Bidwell Park - Timeline

Timeline

• 1918 20 acre (81,000 m²) fish hatchery proposed
• 1920 (approx.) Golf course put in — 9 holes
• 1921 Forestry Station land added to Lower Park. Now the site of Cedar Grove, the Nature Center, and World of Trees
• 1921,1926 airfield near golf course proposed
• 1925 First clubhouse built at golf course
• 1926 Company G, 184th Infantry gets permission to construct rifle range
• 1932 Polo field proposed
• 1933 CCC winter camp building east of the golf course proposed
• 1934 Kennedy tract (walnut orchard) added to north side of Lower Park
• 1937 (and prior to) Horseshoe Lake reservoir in existence
• 1937 Sections of The Adventures of Robin Hood, starring Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland, were filmed in Lower Park
• 1939 Petersen Memorial Drive built by CCC
• 1940 Overnight campground proposed in northeastern end of park
• 1941 Military camping okayed
• 1942-45 Diversion Dam built (year uncertain)
• 1946 Archery area established by Glenn Archery Club
• 1947 25-year lease and improvements on Radar bombing site proposed
• 1949 Recreation District formed (CARD)
• 1950 Softball field moved to Hooker Oak area
• 1950 Water control dams on Chico Creek proposed
• 1951 Day Camp established by CARD and Chico Teachers College
• 1951 First mention of Easter Cross in BPPC minutes
• 1953 CDF Fire Station with 1.6 acres (6500 m²) proposed NW of Live Oak Grove (30 yrs)
• 1953 Horseback riding groups ask BPPC for arena site. Okayed, but no funds.
• 1953 Area near One Mile Dam leased to CARD for Sycamore baseball field.
• 1953 Chief Evans asks for site for Police pistol range
• 1953-54 Pistol range under construction
• 1954 Camp Fire Girls (now Camp Fire) dedicate Campfire Council Ring in Lower Park
• 1955 Local midget race car group builds 250 ft (76 m) long track in Live Oak Grove
• 1955 & 56 Bridge requested for private property access above Day Camp
• 1956 New rifle range requested for sole use of the National Guard, lease for 10 yrs
• 1957-58 CARD develops Hooker Oak area
• 1958 $25,000 fish ladder built. Ten dams in 300 ft (90 m) barrier
• 1958 Motorcycle club asks to further develop Live Oak Grove area
• 1959 Dam on Chico Creek (upper park) proposed
• 1963 PG&E claims it will cost $147,000 extra to bypass Bidwell Park with major power lines, plus $16,000/ year. BPPC votes 3-1 to put lines elsewhere
• 1964 PG&E power lines through upper park under construction
• 1965 Sycamore Bypass diversion channel built
• 1968 Chico Riding Club puts up arena
• 1970 Five Mile Dam Recreation Area dedication
• 1970 Caper Acres playground built
• 1971 Footbridge at golf course replaced after old one washed out by high waters in 1970
• 1972 Rod & Gun Club reports 77,300 targets used in 1971— possible cleanup of used skeet clay birds discussed
• 1972 Extensive discussion and study of closing South Park Dr. to cars
• 1972 Rifle range shade structures built
• 1973 Upper Park to be closed from 11:30 p.m. to 30 minutes before sunrise to reduce vandalism
• 1973 Trial period for dogs off leash in Lower and Upper Park starts
• 1974 CARD proposes tennis court construction at Hooker Oak as part of renovation and improvement plan. BPPC opposed. City Council tentatively approves.
• 1974 Park Commission votes to stop issuing wood-cutting permits for Bidwell Park
• 1974 Park Commission discusses instituting a city tree ordinance
• 1974 Park Commission meeting minutes mention using sheep for weed control in park
• 1974 Upper Park Road to be closed during wet weather at discretion of Park Superintendent
• 1975 Park Commission discusses fire hazard in Park due to undergrowth
• 1975 Banning of off-road vehicles on North Rim Trail discussed but no action taken
• 1976 Bird sanctuary proposed for Lower Park by deer pen
• 1976 Park Commission votes to close pistol range within 6 months
• 1977 Bidwell Park site (by Mangrove Ave) proposed for new city/county library
• 1979 Roller skating to be allowed in Lower Park
• 1979 Request to fly remote control planes in Horseshoe Lake area including creation of a takeoff/landing area
• 1979 North Rim road to be closed to vehicles in the winter months
• 1980 20-station Par Course approved for Lower Park
• 1981 Upper Park controlled burns start, with 1/5 of area to be burned each year
• 1981 Commission Minutes note that there is only one trash can in Upper Park, users are supposed to "Pack it out"
• 1982 Horse-drawn carriage tours proposed for Lower Park
• 1983 Golf Course leased to private concessionaire with Park Commission relinquishing control over golf course management
• 1983 Bocce ball courts proposed for Hooker Oak area
• 1983 1300 acorns planted along Upper Park Road on north side
• 1983 State Route 99 mural approved
• 1983 Job title for Bidwell Park's two Community Service Officers is changed to Park Ranger
• 1984 Park Department hires their first Urban Forester
• 1984 Upper Park annual controlled burns stopped
• 1985 Lost Park area surveyed and encroachments noted on maps
• 1985 Tree nursery started in 1.2 acre (4900 m²) Lower Park walnut orchard area
• 1986 North Park Dr. to become one-way westbound, open 11 a.m.-11 p.m.
