OROVILLE — The Southside Oroville Community Center has been serving an underserved population for two decades. During the last Oroville City Council meeting, 50 protestors gathered in support of the center. They believed there to be a reason for alarm. This, though, came as a surprise to the councilors and city staff, some of whom were at city hall, just a wall away from the protestors, while others were meeting remotely.
The U.S. Economic Development Administration gave a $1.5 million grant for the construction of the center 20 years ago. It expires in May 2021. Butte County and Oroville were partners in the center during its inception. With the expiration date nearing, the county asked the city if it might have any interest in acquiring the building. Since then, Oroville has been exploring its options in closed sessions.
This, though, does not bode well with the Oroville Southside Community Improvement Association, the nonprofit that runs the center. Those who operate the center fear a takeover of the place that has been beneficial to many of the 2,000 residents of southside Oroville, plus others from the greater area. They are therefore fighting to have a voice in the conversation.
“No plans have been made from the city whatsoever. Hypotheticals have been discussed, but the council has given no direction, made no policy,” said Bill LaGrone, city manager of Oroville. “There’s so many things that could potentially happen.”
That does not matter to Kevin Thompson, pastor of No. 1 Church of God in Christ and director of the association. He claims the nonprofit obtained public records showing the city has been discussing the building since April without center representatives. He believes his team should have been approached by the city several months ago.
“We are the reason they get paid, and they still feel that they have a right to treat us the way they do. It is shameful. It is shameful,” Thompson said.
The 24,000 square-foot facility is on Lower Wyandotte Road. It features a 300-seat multi-purpose room, a conference room, a commercial kitchen and more. It’s held weddings, funerals, kids programs and more.
Yet, it has not always been managed properly. In 2016, the Butte County Board of Supervisors voted to lease the center for two years to the association as a test run. It went smoothly, so the nonprofit has maintained management of the center to this day.
“One thing that I don’t think people really know is that this community center wasn’t just birthed from an idea,” Thompson said. “This goes back many years to the ’50s and ’60s and ’70s.”
He said the parents and grandparents of all who benefit from the center wanted a place for their kids to feel safe.
“In that era, segregation and racism was running rampantly. It was really bad back then. So even in a small town like this and the surrounding areas, it was very difficult for us to go places and feel safe,” he explained. “When that plea went out, people began to put together programs and began to raise money.”
Since coming under association management, the center has improved. Contracts have been negotiated and repairs made. It’s now sustainable and solvent.
“The nonprofit has completely turned it around,” Thompson said. “The compassion and the love and the dedication, it runs so deep that you cannot even put a dollar amount on it.”
Haven of Hope, an offshoot of the center, offers showers, toilets, sinks, washers and dryers for those needing help in maintaining basic hygiene. After the Camp Fire, the center held a week-long Thanksgiving dinner.
“The only thing that we’ve done is seen what our options are. We don’t even know if we’re going to acquire the building,” LaGrone said. “The council has given no direction to pursue that interest.”
He added, “People got real emotional over this real fast.”
Thompson believes the reaction of those who love the center is valid, not an overreaction. He doesn’t want to sit around and wait for the council to make a decision.
“We’re going to be very proactive. We’re going to speak up,” he declared.
This is not the first time the county has asked the city if it would like to acquire the center. Members of the association are wondering, “Why now?”
“Our concern is, no one from the city has contacted us. We’ve been down there. No one has offered to come and call a community meeting explaining what they have to offer,” he said. “We’re not naive.”
He wants the property legally conveyed to the nonprofit.
“Pastor Thompson is a great guy. They do a great job over there. I’m a little surprised at the reaction we’ve received and what went on outside our building during our meeting,” LaGrone said.
Depending on how interested the Oroville City Council becomes in the building, LaGrone has a recommendation: “We need to have a meeting with all stakeholders and figure out how this is going to work for all of us,” he said. “Let’s all come together and negotiate our way through this so there’s a resolution that everybody is happy with at the end of the day.”
“We’re always open for discussion,” Thompson said. “We’re always open, but it would have to be something very convincing that will cause us to say, “OK, we’re gonna surrender the entire community into your hands.”
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