor, Grocery Outlet of Redding. There will also be a couple of local craft beers for attendees to sample. A Silent Auction featuring incredible experiences, gift baskets, and unique items to bid on makes this evening event nothing short of extraordinary!
Early Bird Tickets: $55 ($10 off!): April 1–24 (includes tax & fees)
Regular Priced Tickets: $65: April 25–May 9 (includes tax & fees)
The 2024 Vine & Dine for Parks beneficiary will be the Reimaging South City Park Project! South City Park is a cherished Redding icon that has been shuttered for the last three years due to unsafe conditions. The project is now moving forward to the final design phase following extensive community engagement and City Council approval last year.
The Redding Parks & Trails Foundation is proud to partner with the City of Redding in seeking grant funding to finance this important project. Our partnership means we are committed to raising $20,000 this year!
We hope you will support the Reimagining South City Park Project at the 2024 Vine & Dine for Parks! It will be an extraordinary evening with fantastic food, wine, local craft beer, a silent auction, and the unbridled enthusiasm of passionate park supporters!
The Vine & Dine for Parks events have sold out ahead of the event date for the last 3 years and we hope to continue to build on this success in the coming years. Get your tickets today!
Upcoming Events
Bigfoot Adventure Challenge: April 1–May 31
Spring is the perfect time to explore our incredible north-state trail system, and the Bigfoot Adventure Challenge is the perfect way to have fun! Open to adults and kids, the Challenge is free to participate in. Discover some of the most exciting and challenging routes Bigfoot Country offers on your mountain bike, gravel bike, trail running shoes, or for juniors, any way you want. There is even a Dog Challenge this year!
Visit: bigfootadventurechallenge.com for more info.
What are you waiting for? Get outside and let the fun begin!
Shasta Bike Month Challenge: May 1–31
May is National Bike Month. It was started by the League of American Bicyclists in 1956 and is celebrated annually by cities nationwide. Every year since the early 2000s, the Shasta Bike Month Workgroup has hosted and coordinated the Shasta Bike Challenge from May 1–31 for anyone who lives or works in Shasta County.
Participants can sign up as individuals or join the Workplace Challenge and ride with their co-workers! There are multiple ways to win prizes and even more ways to have fun!
Visit lovetoride.net/shasta for more info and registration.
For the Love of Parks, Trails & Open Spaces!
The Redding Parks & Trails Foundation’s mission is to support a thriving system of parks, trails, and open spaces in the Redding community. We believe that in order to build healthy communities, we need parks, trails, and open spaces that are accessible to everyone.
Help make Redding’s outdoor spaces even better!
The Redding Parks & Trails Foundation’s mission is to support a thriving system of parks, trails, and open spaces in the Redding community. We believe that in order to build healthy communities, we need parks, trails, and open spaces that are accessible to everyone.
We’d love to hear what you LOVE about our parks, trails, and open spaces! Which are your favorites? How has access to these parks, trails, and open spaces impacted you and your family?
Please take some time to complete this 5-minute survey. Responses will be collected from the community through Sunday, March 31st, and the survey results will be shared with the public in April.
Upcoming Events You Might Enjoy!
Walking New Ground in 2024
The holidays are a fond memory, and we hope yours were both happy and healthy. January is the time of year when most of us make time to reflect on our health, work, and/or play in the previous year and make adjustments or reimagine priorities for the coming year—new year, new you!
The holidays are a fond memory, and we hope yours were both happy and healthy. January is the time of year when most of us make time to reflect on our health, work, and/or play in the previous year and make adjustments or reimagine priorities for the coming year—new year, new you!
As an organization, we find this a useful practice, and this past weekend, we held our annual retreat. Our Board of Directors spent time reflecting on our work in 2023 and engaging in meaningful strategic planning for the coming year.
The result? The Foundation’s Board of Directors committed to walking new ground in 2024 by advancing innovative ideas and strategies that we believe will expand our fundraising, outreach, and advocacy projects in order to better support a thriving system of parks, trails, and open spaces in our community.
And we’d LOVE to have you join us in these efforts! Check out the volunteer opportunities available as a Friend of the Foundation—together, we can make our parks, trails, and open spaces places where everyone can thrive!
As we look ahead to this new year, we want to express our deep gratitude to all of YOU—our donors and supporters—who have so faithfully given to our projects over the last six years. Your dollars have been used to directly enhance the Redding community by helping to expand our system of parks, trails, and open spaces for everyone to enjoy!
Happy New Year, everyone!
Remember—Winter Is for Walking & Biking!
Winter is actually a fantastic time to get out and walk or bike on your favorite routes or in new areas! Our trails, parks, and open spaces offer numerous options for people to enjoy, including Nur Pon Open Space, the historic Sacramento River Trail, Clover Creek, Lema Ranch, and Salt Creek. Our community is home to over 200 miles of trails, perfect for hiking and biking! But we shouldn’t forget that our city’s neighborhoods and downtown areas offer endless possibilities to walk and bike, inviting us to slow down, engage with neighbors and/or community members, view stunning murals up close, and gain new perspectives unavailable from a seat in a car.
Need a challenge to get you out the door? Check out Healthy Shasta’s 2024 Healthy Shasta Walks Passport. Healthy Shasta makes it easy to find motivation and explore new places with this fun challenge, which runs from January 1–February 29, 2024.