• 1987 Extensive discussion regarding use of park for military training
• 1987 Discussion begins regarding feral cats in park
• 1989 Rod and Gun Club's rifle and trap shooting ranges close
• 1989 Golf course expanded and Upper Park Road realigned
• 1989 Unauthorized disc golf courses begin to develop on 40 acre (160,000 m²) Hwy 32 site.
• 1990 Shakespeare in the Park begins (D-Rock Is Born)
• 1990 Bidwell Park Master Management Plan (MMP) approved by City Council.
• 1992 1.5 mile (2.4 km) "B" Trail built by volunteers from east end of Rim Trail to Middle Trail
• 1992 0.4 mile (600 m) Canyon Oak Trail (later renamed Maidu) built by volunteers from Middle Trail near Parking Area E to Rim Trail.
• 1992 Realignment of Upper Park Road and Golf Course using Mitigated Negative Declaration.
• 1991 Bidwell Park Wildfire Management Plan.
• 1994 Chico General Plan approved. Bidwell Park, designated as a Resource Conservation Area (pg. 7-11).
• 1993 Purchase of 40 acre (160,000 m²) BLM site on Hwy 32
• 1995 Acquisition of 1417 acres (5.73 km²) on south side of Big Chico Creek.
• 1998-1999 Bloody Pin Trail rerouted and Guardians & Pine Trails built.
• 1998 Park Commission votes to 'Declare its intent to consider a proposal to allow disc golf to remain on the existing hwy.32 site"
• 1998 Annie Bidwell Trail proposed, to extend from Bidwell Mansion to end of Upper Park "within sight and sound of the creek".
• 1999 1500 acre (6.1 km²) backfire covers north side of Upper Park between road and park boundary..
• 1999 Bidwell Park Trails Manual approved, described as a "work in progress".
• 1999 Park Commission approves a motion to "Formulate a plan and perform necessary environmental review processes related to the consideration of allowing disc golf at the hwy. 32 site". Negotiations begin with Cal Trans regarding Hwy 32 access.
• 2000-2001 1.25 miles (2 km) of Yahi Trail relocated and/or rebuilt.
• 2001 Observatory built.
• 2002 Horseshoe Lake Fishing Pier built.
• 2002 GPS mapping of existing park trails and roads shows 40+ miles (60 km) of official and frequently used unofficial trails and road on the north side and 28 miles (45 km) on the south side.
• 2000-2002 Trail plan developed with 23 "Focus Areas", includes new creekside ABT pedestrian trail segments on the south side, new 1 mile (1.6 km) segment of South Rim trail, new trail from the North Rim Trail starting at the power lines to Bear Hole, a new trail from the eastern end of Lower Trail to Bear Hole, a new trail from the Middle Trail to the potential Day Camp area bridge site, a new trail from the junction of the B Trail and Middle Trail to Parking Area U at the end of the road, reroute of east end of Upper Trail and several reroutes of Yahi Trail between Bear Hole and Parking Area P.
• 2002 Bridges proposed above Day Camp and at the end of Upper Park Road.
• 2002 Boundary survey on south side shows that some park trails from disc golf area cross private property and may need to be rerouted.
• 2003 19 acre (77,000 m²) antimony, lead, copper and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons removal project planned for Horseshoe Lake and lead removal at former pistol range.
• 2003 Conceptual approval of observatory outdoor seating area & spotting pads, including realignment of the road to Parking Area C.
• 2003 Funding for update of Bidwell Park Master Management Plan and associated EIR approved by City Council.
• 2003 Conceptual approval of horse workout pen by Horse Arena.
• 2007 The Nico Project play area opened in Caper Acres
• 2008 Bidwell Park Commission votes to recommend disc golf stay at SR-32 site, with the site becoming more developed.
• 2008 At City Council meeting on 11-18, to consider the adoption of a new Master Management Plan, Chico city council voted 4-3 to approve restoration of SR-32 disc golf site to natural setting, with no further disc golf development or play allowed at SR-32 site. Also significant as a result of the Council vote to adopt the new Plan (5 -0 w/ two disqualified), the council removes the prioritization of the original requirements of the Bidwell Deed http://www.friendsofbidwellpark.org/deed.html, declaring the deed 'no longer legally binding'.
• 2009 City Council reverses decision to disallow the proposed disc golf courses in Upper Park, reinstating the 'Long Course', then allows the 'short course' a three year life span pending relocation at a later vote.