Almanor Recreation and Park District (ARPD) is pleased announce that its two public murals at Almanor Park in Chester are nearly complete. The murals, located at 101 Meadowbrook Loop, were painted by local artist and Chester High School art teacher Hillary Edwards and funded by a $15,000 grant award from the California Arts Council, a state agency, through the Upstate California Creative Corps program.

One mural faces the park’s community garden and showcases the importance of a healthy lifestyle through outdoor activity, healthy eating and social interaction through community gardening. The second mural, facing Meadowbrook Loop, celebrates the history, culture and natural beauty of the Lake Almanor basin.

Almanor Park is a new community park that opened in the summer of 2023. The park features two outdoor ping pong tables, a foosball game, a chess table and two corn hole games. Multiple picnic tables, split rail fencing, entry monuments and landscaping are also included. A community garden with 10 raised planters and two murals are additional park amenities.

Almanor Recreation and Park District is an unfunded public district under the jurisdiction of Plumas County. ARPD’s mission is to provide recreation opportunities to the greater Lake Almanor basin in a coordinated and responsible manner. The District is funded through sponsorships from community businesses, donations from individuals and proceeds from special events such as the Mile High 100 Bike Ride, the Chester 4th of July Fun Run and the Lake Almanor Poker Paddle. For more information about ARPD, visit www.yourarpd.org or call (530) 258-2562.

Upstate California Creative Corps, a coalition of county arts agencies across California’s Upstate Region led by Nevada County Arts Council, has distributed $3.38 million in grant awards to 27 partner agencies and 54 lead creative partners, with a total of 1,010 artists and culture bearers supporting initiatives serving California’s least represented peoples, and most vulnerable communities and environments. For more information about Upstate California Creative Corps, visit http://www.nevadacountyarts.org/upstate-california... or call (530) 264-7031.

California Arts Council views the Upstate California Creative Corps program as a job creation and human infrastructure development opportunity. Region by region, the program is increasing the ways in which artists are engaged in public work, so that they can continue build upon intersectional public interest goals beyond its pilot funding timeline. For more information about California Arts Council, visit www.arts.ca.gov or call (800) 201-6201.