More good news: Redding’s downtown has continued to become more and more walkable and bikeable in the last couple of years, and it looks like that trend will continue in 2024:
The much anticipated Shasta Bike Depot is finally set to open in the coming month, joining their world-class bike share program already in progress—at the Depot and around town!
Each month on First Fridays, people walking and biking enjoy strolling downtown for art, shopping, and food! AND… Entertainment zones are now in the plans for the downtown area!
It looks like NOW is the perfect time to get in some walking and biking—on new trails or old familiar paths—and more fully enjoy all our community has to offer! See you outside!
— The Redding Parks & Trails Foundation
2023—It’s Been Quite a Year!
2023 has certainly been a bountiful year, and your support has meant that we have been able to positively impact our community by advancing our mission to support a thriving, vibrant system of parks, trails, and open spaces!
Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!
The Redding Parks & Trails Foundation Board of Directors would like to send our heartfelt thanks to all of YOU, our beloved supporters! 2023 has certainly been a bountiful year, and your support has meant that we have been able to positively impact our community by advancing our mission to support a thriving, vibrant system of parks, trails, and open spaces! We’d like to use this final newsletter of 2023 as a celebration of our collaborative efforts and wish you and your families a happy and healthy holiday season!
2023 Giving Tuesday
We are elated to report that our 2023 North State Giving Tuesday campaign was a fantastic success! We raised $8,220 for the purchase of a special feature for the new Redding Bike Park—helping to bridge the funding gap caused by the recent exponential rise in construction costs.
We are incredibly grateful for the $4,110 donated by donors like yourselves in this year’s campaign. As part of our commitment to have some skin in the game, the Foundation matched any donation made—dollar for dollar. Our goal was to raise $6,000 in donations matched by $6,000 from the Foundation so that we could purchase one of the large curved walls which cost $11,700. We are excited to be SO CLOSE to accomplishing that goal—only $1,500 to go!
Missed the campaign? It is still possible to donate to this effort by clicking HERE!
2023 Vine & Dine for Parks
Our 2023 Vine & Dine for Parks event was a wonderful success, raising just over $12,000 for the Adult Bike Pump Track at the new Redding Bike Park. The Bike Park project is part of the ongoing larger Caldwell Park Restoration Project (2022–present) and was, in fact, one of the driving factors behind the grant awarded to the City of Redding that enabled this large project to move forward. The Foundation was especially excited to raise these funds in collaboration with the Redding Trail Alliance who were instrumental in the design of the Redding Bike Park project and grant application.
Fiscal Sponsorships
In 2023, the Foundation provided fiscal sponsorship for these community-initiated park and trail ventures
Redding Pickleball Group | 2022–present
Future of Redding Trails (FORT) | 2023–present
Park & Trail Development Projects
This year, the Redding Parks & Trails Foundation provided ongoing support for both a revitalization and a park creation projects:
South City Revitalization Project
The Foundation is a partner in the revitalization grant submitted by the City of Redding. Grant awards are to be announced by early 2024.Panorama Park Creation Project
The Foundation continues to support this park creation project which was recently awarded a $9.25 million grant! Construction is expected to start in 2025.
Community Outreach
The Foundation is a longtime partner in the annual City of Redding Community Creek Clean-Up providing staffing to ensure a successful event each year.
The 2023 event held on October 1, 2023, was a huge success and resulted in the clean-up of a stretch of the Redding River Trail east of the Market Street bridge next to the new Redding Bike Park site.
The Foundation also was an active sponsor and participant in the 2023 Shasta Bike Month activities and outreach (May) and the 2023 Walktober events (October)!
We also continue to actively cheer and support the incredible efforts of Sandi Thompson who is single-handedly removing graffiti from our trails and parks!
Advocacy
The Foundation is a strong advocate for the preservation, restoration, and development of Redding’s parks, trails, and open spaces! As an organization, we look for opportunities to advocate for preserving natural spaces so that all members of our community have the chance to reap the physical and mental benefits of the outdoors.
In 2023, our monthly newsletters were designed to illuminate issues important to our community and our mission to advocate for our community. You can find them HERE.
Transitions
The Foundation also faced key transitions in the last half of 2023—both with our City partners and on our Board. The RPTF’s founder, Kim Niemer, retired from an incredible 27-year career as Redding’s Director of Community Services! The Redding Parks & Trails Foundation was part of Kim’s long-term vision to help fund parks, trails, and open space projects. In one of her last acts before leaving, Kim initiated the formation of an endowment for the long-term viability of the Foundation. We are so grateful to EVERYONE who contributed to this fund in honor of Kim Niemer! We look forward to growing it in the coming years!
Travis Menne was picked to succeed Kim as the Director of Community Services. He has worked closely with Kim over the past seven years as the Senior Projects Coordinator. In this role, he has also worked closely with the Foundation, and we are extremely excited to work with him moving forward!
The Board of Directors celebrated the efforts of two of our passionate, hard-working Board members who retired after serving over 6 years! Linda Masterson served as the first President and John Deaton served as the Foundation’s Secretary! Both left large shoes to fill!
The Foundation is very excited to introduce our two newest members: Patty Shackelton and Earnest Wilson, who bring incredible skills and a passion for parks, trails, and open spaces and for helping to improve the quality of life in our community!
Are you interested in joining a dynamic team dedicated to providing quality parks, trails, and open spaces that enhance the quality of life in our community? The Foundation would like to add 2–3 Board Members in 2024. Applications are available HERE!
