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REGIONAL TRADE AREA AND DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL

RETAIL TRADE AND SALES PER CAPITA

The metropolitan trade area covers 27,000 square miles and includes portions of four other counties. The market area is vast because the County's retail centers provide the only significant cross-shopping opportunities for many North State counties. The region's market drawing power is reflected in the retail sales per capita. For Redding, the retail sales per capita is 52 percent higher than the State's and 61 percent higher than the next largest metropolitan area, the City of Sacramento (see Table 6). Total retail sales for the City of Redding for 1995 are well over $1 billion (see Table 8).

REDDING'S PRIMARY AND SECONDARY TRADE AREAS

Based on two separate 1995 market penetration studies of Sears and J.C. Penney stores, about 80 percent of all retail customers come from a 3,000- square-mile area defined as the secondary trade area, and about 62 percent of customers are from a 288-square-mile area defined as the primary trade area. The mapped boundaries for both these areas are illustrated at the conclusion of this section. It is interesting to note that the region's newspaper, the Redding Record Searchlight, has a distribution that is identical to the boundaries of the secondary trade area. Within this trade area, the newspaper's customer circulation is about 38,500. The travel distances for the trade areas from the middle of the metropolitan area are noted in the table below:

The demographic study at the conclusion of this section shows that the secondary trade area has a 1995 population of about 215,000 and is expected to be 237,000 by the year 2000. The study also shows that the primary trade area has a population of 144,000 and will grow to 160,500 during the same period and that the average household income for the primary trade area will grow from $36,560 to $42,000.

The same study shows that the 1995 household average income for the City of Redding was $37,627 and it is forecasted to be $43,084 in five years. For the same time frame, the median household income for Redding will increase from $31,000 to $36,000.

RETAIL MARKET DEMAND

The increase and diversity in the types of retail establishments have been significant in the last decade; however, there are several economic niches that have not been tapped which account for out-of-town (County) shopping for such items as apparel, some vehicles, and specialty items.

For example, a 1995 study by the City of Redding using 1992 retail sales export/ import data indicates that there is an unmet $8 million annual demand for apparel and accessory store items. Another hot market, according to the data, is automobile rental and leasing, which has a $12 million unmet demand. These demands are based on the structure of our local economy and national spending averages as documented by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. The complete listing includes many other unmet retail demands, including:

• House furnishings.
  
• Farm machinery and equipment.
  
• Electronic equipment sales.
  
• Household appliances.
  
• Photographic equipment.
  
• Sporting goods.
  
• Children's toys.
  
• Apparel.
  

NEWS MEDIA CAPACITY TO REACH REGIONAL MARKETS

In the Redding metropolitan area and surrounding communities advertising media consists of 1 daily and 2 weekly newspapers, 8 television stations, and 11 radio stations. There are approximately 16 advertising agencies and 23 graphic designers to help local businesses compile effective advertising campaigns.

The Redding Record Searchlight, long known as the daily newspaper of Shasta, Trinity, southern Siskiyou, and northern Tehama Counties, reaches out to 11,000 square miles of households seven days a week. The newspaper circulation in 1994 was 38,494.

Television Media

With cable television offered by Viacom Cable to over 30,000 customers, local viewers have access to more than 40 television stations with a full range of 24-hour stations of various formats. Included are the following eight North State stations which local advertisers can utilize:

KRCR-TV - Channel 7 - ABC affiliate, covers 14 Northern California counties and has a potential viewing audience of 725,000. It has two satellite stations, KAEF-TV in Eureka, and KFWU in Fort Bragg, Ukiah. News originates in Redding with news bureaus in Chico and Ukiah. Production and studio facilities are located in Redding.

KCPM-TV - Channel 4 - NBC affiliate, covers the entire north valley, including Yuba City and Marysville. The office and studios are located in Chico with a Redding news bureau and sales office.

KHSL-TV - Channel 12 - CBS affiliate, covers six Northern California counties from the Oregon border to northern Sacramento. The main office is in Chico with local office/studio/news bureau in Redding.

CHANNEL 11 - Redding Community Access Television on Viacom Cablevision -Community-programmed access channel serving 29,000 cable homes throughout Redding and Shasta County; full one-half-inch, Super VHS production facilities for community use.

KIXE-TV - Channel 9 - Community-owned and supported public television station serving more than 500,000 viewers in Northern California. Complete production facilities and studios are located in Redding.

