We are happy to announce that with the voter approved California State Proposition 40 Funding the Magnolia Sports Complex Multi-purpose Field will break ground this June, 2010. This synthetic turf field will support youth soccer up to U19 and other field sports and includes a baseball diamond. The area will be landscaped and fenced. This will nearly complete the Magnolia Sports Complex. A Phase II project is in the planning stage to improve the access road, add restrooms and a snack shop. The field and its amenities will be available to our local sports groups and the school district. The district looks forward to facilitating its usage!

Our primary focus has been offering our community enrichment programs in our bi-annual Fall/Winter and Spring/Summer Activity Guides. To that end the District continues to be very successful. We offer our youth winter basketball league as our largest recreational program with over 300 2nd through 8th grade and high school students participating every year in this fun recreational league with volunteer coaches and league manager. We also have after school enrichment programs operating at the local public elementary schools and fun clubs at the middle school. We offer a wide range of summer and school break camp programs and activities. New this year include a coed recreation volleyball league for middle school players, more kid’s chef classes, group tennis lessons for ages 4 to adult, our 10th year of summer soccer and a summer youth basketball camp.

In the summer of 2004 Bear River Recreation & Park District sought approval of a per-parcel assessment in order to raise much-needed revenues for District operations. This assessment was voted on by area property owners in the form of a mail-in ballot. The measure did not pass by less than one percent. Without this additional revenue the District’s progress in many areas has not been as fast as planned. Progress at Kimler Ranch Park would have been aided by the assessment. We have completed a park master plan and are in the process of preparing required studies and reports. While steady progress is being made, fully opening these facilities to the public is still on hold.

Bear River Recreation & Park District continues to work in the community in other areas as well. In 2007 BRRPD partnered in the Bear River High School swimming pool project. We contributed $60,000 toward construction of the pool complex and $20,000 for deck lighting. The district facilitates all the community recreation programs that are held at the pool including public Summer Open Swim. Bear River Recreation & Park District used a $130,000 transportation grant to Nevada County to help build a pedestrian and bicycle path along Magnolia/Combie Roads. While the district is doing a lot with limited resources, grants and state funds, we believe that so much more could be done to provide South County residents with more recreational opportunities. To that end the District will be considering revisiting the idea of a per-parcel assessment in the future. Approval would provide the District with the funds needed to greatly speed up the planning, development and operational needs of both Kimler Ranch Park and Phase II of the Magnolia Sports Complex.

BRRPD is always interested in and welcomes the viewpoints and opinions of the residents we serve. If you have any questions or comments please contact us at 530-268-7275 or e-mail at brrpd@nccn.net

Thank you for your continued support,

Debi Juric, Board Chair and Marlene Sharon, General Manager