Follow the Fun this Holiday Season!
Redding Garden of Lights Is Sure to Delight
This magical family event returns to Turtle Bay Arboretum! Opening November 17 through January 7.
Don’t Miss Redding’s Turkey Trot:
Thursday, November 23
Thanksgiving just isn’t Thanksgiving without walking or running in the annual Turkey Trot! Grab your friends, coworkers, or family, and support this fun and festive community event.
Join Turtle Bay’s 1st Annual Jingle Bell Fun Run on December 2
Here are two activities to brighten your holiday season: a fun run/walk and viewing the Garden of Lights!
Join Turtle Bay for the 1st Annual Jingle Bell Fun Run, happening on Saturday, December 2 beginning at 4 pm! This new local family-friendly fun run will help you jingle all the way into the holiday season! Participants will don bells and run/walk a 2-mile course, starting at the Sundial Bridge and ending in the Garden of Lights, where they will get to enjoy all the food, drink, and festivities available.
Garden of Lights admission is included with the registration fee. All proceeds support the education programs, exhibitions, and animals at Turtle Bay.
If you have any questions or need assistance registering, please email Special Events at develop@turtlebay.org or call 530.242.3130.
Winter Wheelers Is a Fun Winter Challenge for Everyone
Take part in this personal challenge by hopping on your bike as much as you can this winter. Each day you ride your bike from December 1–25, you’ll be entered into daily prize drawings through Love to Ride (use Love to Ride App or connect through Strava). You’ll receive personalized messages to encourage you to ride even when the days are shorter. You’ll also have access to courses, tips, and informative articles to help you boost your biking knowledge.
This is an all-inclusive nationwide challenge that welcomes both seasoned riders and those who haven’t been on a bike in years. There is no minimum requirement or goal, it’s about challenging yourself to go for a spin (of one mile or more) as much as you can this December. Warm up with a ride on these cold days!
Here's how to get involved:
Register for free at lovetoride.net/shasta
Log your bike rides before midnight to enter the daily prize drawings
Invite others to take part for more chances to win!
Bicycling With Traffic Workshop:
November–December 2023
Want to ride your bike around town but are nervous about riding in traffic? Come build your confidence in this two-part workshop by learning tips and techniques for comfortable bicycling, practicing street skills, learning to change a tire, and riding with others.
Passing the Torch
GRATITUDE is the theme this month and it perfectly reflects the feelings of the entire Board of Directors as we watch the passing of the torch—both with our City partners and within our organization.
Happy November everyone!
GRATITUDE is the theme this month and it perfectly reflects the feelings of the entire Board of Directors as we watch the passing of the torch—both with our City partners and within our organization. We are celebrating the outstanding work and efforts of three exceptional people who have played fundamental roles in the establishment and success of the Redding Parks & Trails Foundation. At the same time, we are excited to introduce you to three very talented individuals who will be stepping into their shoes! Legacies are meeting the future, and both are shining bright!
Seismic Shift in Our City Partners: Kim Niemer Passes the Torch!
In 2017, Kim founded the Redding Parks & Trails Foundation and has worked closely with the Board over the past seven years. At the end of October, she retired from her 27-year career with the City of Redding, 23 years as Director of Community Services. Kim leaves an incredible legacy in our community. Her vision for developing a vibrant, thriving system of parks, trails, and open spaces was instrumental in getting so many large and small projects not only off the ground but completed—resulting in a healthier, more accessible, and sustainable community for everyone. Her determination to build a collaborative spirit across public-private entities has resulted in major improvements in park, trail, and open space infrastructure AND partnerships that will continue to enrich our community for years to come.
Often parks, trails, and open spaces are underfunded in City budgets and/or are cut first when revenue tightens. The Redding Parks & Trails Foundation was part of Kim’s long-term vision to help fund parks, trails, and open space projects, both those that were part of the City’s Parks and Recreation Division AND those that were community-initiated. Her vision proved to be successful. In six years (two of which were limited by the pandemic), the Foundation has raised over $80,000 in direct funding for five different local park, trail, or open space projects!
Travis Menne Is Ready to Step Up!
Travis Menne was picked to succeed Kim as the Director of Community Services. He has worked closely with Kim over the past seven years as the Senior Projects Coordinator. In this role, he has also worked closely with the Foundation, and we are extremely excited to work with him moving forward! Travis brings a wide-ranging skill set as well as a strong passion for parks, trails, and open spaces and making our community better for everyone!
Travis landed in Redding early in life and graduated from high school here before leaving for college. Menne obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in History from California State University, Chico, and a Master’s Degree in Public History from California State University, Sacramento. He returned to Redding after completing graduate school. He spent a little over a decade in construction, including several national parks: Yosemite, Crater Lake, Fort Vancouver, and the Lewis & Clark National Monument. Those opportunities gave him a segue into the parks world and cemented his love for beautiful, treasured public spaces. The Foundation is extremely proud of him AND excited about moving into the future with him!
RPTF Board of Directors Celebrate Past & Future Members!
The Foundation is facing our first major transition in the makeup of our Board of Directors since our founding, and we are both grateful for what has been and excited for a future with new opportunities and relationships!
We are extremely grateful for the efforts, enthusiasm, and expertise of two exceptional people, Linda Masterson and John Deaton, both of whom have served on the Foundation Board since its formation in 2017. Both Linda and John are passionate about our parks, trails, and open spaces and are dedicated to making our community better!