CHANNEL 8 - During the spring of 1989, the Convention and Visitors Bureau obtained Channel 8 for the exclusive use of promoting tourism in the region. In preparation of this advertising campaign, three travelogue tapes were produced: "East," "West," and "North" of Redding, encompassing a 50-mile radius, which expose both the visitor in motel rooms and our local citizens to the various attractions in the region. Recognizing the immediate popularity of this tourism channel, various things to do and places to see within the Redding City Limits (such as parks, shopping, museums, attractions, etc.) were soon added.

CHANNEL 29 - Consumer network channel with locally produced advertisements.

KCVU-30 - Fox affiliate with its main office based in Chico also has a satellite office in Redding.

Radio Media

In the Redding metro area, listeners can choose from 11 local radio stations with a broad range of formats. Virtually any type of music is available as well as talk radio shows, news, and a travelers information radio station. Stations are broadcasting with a range of 1,000-100,000 watts reaching listeners in up to ten Northern California counties. The following radio local stations are available for listeners and advertisers.

KARZ-FM - Redding, 100,000 watts, covers nine Northern California counties, easy-rock music format.

KQMS-AM - Redding, 1,000 watts, covers five greater Redding area, light rock and news-talk format.

KSHA-FM - Redding, 100,000 watts, covers Shasta and Tehama Counties, light rock format.

KEWB-FM - Redding, 3,000 watts, covers Shasta and Tehama Counties, new country music format.

KVIP-FM - Redding, 30,000 watts, covers 11 counties in Northern California into Southern Oregon, news/public affairs/inspirational music format.

KVIP-AM - Redding, 2,500 watts daytime/17 watts nighttime, covers Shasta, Butte, Tehama, and Glenn Counties, news/public affairs/inspirational music format.

KNCQ-FM - Redding, 100,000 watts, covers ten counties in Northern California with signal reaching from Southern Oregon nearly to Sacramento, country music format.

KEGR-FM - Redding, 50,000 watts, covers Shasta County to Tehama County, classic rock format.

KNNN-FM - Redding, 5,500 watts, covers Shasta, Tehama, and Siskiyou Counties, adult contemporary music format.

KNRO-AM - Redding, 100,00 watts, covers Shasta and Trinity Counties, news radio.

KFPR-FM - Redding, 75 watts broadcasting from the top of Shasta Bally with seven translators throughout the North State, North State Public Radio licensed by the University Foundation of CSU Chico, classical, jazz, opera music, news, talk show format.

MAJOR SHOPPING AREAS

The three Cities of the metropolitan area have a total of 12 major shopping centers. The map following this section generally identifies shopping locations. This does not include the shopping areas located in the 11 adjacent unincorporated special district communities. In 1995, the incorporated areas had 1,453 retail permits; 1,200 of these were in the City of Redding.

The region's two air conditioned malls are located in Redding, along with nine major shopping centers, as noted in the table above and the map following this section. The City of Redding also has three movie theaters (totaling 22 screens) and most major retail outlets, including Sears, Montgomery Ward, J.C. Penney, Mervyn's, and Gottschalks.

Aside from heavy equipment, truck, and houseboat sales establishments, the Redding area has almost all major auto sales and service establishments.

The City of Anderson is home to factory outlet stores, including over 30 stores and four other retail centers, along with a four-screen movie theater. The City of Shasta Lake has centralized convenience shopping anchored by Sentry Market.

ECONOMIC IMPACT OF TOURISM

The demand for visitor accommodations and services has increased dramatically in the last few years as the recreation and tourism industry continue to be an important factor in Redding's economy, contributing over $2,190,383 in transient occupancy tax receipts in fiscal year 1994-95. The strength of this industry is reflected in the large number of motel-hotels and in the camping and recreational vehicle facilities. Redding is also a major competitor in the West Coast convention market, oftentimes competing with such cities as Sacramento, Fresno, Stockton, Bakersfield, Riverside, Anaheim, Concord, and Santa Rosa.

The Redding Convention and Visitors Bureau was established in 1977 to help bolster both the convention business for the City and its popularity as a tourist "destination" rather than an overnight stop. This is being accomplished in a number of ways, including working directly with tour operators and planners throughout the United States to educate them on the benefits of staying in Redding, and by providing "on-site" tours of the area for travel writers and personnel of AAA offices. The writers then transpose their personal experiences into articles in large circulation--newspapers and popular "travel publications." The touring counselors from the AAA offices can recommend specific itineraries to their members from their first-hand experience.

