A 1,000-foot-long slip-and-slide requiring 15,000 gallons of water. On Placer Street between Orange and Chestnut streets. In the middle of July. In the middle of a withering drought.
Piece of cake, according to the two young Redding men who pitched the idea to the Redding City Council on Tuesday.
Sure, it will raise some eyebrows, and maybe even some tempers, but when it’s all said and done, they said the “Refresh Festival” will put Redding on the map and make it a model for communities struggling to get the word out about the need for water conservation.
Plans for the July 18 festival are still being fine-tuned and the special-event permit to OK the spectacle is still being processed, but Rocky Slaughter, the high-energy spokesman for Revive Redding, and Brandon Benting, the event coordinator for Viva Downtown Redding, were more than happy to present the concept to the council.
The temporary waterslide would be set up by Slide the City, a Utah-based company, and would require the closure of the steep portion of Placer Street. Slide the City would cover the costs of closing the street. Neighbors impacted by the closure would get vouchers good for a free slide.
Benting said they expect about 6,000 folks to turn out between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Tickets for the slide would range from $15 to $50; profits from the day would go to North State STEM, a north state collaborative that promotes science, technology, engineering and math education. The grant would be earmarked for water conservation projects.
Slaughter then stepped in to address the 800-pound gorilla in the council chambers: Why do this during a drought? The goal, he said, is to turn the event into a PR bonanza that will showcase Redding as a city that can save water and have fun doing it. And what would be more refreshing on a hot summer day than slipping down a waterslide the length of three football fields?
First of all, Slaughter said the bulk of the water will be re-circulated during the day and reclaimed when the event is finished. Depending on how plans shake out, the water will either be used to irrigate parklands or directed down drains, treated and returned to the Sacramento River.
Secondly, the festival will be the centerpiece of a conservation awareness program that will feature colorful signs for brown lawns and waterless fountains and bumper stickers for unwashed cars. Residents can access a special Web site and make conservation pledges.
“Positive recognition encourages voluntary measures and significant results,” Slaughter said. “We’ll use 15,000 gallons, but we will save millions over the summer.”
Redding City Manager Kurt Starman said the water used on the slide is a proverbial drop in the bucket—enough to fill one pool in a city with thousands of pools—but the much larger question is what kind of image does Redding project by promoting a waterslide during a severe drought.
Councilman Brent Weaver joined other council members in applauding the enthusiasm of Slaughter and Benting, but expressed concern over the public relations aspect. The risk factor is high for negative coverage in what could be some national media outlets, Weaver said.
“It sounds like a fun idea,” Councilman Gary Cadd said, but he worried about “sending the wrong message” to state officials who are now asking all cities to reduce water use by 36 percent.
Community organizer Katrina Keyes spoke in favor of the event, calling it “an amazingly fun out-of-the-box experience” that will help supply momentum to a growing number of people eager to “their love and enthusiasm for our community.”
The project also got a nod of support from Councilwoman Kristen Schreder, who said “I want to be part of a community looking forward and accepting novel ideas.” The Refresh Festival would be a way of “promoting the city for the right reasons.” Councilwoman Missy McArthur added her support as well.
Mayor Francie Sullivan said she was willing to risk the water usage and the “cranky emails” if the project will help spur good-natured water conservation competitions between residents. “You’ve got my support—don’t embarrass me,” she said to Slaughter and Benting.
The two men said additional details on the Refresh Festival, including volunteer opportunities, will be announced soon.
In other action Tuesday, the council took action on:
New marijuana ordinance
The council voted 4-1, with McArthur dissenting, to adopt an interim urgency ordinance limiting medical marijuana patients to six plants per residence. The city’s previous ordinance limited outdoor grows to 100 square feet of canopy per patient, with up to three patients per home.
Outdoor grows must be 1,000 feet or more from any library, school, park or other youth-oriented facility. The previous ordinance allowed gardens to within 300 feet.
The new ordinance will make code enforcement easier, said Sulllivan, who added that the urgency status was needed since pot gardens are being planted now and residents “would appreciate the clarity.”
With outdoor pot gardens illegal in the rest of Shasta and Tehama counties, “we are the last oasis of growing large amounts of marijuana,” Sullivan said.
Blueprint for public safety
The council voted 4-1, with Sullivan dissenting, to award a $155,000 contract to Matrix Consulting Group for consulting services related to the Blueprint for Public Safety. The blueprint is a comprehensive and strategic plan that will outline steps for Redding and Shasta County to jointly improve public safety by increasing police efforts, establishing more jail space and other measures.
Starman said Shasta County Executive Officer Larry Lees will ask the Board of Supervisors to pay for one-third of the consultant costs.
Weaver, whose council campaign leaned heavily on voters’ growing frustration over crime rates, said the costs incurred in developing the plan “will pale in comparison to the benefits” that will result from a coordinated and strategic approach to bolstering public safety.
Police station
The council voted 5-0 to name the city’s new police station in honor of retired Police Chief Bob Blankenship.
Although the city rarely names public buildings in honor of specific individuals, the council readily agreed to make an exception in Blankenship’s case as a way of acknowledging his 30-year career with the city.
The naming proposal was made by McArthur. The station is expected to open in June.
Appointments
The council voted unanimously to reappoint John Michael Ryan and appoint Christopher Haedrich to four-year terms on the Planning Commission.
Cell phone tower
The council voted 5-0 to deny an appeal of the Planning Commission’s approval of an 80-foot Verizon cell phone tower on the edge of Riverview Golf & Country Club’s driving range.
Jon Lewis is a freelance writer living in Redding. He has more than 30 years experience writing for newspapers and magazines. Contact him at jonpaullewis@gmail.com.