Linda Masterson served as President from 2017 until 2020 and has continued in different roles as a Board member for the last 3 years. She has been a vital, tireless member of the Foundation whose attention to detail and ability to collaborate and organize has been key to our success and the establishment of important partnerships and relationships.
John Deaton served as our Secretary since 2017. His energy and enthusiasm for his role have made all aspects of running the Foundation run smoothly. The Foundation has greatly benefitted from his attention to detail and organizational skills as well as his willingness to do whatever was needed with a smile!
New Board Members Are Passionate Park, Trail & Open Space Advocates!
The Foundation is VERY excited to welcome two new Board Members, Ernest Wilson and Patty Shackleton, both of whom bring depths of knowledge and a wide range of experience!
Ernest Wilson is a local small business owner and consultant in the heavy civil construction industry. He holds a BA in Business Administration and has a wealth of knowledge of construction, contracts, budgeting, efficiently executing tasks, and meeting deadlines. Ernest says he looks forward to being part of something that improves the quality of life in our community and attracts visitors to support our local economy.
Patty Shackleton holds a BS in Nursing and a Masters in both Public Health and Health Education. She served as a program manager and policy analyst for the U.S. Army Medical Department. She is an avid cyclist and trail runner and has been involved in local policy discussions and events supporting cycling trends, safety concerns, and future planning for non-vehicle mobility. Patty says she is excited to work toward making our community a trail and recreation destination for visitors and residents alike!
Enjoy this season of gratitude!
November Community Offerings
Redding’s Garden of Lights Set to Delight!
This magical family event returns to the Turtle Bay Arboretum! Opening November 17 through January 7.
Redding’s Turkey Trot: Thursday, November 23rd
Thanksgiving just isn’t Thanksgiving without walking or running in the annual Turkey Trot! Grab friends, coworkers, or family and support this fun and festive community event!
North State Giving Tuesday Offers Opportunity to Give Where You Live!
Join the North State community on Tuesday, November 28, from 6 am to 8 pm! Early Giving starts November 14!
Check out the 2023 Redding Parks & Trails Foundation “Bridge the Gap” Campaign HERE.
Unleashing the Power of a Bike Park!
Here’s the Dirt: the Redding Bike Park is finally becoming a reality!
The concept of building a Bike Park in Redding has been around for years, an idea driven by many passionate groups and individuals. However, the funding needed to make it a reality remained elusive. In 2020, the City of Redding applied for and was awarded a $6.7 million Statewide Park Development Grant for the revitalization of Caldwell Park (a beloved space that turned 60 in 2022!). A portion of this grant was designated for building a Bike Park, making the dreams of so many finally come true! "The [Bike Park] project is especially beneficial to the community in that the selected features are the direct result of the community engagement process, grassroots initiatives and non-profit partners including the Redding Trail Alliance, Redding Parks & Trails Foundation, and Skate Movement” (2020 City of Redding FB post).
Fast Forward to 2023
The City of Redding’s reputation as a biking community continues to grow, with hundreds of miles of trails, bike lanes, multiple bike shops, bike events, a high school mountain bike team, a brand new Bike Share program, and more. This new Bike Park is meant to complement our trail system and offer a progressive training ground for users to build their skills. It will be a sustainable recreation facility with broad appeal and the first of its kind in the north state region.
In the past two months, the dirt started flying and a new pump track for youth and adult mountain bike riders of all levels is rapidly taking shape. It’s been designed, sculpted, and packed by the talented trail builders from the Redding Trail Alliance, creating a world class track for mountain bike riders of all levels to hone their skills and have fun!
Last weekend the 150 volunteers who came out for the 2023 Community Clean-Up (an annual event sponsored by the Redding Parks & Trails Foundation) cleared out 2 tons (4000 lbs.) of garbage and chipped 100 yards of vegetation in the area between the Bike Park and the river. This effort drastically improved the visual appeal of this section of the trail and the entire Bike Park space.
In the coming months, construction on the final part of the Bike Park (next to the Pump Track) is set to begin. This phase will offer a Drop Zone, Beginner-Intermediate-Advanced Jump Lines and a Skills Trail. There will be 21 distinct, robust features with 6 different types of ramps and jumps. Once the Redding Bike Park is completed, our identity as a Bike Town will be further solidified!
That’s AWESOME for biking enthusiasts, but how can a Bike Park add value to a community?
Often when people talk about building mountain bike trails or pump tracks, they talk about how much fun people can have riding them or they talk about the qualitative benefits of a tourism and community strategy that involves cycling infrastructure. But the broader quantitative benefits are often understated. Data from communities across the country are demonstrating that these tracks and trails have turned out to be an essential aspect of their strategy for building a positive, prosperous, sustainable community for everyone to enjoy and benefit from.
Consider the following factors revealed in this data:
The economic impact when a community uses these trails and parks in their strategic planning:
Communities report substantial economic benefits due to increased tourism and higher livability scores attracting new people to their community.The obvious and not-so-obvious health benefits of getting outside and exercising:
People are actively seeking livable, walkable, bikeable places to live, in greater numbers than ever seen before.Boost in skills growth by people using these facilities that are designed for all levels and ages:
Athletes and recreational users alike benefit from these opportunities to learn and grow leading them to more confidently use local trails.Mountain bike trails and pump tracks offer a safe, accessible space for a diverse group of people of all ages and abilities:
By creating a sense of belonging and ownership, you dramatically improve the quality of life in the community.