Additionally, the Tourism Development Representative of the Redding Convention and Visitors Bureau participates year round in "tour and travel missions" with members of the State Office of Tourism. These missions promote the Shasta Cascade Region as a premier California destination for family vacations as well as a major component for domestic and international tours. Conventioneers and visitors are always impressed with the quality of life and the hospitality of Redding businesses and residents and often express a desire to make Redding their home.

According to 1993 statistics, encompassing six northeastern counties, travel expenditures impacts wereThe Office of Economic Research, California Department of Commerce for the Shasta Cascade Region:

In addition, Redding's growth and expansion of services has enabled the area to become very competitive in attracting the motion-picture industry for the filming of commercials and feature films. The Redding Convention and Visitors Bureau assists location managers on a regular basis with information on potential sites and assists with the permit process if necessary.

The magnitude of the trade area is exemplified by the Shasta District Fair and Redding Air Show. These annual five- and two-day events have an attendance of 90,000 and 40,000, respectively. A lesser but growing west-coast attraction is the Redding Jazz Festival which has an attendance of 15,000 during this two-day event.

One of the reasons for the growth in retail trade and tourism is the region's proximity to Interstate 5, which bisects Redding. I-5 serves as the major shipping link between the southern part of the State and the Oregon-Washington trade areas. According to a 1994 study by Caltrans, "1994 Traffic Volumes on California State Highways", Interstate 5 through Redding has an average annual daily traffic count of 52,000 vehicles per day. The State Department of Transportation has indicated that I-5 growth in traffic will continue for years at an annual rate of 2.4 percent.

This growth translates into dollars according to a 1987 study done by the Economic Research Associates of San Francisco. About 4,400,000 cars per year on I-5 are driven by tourists and each car has an average occupancy of 2.8 persons. For 1994, this amounts to 12,320,000 tourists per year who travel Interstate 5 and can utilize the 12 off-ramps and interchanges in the greater Redding area. According to the State Office of U.S. Travel Data Center in Washington, D.C., the potential dollar impact on the community is enormous when considering that the average overnight tourist will spend $128.

White

Black

American Indian, Eskimo

Asian or Pacific Islander

Other Race

Persons of Hispanic Origin

134,618

1,076

3,743

3,699

927

6,285

149,776

1,184

4,152

4,615

722

7,719

200,932

1,563

5,545

4,272

2,373

10,657

221,438

1,741

6,106

5,246

2,246

12,962Household Income

Households <$4,999

Households $5,000 - $9,999

Households $10,000 - $14,999

Households $15,000 - $19,999

Households $20,000 - $24,999

Households $25,000 - $29,999

Households $30,000 - $34,999

Households $35,000 - $39,999

Households $40,000 - $49,999

Households $50,000 - $59,999

Households $60,000 - $74,999

Households $75,000 - $99,999

Households $100,000 - $124,999

Households $125,000 - $149,999

Households $150,000 or more

Average household income

Median household income

1,951

5,946

5,980

4,389

4,860

4,271

4,521

3,164

6,336

4,393

4,291

2,839

1,169

408

541

36,560

30,686

1,658

5,961

5,449

4,996

3,476

5,709

3,562

3,854

7,131

4,956

5,886

4,797

2,094

938

936

42,022

35,670

3,070

8,987

9,095

6,771

7,366

6,572

6,915

4,803

9,351

6,359

6,338

3,954

1,614

663

744

35,934

29,992

2,568

8,917

8,173

7,428

5,318

8,658

5,495

5,974

10,434

7,395

8,391

6,895

2,901

1,275

1,335

41,350

34,864Population by Age

0 - 5 years old

6 - 9 years old

10 - 13 years old

14 - 17 years old

18 - 20 years old

21 - 24 years old

25 - 29 years old

30 - 34 years old

35 - 44 years old

45 - 54 years old

55 - 59 years old

60 - 64 years old

65 - 74 years old

75 - 84 years old

85 years and over

Median age

11,931

11,824

9,330

8,320

4,708

5,671

8,112

10,447

22,613

18,024

6,290

5,932

12,183

6,796

1,882

35.8

12,368

13,609

10,678

9,633

5,530

5,338

7,737

9,371

24,857

22,969

7,985

6,682

12,933

8,337

2,422

37.4

16,767

17,073

14,260

12,754

6,469

7,753

11,213

14,948

34,284

27,233

9,707

9,365

19,405

10,491

2,963

36.8

16,984

19,364

16,258

14,664

7,457

7,230

10,468

13,150

37,432

34,374

12,154

10,383

20,371

12,696

3,792

38.4Source: 1995 Zip Code Market Penetration Study for Sears and J.C. Penney and Forecast by Business Location Research, Tucson, Arizona.