We are so lucky to live in an area with extreme natural beauty and resources. Over 200 miles of hiking and biking trails have been developed and acres of open spaces are protected, allowing both community members and visitors to experience nature at its best. Adding this well-designed, purposefully planned bike facility to our community portfolio is not an expenditure. It is an investment with a quantifiable, positive return for our entire community.
The Boulder in the Road: a $200,000 Funding Gap!
The grant funding for this project that was applied for (2019) and awarded (2020) was designed to cover ALL of the costs of construction. Unfortunately, since 2020, construction costs have skyrocketed, making community support and fundraising a necessity to bridge the $200,000 funding gap needed to complete this project. Communities across the country are facing similar situations in park and trail projects—despite their community members clamoring for more of them!
The Foundation understands this new reality and has stepped up our fundraising efforts to help bridge funding gaps for important community projects like this one.
In May (2023) we became a Blue Square ($10,000) sponsor of the Redding Bike Park project in collaboration with Redding Trail Alliance’s fundraising efforts to bridge the $200,000 funding gap in the Bike Park project.
To add to these efforts, the Foundation has dedicated our 2023 North State Giving Tuesday Campaign to the purchase of one of the jump features needed to complete the next phase ($12,000) and will provide matching funds to reach this worthy goal.
We hope you will join us in supporting this worthwhile project!
Keeping Our “Community Heart” Beating Strong
Fall is almost here, and with cooler temps, it’s much easier to enjoy walking and biking around town and on our local trails! That sentiment is reflected in the number of people who can be found enjoying our parks and vast trail network—relieved that the hottest days are behind us! Many of us swear that the heartbeat of this community—that foundational element of this unique place—can be felt most intensely when walking, biking, or scootering along the beautiful Sacramento River surrounded by other people—our community—enjoying the sights, sounds, and smells of this incredible natural landscape.
Redding has been steadily gaining a reputation as a place for awesome recreation experiences. Visit Redding is doing a bang-up job curating Redding as a destination to enjoy (with a cool downtown, safe walkable and bikeable trails, great restaurants and breweries, and vibrant shops) rather than just somewhere to get through. Our community has over 250 miles of trails, 2 large beautiful lakes within 20 minutes, Lassen National Park and beautiful Mt. Shasta within an hour, and 44 local parks within the city limits to enjoy. As Redding’s community assets are shared, discovered, and revisited, growth is bound to follow and a recent report confirms that this is indeed happening!
How can we keep our “community heart” strong as we grow?
One of the biggest negatives felt in towns and cities as they experience growth is the loss of connection and sense of community. Typical sprawling growth design means neighborhoods get stretched further apart and further away from the heart or core assets of their community, weakening the tether that binds a community together. That disconnection will rip the fabric of any community when all of its members are no longer able to easily access those assets. The importance of designing connectivity between neighborhoods and supporting easy access to the community’s assets from those neighborhoods—using a variety of transportation options—is gaining traction across our country. This multimodal infrastructure concept is directly linked to creating, enhancing, and ensuring a seamless community experience for everyone.
The key to going multimodal is not just building specific separate spots for cars, buses, rail, bicycles, or walking, but designing a coordinated system that incorporates various modes of transportation. Because transportation and land use patterns are inextricably linked and have the power to shape development, influence property values, and determine a neighborhood's character and quality of life, creating infrastructure that provides a multimodal approach is essential to enhancing the overall livability and vitality of a community. A system that provides expanded access to assets and a variety of mobility options for ALL people within a community, helps keep the heart of that community beating as growth occurs. It also simultaneously improves public health and safety and boosts their local economies. In other words, this investment pays a multitude of dividends.
Is Redding building the infrastructure needed for a more multimodal approach?
YES! It feels like we are on the right road to embracing and building a fully multimodal transportation system. Over the past 15 years, our City has built the core infrastructure for an ever-growing trail network centered around the Sacramento River, expanded green streets on local roadways, created numerous additional trail connections between new developments and community assets, and have or are in the process of building new park and open spaces for community members and visitors to enjoy. Organizations like Shasta Living Streets have been urging the adoption of this multimodal infrastructure concept for many years, and they now offer the only E-Bike Share Program between the Bay Area and Portland! Recent collaboration between numerous stakeholders has resulted in a revitalized downtown that is more walkable, bikeable, accessible, and enjoyable!
AND…our City’s new DRAFT General Plan 2023–2045 indicates that our policy going forward will be one that is committed to preserving and enhancing that thing that makes us grateful to live, work, and play in the north state: our community connectivity!
“Community design direction included in the General Plan will strive to ensure that all new development connects to existing paths, trails, and roadways where reasonable. An important feature of all new development is that the street improvements accommodate all modes of travel by what is known as development of “Complete Streets."
Among the concepts for modifications to the City’s roadway are:
Expanded use of roundabouts at appropriate locations
Reducing arterial street right-of-way widths where analyses indicate that currently planned improvements are not warranted
Addressing long-term street maintenance needs
Ensuring adequate bicycle, pedestrian, bus, and similar multimodal facilities can be accommodated
Each of us can play a role in supporting ongoing efforts to expand and strengthen multimodal infrastructure by voicing our opinions with our elected leaders and supporting local non-profits working in these areas.
Be sure to GET OUT this fall and feel the strength of Redding’s heartbeat by walking, biking, or scooting with your family, coworkers, and friends on a trail, bikeway, park, or open space—it’s what WE DO here in the north state!
Cooling Down Those HOT August Nights!
North State summer living requires the discipline of keeping your cool—in the heat of the day and often—especially in August—during the night! By the end of June, as summer truly begins, most of us will have become experts at finding ways to keep ourselves cool as we go about our lives. As the summer advances and the thermometer rises…and rises some more…it is imperative to have fully developed strategies and practices to reduce the effects of heat on our bodies, in our homes, AND within our community!
This summer, rising temperatures and prolonged heat spells are once again making headlines, not only here in Redding, but around the nation and the globe. It’s becoming more and more apparent that excessive heat is very dangerous to the health and well-being of humans, plants, and animals.
Heat is exacerbated in areas with dense population, large amounts of blacktop roadways, and concrete buildings. Studies have shown that the temperatures in cities can be 1 –3 °C higher than average rural temperatures. This is known as the urban heat island effect and occurs because buildings, roads, and other hard surfaces absorb and store more heat compared to surrounding areas.
What helps to mitigate the heat island effect?
It turns out that the more trees and natural spaces we have within our community, the cooler we will be! Green cover and open spaces help to balance the temperatures in cities and towns, counteracting urban heat. Trees and other tall vegetation provide shade, and cool and clean the air through the process of evapotranspiration. For some locations, it has been estimated that evapotranspiration can reduce peak summer temperatures by 5 °C. Here in the north state, you can test this phenomenon when you visit different neighborhoods, different parts of town, or even different areas of your yard. You can literally feel a difference in temperature depending on how much green cover there is!
How can our community counteract the heat island effect so that everyone is healthier and cooler?
Many places around the country are adopting these five main strategies to help turn down the heat:
Increasing tree and vegetative cover by investing in park, trail, and open space development
Installing green, cool, or reflective roofs
Enforcing a robust tree ordinance that preserves and promotes increased tree coverage
Using cool pavements (either reflective or permeable)
Utilizing smart growth practices
We are lucky that our city’s Community Services Department is committed to expanding our community’s green cover and open spaces to help us mitigate heat island effects in our community through park and trail development projects. They have been working tirelessly to win grant funding and establish private/public partnerships to secure funding for numerous recent, ongoing, and future projects including Salt Creek Heights, Shastina Ranch, Cumberland Park, Panorama Park, Caldwell Park Expansion, and South City Park.
The Redding Parks & Trails Foundation is committed to working with the City of Redding Community Services Department to support and expand our parks, trails, and open spaces as a strategy to help decrease the impact of heat island effects and provide cooling spaces for our community.
We hope you will stay cool this August—AND join us in advocating and supporting efforts to expand our community’s investment in green infrastructure for the benefit of our entire community!
Slipping into Summer Has Never Been More Fun with These COOL Opportunities!
Not sure how to spend your time outdoors this summer? We’ve got you covered! Here are 5 great tips for getting the most out of Redding’s famous sunshine.
#1
Take a bike ride downtown using a new pedal-assist bike from the new Bike Share Program offered by Shasta Living Streets. This is a FUN way to explore Downtown Redding and the River Trail without your car!
#2
Stay COOL by taking a trip to Whiskeytown National Recreation Area on the Beach Bus offered by the Shasta Regional Transportation Agency and RABA. The lake is the jewel of our area with cool, clear water to enjoy even on our hottest days!
#3
Make walking part of your summer activities! Healthy Shasta offers great suggestions for walks around town or on one of the many trails around Shasta County! Visit their Healthy Shasta Walks page to get started.
#4
Sip and shop downtown Redding on First Fridays! Viva Downtown sponsors these monthly offerings, and they are a perfect way to enjoy a summer evening!
#5
Redding is fast becoming known as a TRAIL TOWN with over 200 miles of trails for mountain bikers. Summer is a perfect time to check out some or all of the trails in our area. Grab your bike and ride Redding your way! Check out Visit Redding’s Trails & Biking Page to get started.
A Story of Hard Work, Success, and the Power of Giving Back
This June, Grocery Outlet Bargain Market will celebrate 43 years of business in Redding.
At 17, Ron Davis Jr. helped pack up his Mom and siblings and move south to Redding to join his Dad, who had just opened a Grocery Outlet store in an old lumber warehouse that looked like a barn on Hwy 273. The building had 11,500 sq ft of oak plank flooring. Ron remembers long days sanding every inch, then sealing it. For the next 35 years, father and son worked in partnership to successfully run and grow their business.
Ron Davis, Jr.
In 1997, the original Grocery Outlet store moved to the current Churn Creek location. In 2019, Ron, along with his daughter Tabitha and son Ron III, opened a second store on Eureka Way. This June, they will celebrate 43 years of business in Redding. Ron loves living and shopping locally in the Redding community. He also loves giving back to the community that has given so much to him.
The Redding Parks and Trails Foundation has been an independent 501c3 non-profit organization since 2017. Our mission is to enhance the Redding community by supporting a thriving, vibrant system of parks, trails, and open spaces. We support projects and public places managed by the City of Redding Community Services Department, as well as trails and recreation-related projects that are initiated by the community.