TOURIST FACILITIES, ENTERTAINMENT, AND RECREATION

TOURIST FACILITIES AND ENTERTAINMENT

Redding Convention Center

The Redding Convention Center is a multipurpose building situated in a park-like setting near the Sacramento River's edge just off Highway 299 West. It is the principal location for a range of area activities, including convention business, cultural and entertainment events, sporting events, and trade and exhibit shows.

The facility, arranged theater style, will seat 2,082 people in plush seats. The orchestra and dress circle contain 1,260 seats. The balcony areas seat people on both sides, and toward the rear of the theater, there is a seating capacity of 822 people. When the facility is hosting conventions, trade, or exhibit shows, the seats are removed from the main floor and the balcony sections are raised by hydraulic lifts, allowing the entire area to be used for display space, exhibits, banquets, meeting rooms, even an ice skating rink.

The 39,000-square-foot structure has successfully met the intended needs of the community. The multilevel building is designed to serve as an auditorium, convention center, and exhibit hall. Movable walls and seating are used throughout to provide adaptability to a variety of uses. The building also contains both permanent meeting rooms and meeting spaces formed by removable walls. There are two large, free-parking areas that accommodate 1,000 automobiles on paved parking lots. The facility and parking lots are surrounded by beautiful lawns with an attractive fountain, shrubs, and trees. Adding to this beautiful setting on the banks of the Sacramento River is the scenic view of Mt. Lassen.

Top-name performers are scheduled on a regular basis at the Redding Convention Center. Past concerts and shows have featured South Pacific, Mark Chestnut, Gigi, Andy Williams, David Copperfield, Sleeping Beauty on Ice, Victor Borge, B.B. King,and Beauty and the Beast. Antique shows, auto expos, sport and boat shows, etc., are also held in this facility at numerous times throughout the year.

Hotel/Motel Meeting Space and Restaurants

Aside from the Convention Center, hotel-motel properties in Redding have a total of 19,753 square feet in meeting space, as follows:

Located within the City of Redding, there are 38 hotels and motels with a total of 2,450 rooms.

Due to Redding's proximity to Interstate 5 and, correspondingly, its large tourist trade, there is an abundance of eating establishments in the area. With over 200 restaurants, there are a wide variety of ethnic foods available (including American, Chinese, Japanese, Italian, Mexican, Cantonese, Thai, French, and German), numerous pizza parlors, delicatessens and specialty shops, smorgasbords, etc. Fresh seafood is usually available in area restaurants as the City is located only 160 miles from Pacific Ocean fishing fleets.

Several major hotel properties located on Hilltop Drive have coffee shops and/or dining rooms and are capable of seating groups from 2 to 1,200 for banquets and social functions. Several other restaurants in the area have separate meeting rooms that could individually seat from 20 to 100 people for luncheon meetings, etc. Catering businesses are plentiful if you should choose to hold your function or event outside or at a site where there are no kitchen facilities.

Convention and Visitors Bureau

The Redding Convention Center and Visitors Bureau is involved in a wide variety of activities that range from regional promotional programs to conducting tours for groups of visitors. In addition, the Bureau is actively involved with the motion picture industry in selecting suitable filming locations in the area, providing printed materials for visitors, and coordinating with community groups for annual events. Finally, the Convention and Visitors Bureau is actively involved in bidding the Convention Center to organizations all across the nation. The Convention and Visitors Bureau is open seven days a week.

Annual Community Events

Redding is host to many special events throughout the year, some of which have become extremely popular and well attended by people up and down the West Coast. Some of the larger annual events include:

Shasta District Fair (June)

The Shasta District Fair is held traditionally each year for five days in mid June. The fair has an attendance of approximately 90,000 each year. Attractions include the carnival and midway of fun, musical entertainment, auto racing, and five days of horse shows and competition. Over 8,000 exhibits feature local businesses and organizations as well as competitive exhibits such as a baking and quilting competition. Over 600 livestock animals are brought to the fair each year with 400 auctioned at the Junior Livestock Auction, which generates roughly $270,000 in revenues for local youth programs.

Annual Art Faire and Fiddle Jamboree (May)

This event is held each year in May in the historic town of Old Shasta. This event draws thousands of people to enjoy the homemade crafts, unique food booths, exciting entertainment, etc.

Rodeo Week Festivities (May)

A tradition in Redding since the 1930s, this is a week-long celebration which culminates in the largest parade in Northern California and a two-day professional cowboy rodeo. Activities during the week include a mock bank robbery, a quick-draw contest, a street dance, and a pancake breakfast served at a downtown street location, plus many more exciting events.