Our signature fundraiser, Vine and Dine for Parks, was created to raise funds every year for a worthy project. The event features local Chefs preparing samples of their signature dishes for event attendees. Each sample is paired with a different wine generously donated by Redding Grocery Outlets to further enhance the experience. The event also features a Silent Auction and music. The Foundation is committed to raising at least $15,000 annually through this event.
We needed a generous underwriter to help offset event costs to meet this fundraising goal. The Foundation is incredibly grateful for its partnership with Ron Davis Jr.. Since 2016, Redding Grocery Outlet has been the event sponsor and a strategic partner in raising over $50,000 to support the following projects: Kids Kingdom 2.0 (2016), the Jr. Bike Park in Caldwell Park (2018), the Pickleball Court Expansion at Enterprise Park (2019), and the Cumberland Park Playground Project (2022). This year’s event, the 2023 Vine and Dine for Parks, is raising money for the new destination Redding Bike Park, part of the 2022 Caldwell Park Expansion Project.
Ron’s philosophy is simple. He believes “any business that the community supports should find ways to give back to the community.“ Ron understands the power of community parks, trails, and open spaces. He feels these assets produce tangible health, social, and well-being benefits for all ages, especially kids. His continued generous support of Vine and Dine for Parks reflects his commitment to doing whatever he can to beautify our community and offer safe, fun places to enjoy, not just for his six children and 13 grandchildren, but for everyone.
So, when you shop at a Redding Grocery Outlet store, you will find high-quality food, beer, wine, produce, deli, health and beauty, general merchandise and fresh meat at great prices and support a local business passionate about improving our community!
In Search of the Best Deal: Got Parks?
We spend a lot of our time looking for the best “deal“ to enhance our lives. You know what I’m talking about—that one “thing” with the most value for the buck—a new vehicle, the food we eat, health insurance, gym membership, our children’s education, the family home. As individuals we constantly define and prioritize the “value” of the things we need to make ends meet and the things we want/need to enhance our lives.
On a community level, elected officials and city leadership are tasked with finding the best “deals” for an entire community. As they determine how to spend limited taxpayer monies they must weigh their answers to questions like these: What are the “must-have” necessities? What are simply amenities? What helps economic development? What brings in tourist dollars? What enhances the health, safety, and lives of everyone living in the community? What reaps the biggest dividends? It is certainly a daunting task to have to address the needs of people across diverse demographics, a task made even more difficult when you must prioritize them—assign a value—for funding within slim margins.
As community members, how would we answer those questions? What should we be investing in as a community that provides the biggest benefits for the most people? What gives all of us the biggest bang for our buck—not just now or in the next year—but 50 years in the future? The answers we come up with will help us advocate for the heart and soul of our community and help inform our elected officials what their constituents value most.
Our answer? We believe the best value Redding can give its citizens are our parks and trail system! This answer isn’t just because we are the Redding Parks and Trails Foundation. Communities across the country are realizing that investing in core park infrastructure brings them a huge return on their investment. These benefits cut across diverse demographics and socio-economic levels. Current research demonstrates that investing in parks helps create healthy, resilient, economically viable communities—not just in the short term, but for the long haul.
A cyclist rides on the Sacramento River Trail in Redding, Calif.
Ironically, the value of a park to a community is not a new idea! Fredrick Law Olmstead—the designer of New York’s Central Park and San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park—and other 19th century visionaries believed and preached that parks were not just amenities but necessities, providing recreation, inspiration, and essential respite from city ills. They could see that America was on the cusp of great change – moving from our beginnings as a rural, agricultural nation to one that was 85% urban centered. This meant that people would no longer reap the benefits of being surrounded by nature. People like Olmstead believed that large parks in cities could bring these benefits back to the people who lived in these new urban areas and should be available to all residents. Their efforts in creating large parks in cities across America was rooted in their belief and understanding that they were shaping the quality of life for America’s citizens for generations to come.
However, as populations shifted to the suburbs after World War II, this belief that parks offered significant value to communities faded. It was replaced with the idea that parks were simply nice features that had nothing to do with the viability of a community, an idea that resulted in many cities losing the resources to create new parks or revitalize existing ones. In many places today, parks continue to remain a low priority to fund with taxpayer dollars.
Recent studies are helping to change that mindset and communities and people are benefiting! This research demonstrates that parks bring social, environmental, economic, and health benefits that directly influence the health and vitality of a city:
Better Health Outcomes: Parks and open spaces improve overall physical and psychological health for residents of all ages
Stronger Community Bonds: Parks provide a common play space that allows for the development of social interactions and warmer relationships across diverse demographics.
Increased Tourism: Parks attract tourists, filling hotel rooms and bringing customers to local stores and restaurants.
Effective Marketing tool: As community signature pieces, parks offer a marketing tool for cities to attract businesses and conventions leading to economic development.
Economic Development Driver: Parks enhance property values, increase municipal revenue, bring in homebuyers and workers, and attract retirees
Enhanced Ecosystem Vitality: Green space in urban areas provides substantial ecosystem services. The U.S. Forest Service calculated that over a 50-year lifetime, one tree generates $31,250 worth of oxygen, provides $62,000 worth of air pollution control, recycles $37,500 worth of water, and controls $31,250 worth of soil erosion.