Redding Exchange Club Air Show

This show has become a Redding tradition, is well established in its seventh year, and is of such calibre that it attracts demonstrations from the Blue Angels and the Thunderbirds. High-tech jets, precision parachute-jumping teams, mock World War II "dog fights," world-renown jet teams, and static aircraft exhibits highlight this two-day event.

Shasta Jazz Festival (September)

Billed as "A North American Jazz Extravaganza," this three-day event has an attendance of 15,000 and features top jazz bands from all over the United States and Europe and is patterned after the well-known Sacramento Dixieland Jubilee.

Mosquito Serenade

Anderson River Park is the location for this weekly evening concert series. Featuring a variety of music styles, this event has been held throughout the summer months for the past 15 years.

Paisano Days

This three-day event held in the first week of August is also held at Anderson River Park. Sponsored by the Sons of Italy, highlights include a boccie ball tournament and spaghetti feed.

Shasta Blues Festival

The Shasta Blues Society holds this concert each summer at the amphitheater in Anderson River Park. It is an all-day event featuring music by local and out-of-town blues artists.

Redding Symphony Orchestra

The Redding Symphony Orchestra's seasonal program includes four performances at the Redding Civic Auditorium. In 1995, concert attendance averaged over 1,200 per concert. The Redding Symphony orchestra performs a repertoire of the most celebrated masterpieces along with contemporary works. It employs predominantly local musicians who are capable of performing the most sophisticated music with refinement and skill.

Also utilizing native talent, the Choral Society was created to enrich the community's symphonic experience. With a chorus of 60 voices, the Choral Society not only embellishes symphonic performance, it increases the performance repertoire available to the community. In addition, the Redding Symphony Youth Orchestra was established in 1994 to develop the musical performance skills and personal growth of the Redding area youth.

Regional River Complex

The regional river complex is an ambitious and visionary project that includes the Turtle Bay River Museum and Park located adjacent to the Redding Convention Center and the 200-acre Redding Arboretum. The museum and the arboretum will be united to one another and the community by the eight-mile Sacramento River Trail and the proposed Turtle Bay pedestrian bridge. The development of this river complex will provide important environmental education and enhance the region's cultural and recreational opportunities. It will also provide an opportunity to show people from outside the region what the Sacramento River watershed has meant to the area.

The exhibit on the following page highlights each of the individual components of the Regional River Complex and Sacramento River Trail System mentioned hereafter.

Turtle Bay Park and Museum (Now Under Construction)

Turtle Bay Park and Museum is a cooperative venture begun by three local museums: Carter House Natural Science Museum, the Redding Museum of Art and History, and The Forest Museum now under construction. Located on 60 acres of riparian forest along the Sacramento River next to the Convention Center, this $35 million museum complex will serve as a world class educational and cultural center where visitors will explore the balance between stewardship and human use of nature's resources.

Turtle Bay Park and Museum, which is scheduled to open in April 1997, is expected to attract some half a million visitors in its first year--85,000 of whom will come from out of the area. By the year 2005, this enterprise is expected to make Redding a destination point for more than one million visitors. The first phase of the project is under way and includes construction of Paul Bunyan's Forest Camp, an open-air amphitheater and riparian forest boardwalk. Paul Bunyan's Forest Camp will feature a 3,000-square foot exhibit/activities building and an outdoor interactive children's center.

When completed, the facility will include a 55,000-square-foot River Forest Center which will house several aquariums, a research center, and a wildlife preserve and bird sanctuary. In the two-story Forest Community Terrarium, visitors will see a variety of birds, small mammals, and amphibians. The Shasta Lake Habitat, a floor-to-ceiling tank, will be home to warm-water fish species and the Restoration Exhibit will tell the on-going story of human intervention with the river. When completed, the museum complex will feature hands-on biology and geology laboratories and interactive exhibits on water, forestry, wildlife, history, and art.

The riverfront project, showcasing the Sacramento River, is expected to significantly increase tourism in the region. It is expected to be a significant contributor to the prestige, vitality, and economic well-being of the North State. The 60-acre site, lush with riparian habitat, natural pools, trail systems, birds, and other wildlife, will be linked by a pedestrian bridge to the Redding Arboretum and Caldwell Park.

Redding Arboretum

The Redding Arboretum, being developed by the Shasta Natural Science Association, will be a regional garden attraction with a strong educational and interpretive mission. Located on a prime 200-acre site fronting the Sacramento River, accessed by the pedestrian bridge from the Turtle Bay Park and Museum, the Arboretum will preserve major open space along the river. One-hundred sixty acres of the project will be primarily preserved, restored, and interpreted as oak savanna and riparian habitat. Approximately 40 acres will be more intensively developed as gardens, education areas, and built facilities.

The development of the Arboretum by the river will be completed over an approximate ten-year period. It will be a place for plants, people, and water to come together in an entirely new way in Redding. Preservation of open space and riparian habitat restoration are the main goals of the Arboretum. Plans includes an extensive trail system, gardens, restoration projects, interpretive signage, research activities, water features, outdoor classrooms, a visitor center, and education center.

Many visitors will cross the bridge to the Arboretum as part of their "Turtle Bay experience"; however, by year 2005, it is anticipated that 200,000 visitors will be attracted by the Arboretum itself. Combined with Turtle Bay Park and Museum and the Sacramento River Trail, the Arboretum completes this cultural and recreational experience, adding to Redding's appeal as a tourist destination. In addition, the Arboretum will improve the overall quality of life for the City, enhancing Redding's desirability to new residents and businesses.

Sacramento River Trail and Pedestrian Bridges

One of the major ongoing efforts of the City of Redding has been the development of a continuous linear park system along the banks of the Sacramento River. An integral part of that linear river-park system has been the development of the Sacramento River Trail. The trail is a multiple-use recreation trail that provides access to both sides of the river from Keswick Dam to the City core. The Trail provides access for fishing, visual enjoyment, and nature studies as well as a 12-foot-wide asphalt/concrete trailway for walking, jogging, or cycling. Approximately eight miles of the trail have been completed. Restrooms, water fountains, and benches are located along the trail.

Three bridges are included within the trail system, including an award-wining, 420-foot long concrete stress ribbon bridge. While being unique in appearance and certain structural aspects, some of the design concepts are borrowed from suspension bridges like the Golden Gate in San Francisco. Completed in 1990, this bridge is the first of its kind in North America.

The next major phase will be the construction of a pedestrian bridge across the river from the Redding Arboretum to the Turtle Bay Park and Museum and the Redding Convention Center/Rodeo Grounds. It is anticipated that this bridge will be the center of the community's recreational and cultural gatherings, the vast majority of which now take place in these areas. With the development of the Turtle Bay Museum and the Redding Arboretum, this recreational and cultural area will take on a regional significance.

Museums, Galleries, and Performing Arts

Carter House Natural Science Museum

The Carter House Natural Science Museum is presently located adjacent to the Redding Museum of Art and History in Caldwell Park. The 2,500-square-foot museum houses 30 species of native and domestic animals. It offers hands-on interactive exhibits as well as exhibits on the natural environment of our Shasta-Cascade Region and other areas of science. It also has a greenhouse/solarium and Coggins Living Lab, which houses hands-on activities and ongoing experiments.

Carter House offers a wide variety of educational programs. The museum's educational programs for schools include the Discovery Van, school tours, nature walks, and teacher in-services. The Discovery Van visits over 2,000 children throughout Shasta, Tehama, and Siskiyou Counties each school year. Museum Docents (teaching volunteers) use animals, hands-on materials, illustrations, and slides to bring science to life in the classroom. Over 7,000 school children tour the museum each year. Docents conduct nature walks along the Sacramento River Trail and through the Turtle Bay bird sanctuary. The Museum Naturalist Program trains young people, 11 to 16 years old, in guiding visitors and performing other museum work activities.

The Carter House Natural Science Museum, along with the Redding Museum of Art and History, will ultimately be located at and become part of the Turtle Bay Park and Museum.

Redding Museum of Art and History

The Redding Museum of Art & History is the North State's premier cultural institution, offering a variety of programs designed to enhance the public's understanding of the region's cultural past, present, and future. The museum's active schedule includes changing exhibitions with a myriad of compelling topics in both art and history. Throughout the year, the museum sponsors exhibition receptions, lectures from visiting artists and scholars, educational tours, and year-round classes for adults and children.

Exhibits in museum's history gallery are "permanent" exhibits changing once every three years. Exhibits in this gallery emphasize the lifestyles, industry, transportation, agriculture, minorities, water controversies, and other subjects relevant to Shasta County's past. Exhibits in the "ethnographic" section focus on early Native Californian cultures. The museum features a collection of over 30,000 objects, including an extensive Native American basket collection, historical artifacts, and a contemporary fine art collection.