Reduced Stormwater Management Costs: Incorporating trees and parks into a city’s infrastructure can decrease the necessary size of the city’s stormwater management system because a park’s trees store water, reducing the rate at which it flows into a city’s stormwater treatment facilities.
We are lucky to live in Redding, a community that clearly values parks! The City of Redding supports 41 parks, over 200 miles of trails, and numerous open spaces, resulting in a higher quality of life for all our residents. This hasn’t just been a fluke. It has taken vision, hard work, and a deep understanding that parks, open spaces, and trails are a necessity—a core infrastructure investment—that is vital to building healthy, resilient, growing communities, places any of us would want to call “home”!
Cyclists ride on the Sacramento River Trail in Redding, Calif.
Got PARKS?
Congratulations! You’ve found the best deal of all!
Resources
Falling in Love….with Redding’s Trails!
Redding’s trail system is quickly establishing not just a local reputation BUT a national one - for the breadth, depth, and high quality of our trails for walking and biking.
Redding’s trail system is quickly establishing not just a local reputation BUT a national one - for the breadth, depth, and high quality of our trails for walking and biking. This is thanks to the monumental and sustained efforts of federal land managers, local government, and local organizations over the last 25 years who have put their heart and soul into building over 80 miles of paved and dirt trails within the City limits. When you add the trails in the greater Redding area, that total exceeds over 200 miles….and counting! The hub of our trail system is the nationally recognized Sacramento River Trail, which was designated as a National Recreation Trail by the U.S. Department of the Interior in May of 2002.
What’s to love about a robust community trail system?
Trails provide a safe, inexpensive avenue for regular exercise for people living in rural, urban and suburban areas. Walking or biking on trails will do your heart and your health good!
Communities with trails provide enjoyable and safe options for transportation, which reduces air pollution.
Trails have the ability to physically connect different and important elements of nature in a city, provide biological connections and habitat linkages, and also to create important spaces for bringing people together.
Here in Redding, trails are at the heart of our community identity. Our trail system is part of a well designed community infrastructure plan that allows residents and visitors to enjoy the obvious recreational aspects of the trail network and to provide us the opportunity to get out of our cars and use non-motorized methods to commute to school or work, reach major retail and recreation destinations, or ride to the nearby Whiskeytown or Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Areas.
Our community’s love of trails isn’t slowing down. New trails are continuing to be built and planned by the City of Redding’s Parks and Recreation Department and through public private partnerships and collaborations. The Redding Parks and Trails Foundation has and will continue to act as a fiscal sponsor to support new trail construction. Watch for more updates and ways you can help in these efforts!
This February - and beyond! - make your heart happy by exploring our local trail system with someone you love, on your bike or with your own two feet!
Need a map?
City of Redding Trail Map; https://redding.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=640c661a7b4a4ffc9e207c0ccdf330a2
Healthy Shasta Trail Maps: https://healthyshasta.org/maps/
LOVE a challenge?
Join the Healthy Shasta Walks Passport Challenge
Join the 52 Hike Challenge:
https://www.52hikechallenge.com/products/2023-52-hike-challenge-free-signup
Access to Natural Open Spaces Helps Build Healthy Communities
Natural open spaces that are accessible to everyone are vital to building healthy communities. Learn more about what we do to preserve, restore and revitalize parks, trails, and open spaces in our community.
Open, undeveloped, natural spaces on the Sacramento River within the Redding city limits are few and far between. They are islands of untouched habitat, vital to the health of our local watershed ecosystem and all the flora and fauna that depend on it. Wild open spaces where citizens can surround themselves with nature offer often unrecognized health benefits (mental and physical) to local residents and visitors alike and they are spaces worth saving!
The Foundation has been involved with the preservation, restoration and revitalization of one of these natural, open spaces over the past several years in collaboration with the City of Redding and other partners. Called “Henderson Open Space” for many years, this unique area holds many historical artifacts within its boundaries. As part of this restoration process, its name was changed to Nur Pon Open Space which means “salmon run” in the Winnemem Wintu language, honoring the local indigenous people who lived in this area.
Nur Pon is home to a variety of habitats, including oak woodlands, grasslands, and wetlands. It is a popular destination for nature enthusiasts, birdwatchers, and hikers. The area features a diverse array of plant and animal life, including many species of birds, butterflies, and mammals. As part of the revitalization efforts, a new fish channel was dredged to provide a protected area for salmon to spawn.
Nur Pon Open Space is truly a hidden gem located along the Sacramento River. Nestled in the heart of the city, this peaceful oasis is a must-visit destination for anyone looking to escape the city and experience the beauty and healing powers of nature.
One of the highlights of Nur Pon Open Space is the Wetlands Interpretive Trail, which offers visitors the opportunity to learn about the importance of wetlands and their role in the ecosystem. The trail features interactive exhibits and informative signage, making it an educational and enjoyable experience for all ages. The area also includes a network of hiking trails that wind through the various habitats. The trails are well-maintained and offer a variety of terrain, making them suitable for hikers of all abilities.
Visitors to Nur Pon Open Space can enjoy a picnic on one of the picnic tables or take a break and relax on a bench while enjoying the peaceful surroundings. There are many new bridges throughout the area, a kayak launch and public restroom. The area is a designated off leash dog area.
Natural open spaces that are accessible to everyone are vital to building healthy communities. The Redding Parks and Trails Foundation will continue to look for opportunities to preserve, restore, and revitalize parks, trails, and open spaces in our community!