The museum's affiliated groups offer many educational and instructive programs. Annual activities include the Summer Arts School Program for youths and adults, the Children's Lawn Festival in June, the Annual Regional Arts Competition in the fall, along with the annual Art Faire and Native American Day in May. Lectures and/or films are offered each month in conjunction with art exhibits. There is an Art-For-Rent Program three times annually with many fine works from regional artists. The museum also sponsors one-day bus trips to other museums and art institutions.

Shasta College Theater and Art Gallery

The Shasta College Theater and the Shasta College Art Gallery have been offering first-class entertainment to Shasta County residents for more than 20 years. Whether it is a gallery exhibition of ceramic sculpture or watercolors, a hilarious comedy or rousing musical theater production, a hard-swinging jazz band belting out "Big Band" favorites, or the thrill of a stirring 50-member orchestra, the Shasta College Fine Arts Program offers quality cultural entertainment and enrichment.

The modern, spacious, and comfortable college theater has 471 seats (plus wheelchair accommodations) and hosts more than 50 performing arts events each year. The range is wide and varied: A world-famous pantomime artist, a professional ballet company, a critically acclaimed touring theater ensemble, and a classical violinist with an international reputation, just to name a few. Dance recitals; comedy and drama productions; and concerts of symphonic, jazz, and choral music are enjoyed by thousands of area residents every season. Excellent art exhibitions in the college gallery, with a new show each month, are also a great source of cultural enrichment.

Shasta College is proud to be the home of four music performing groups made up of students and members of the community-at-large. The Shasta Symphony is a 50-member symphonic orchestra which has been active for over 45 years. The Shasta Chorale performs both on campus and in the community a strong repertoire of classical and contemporary vocals. The Shasta Community Band is a 70-member symphonic band which is featured every year in the regional Fourth of July celebration. The orchestra has premiered several works recently and was featured on a local public TV production of a concert in the College Theatre, which is its home base for most concerts. The Shasta College Jazz Ensemble packs the house for its concerts and also performs in the community at special events. The College Music Department is fortunate to have outstanding instructor talent with excellent credentials and offers a well- rounded venue for the campus and community throughout the year.

Old City Hall Gallery and Performing Arts Center and Other Galleries

In 1986, the City restored its old City Hall for use as a performing arts center and gallery. The $600,000 restoration of this lovely historic building preserves a window to the drama of the past. The building is listed in the National Register of Historical Places and once housed a jail, police department, wedding chapel, council chambers, and all the City offices. With its landmark bell tower, the structure is located in the historic portion of the downtown area where other buildings are undergoing rehabilitation.

Old City Hall has seen a host of performances by a variety of world-class, award-winning artists, including legendary blues singer Brownie McGhee; the Dell'Arte Players; Bay Area jazz greats, Bebop and Beyond; Chinese instrumentalists, the Flow Stream Ensemble; and the Dance Art Company; Theatre of Yugen; Tannenhill Weavers; Dick Gaughhan; Diane Ferlotte (African American Storyteller); Juan Ortega, Native American Fashion Design Show; Redding Ballet; and Bad Boys Zydeco. The Arts Council publishes a monthly Calendar of Cultural Events and an Arts Newsletter, which is distributed throughout the State and the area and lists arts events held throughout Shasta County. The Old City Hall Gallery features exhibits by professional artists from the greater Northern California area as well as several group shows.

The Shasta County Arts Council currently manages the building for the City and coordinates with local and area artists and performing arts organizations in presenting gallery exhibits and theatrical productions as well as touring artists from outside the area. Monthly concerts of jazz, classical music, dance, performance arts and ethnic music are scheduled into the versatile 100-flexible-seat theater. In addition, local groups such as LePetit Ballet, Redding Community Theater, Riverfront Players, Mountain Community Theater, Performing Arts Society, and others regularly present performances in the theater. The Arts Center offers many visual and performing arts classes for children and adults. In the gallery, monthly exhibits feature Northern California professional artists, area art faculty, multicultural exhibits, group shows featuring local arts organizations, and an annual photography competition.

Other local galleries include the Cottage Gallery operated by the North Valley Art League, the Torri Pratt Gallery, as well as the Roselli Gallery.

REGIONAL RECREATION

When it comes to outdoor recreation, Northern California has it all. From snow-capped mountains to white-water rafting, the Redding Metropolitan Area is in the middle of it. Pristine lakes, wild and scenic rivers, spectacular mountain peaks, State and National parks, massive wilderness areas, and caverns and caves are all within a 75-mile radius of the Cities of Redding, Anderson, and Shasta Lake.

North of Redding

Lake Shasta, located 15 miles from Downtown Redding and a few miles from the City of Shasta Lake, is the most impressive body of water in the area. It has 350 miles of shoreline, a third more than San Francisco Bay. Shasta Dam, the second largest dam in the United States, rises 602 feet and is three times the height of Niagara Falls. Regarded by many as one of the most impressive of all American structures, it includes vista facilities and displays that interpret the story of the dam. Shasta Lake is part of the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, which is managed by the U.S. Forest Service.

Lake facilities include a variety of both public and private facilities. There are ten marinas that rent houseboats as well as ski boats and at least half operate RV parks and/or motel cabin units. The lake, itself, has become a haven for houseboaters with many folks spending their entire vacation on the water. Activities at Shasta Lake include boating, fishing, swimming and water skiing. Bass, crappie, trout, catfish, and sturgeon are among the 17 varieties of fish pulled from its depths, which in some parts are 515 feet deep.

Lake Shasta Caverns, the largest caverns in California, provides guided tours which take approximately two hours. The tour includes a boat ride across the lake and a short bus ride up the mountain to the cavern's entrance where a tour guide will provide a complete narrated tour of the caverns. This attraction is open year-round and is accessible only by boat.

West of Redding

State Highway 299 West provides access to the Trinity Alps Wilderness Area as well as many historic points of interest and more of the Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area. Beautiful Whiskeytown Lake consists of 5 square miles of lake service, 36 miles of shoreline, and provides year-round opportunities for sailboating. Two marinas are available and have a combined total of 150 slips. A special section of the lake is primarily used by fishermen for trout, bass, and kokanee-salmon action. In addition to the two marinas, the National Parks Service, which manages this recreation area, maintains a boat-launching facility, three campgrounds, various picnic areas, and beaches.

Historic "Old Shasta" is located just six miles west of Downtown Redding and was the original County seat. In the early 1850s, Shasta was the leading mining center of the far north and the end of the wagon road from the south. With the coming of the railroad, Redding replaced Shasta as the county seat. Today, the State-operated museum contains many exhibits that extend back to the Gold Rush Days.

East of Redding

Lassen Volcanic National Park is located about one hour's travel time east of Redding via State Highway 44. The park encompasses 165 square miles of the 2,000 square miles of the Lassen National Forest. Mt. Lassen, located approximately 50 miles east of Redding was the only active volcano within the continental United States until Mt. St. Helens erupted. Mt. Lassen last erupted in 1915. Park attractions include 50 lakes, Lassen Peak (10,457 feet), hot sulphur springs, beautiful waterfalls, and numerous signs of the geothermal activities throughout the park. There are self-guided trails throughout the area and naturalists lead hikes on a scheduled basis. Activities include hiking, picnicking, nonpowered boating, swimming, fishing, and winter downhill and cross-country skiing. Park facilities include six campgrounds, picnic areas, and a ski area. Drakesbad Guest Ranch provides lodge units and dining facilities to guests, along with horseback riding, hot sulphur baths, and a swimming pool heated by hot springs.

Traveling Highway 299 East out of Redding provides access to the Pit River area which is known for excellent trout fishing as is the entire northeastern corner of Shasta County. Other attractions east of Redding include McArthur/Burney Falls State Memorial Park. Located northeast of the community of Burney, Burney Falls is one of the most visited attractions in far northern California. President Roosevelt referred to it as the eighth wonder of the world. The 565-acre park consists of 128 campsites and visitors can experience the spectacular view of the falls cascading down 129 feet.

Additionally, cattle ranches abound in the Fall River Mills region. Through its beautiful meadows flow the wild and scenic rivers--Fall River and Mill Creek. The Fort Crook Museum at Fall River Mills is a must. Forests and wild flowers along Highway 299 East are delightful.

South of Redding

Thirty minutes south on Interstate 5 and just a few minutes south of Anderson is the town of Red Bluff where the Sacramento River is spanned by a diversion dam. In the salmon-viewing plaza, closed-circuit television enables visitors to watch these great anadromous fish swimming upstream. Also in the Red Bluff area is Ide Adobe State Historic Park. Located north of Red Bluff on the banks of the Sacramento River, this was the home of the only President of the State of California. The interpretive program is extensive and is well worth the visit. The Coleman Fish Hatchery near Anderson is the world's largest chinook salmon installation. Picnicking and fishing access are available and the hatchery tour is free.

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