Submissions for ‘Why we (still) love Chico’
Natural beauty and a relaxed atmosphere
In 1956 I really, really wanted to get out of the San Fernando Valley and was looking for somewhere more rural to finish my last two years of college. My dad had been through Chico and suggested that I stop by and take a look since I would be passing through on my way to a summer job with the Forest Service. One look at Chico State, the lovely campus with a creek running through, the new science building, a quick look at the curriculum catalogue and I was hooked. I enrolled in September of that year and have been here ever since.
I had a wonderful 40-year career in Chico; raised four kids here and have lived in the home I built here for over 50 years. Three of those kids remained in Chico and the fourth left only for a job opportunity in SoCal. That alone speaks volumes about the quality of life in our little town. Oh, my parents also moved here after retirement. How much better an endorsement?
I wanted to live in a University Town where there would be a plethora of cultural and entertainment opportunities. Check! I wanted to be close to the mountains for fishing and camping. Check. I wanted to be within a reasonable drive to San Francisco and the North Coast Seashore. Check. And I wanted to live in a town that celebrated its natural beauty and relaxed atmosphere. Check again.
I love the fact that Chico has so many caring people here as evidence by the myriad of volunteer and charitable organizations that have been benefitting the community for ages and which I have been proud to be a part of. So many people stepping up to give back to the town and the folks in it.
When I first came here there were perhaps three decent restaurants downtown. Now we have dozens of them that are not just decent, but are as good as anything in metropolitan areas, and far more affordable. We have wonderful museums, a remarkable downtown, a fantastic park, and a vibrant community here. And our hospital! What a godsend and blessing to have outstanding medical care right here.
Yes, I love Chico, I have for many, many years and am happy to celebrate life in my town every single day. I have been blessed beyond my fondest dreams and dearly appreciate that.
I’ve been a proud citizen of Chico for 65 years.
— Gary Estep
Nothing ‘rough’ about this course
We are blessed to have such a beautiful public golf course in the middle of Chico! What a GEM! Wildlife is plentiful and so are the views! The manager, Courtney, and his staff are all exceptional!
I’ve been playing out there with some friends since the pandemic and it is truly an amazing place!
— Janet Ford
Helpers of unhoused are a beacon of light
First thing I noticed about Chico when I moved here in 2012 was what a good paper the town has. I signed up for a subscription right away!
But my real reason for writing to you is to mention the best thing I have noticed about my new town that gives me hope. Mr Rogers famously said that his mother told him when he was scared by something that was happening was to ”look for the helpers.” His mother was referring to the usual people who help, such as fire and police services.
Today, I am inspired by the helpers of the ‘lepers’ of our community, the unhoused. I’m referring to the many agencies of helpers, such as CHAT, NSST, Safe Space, Chico Friends on the Street, and private citizens who dedicate themselves to assisting the truly destitute in our city. These folks volunteer their time, financial resources and creative energy to help in a
time of many challenges in the world. This is of course not a problem confined to Chico, but the local citizens have accepted this call to care. Most people would not do this, and would be frightened to work with the unhoused.
My list of helpers is by no means exhaustive, but is representative of the goodness of people who step up and are true ‘helpers’ in a time of great need. This is what makes Chico a good place to live.
We live in a time of fear. This causes hate and hateful actions. The helpers of the unhoused stand as a beacon of light in these dark times. May they continue their work with more support from the community, those who are not succumbing to the fear around us.
— Lori Mason
Friendly and open, with plenty of wildlife
There are so many things it’s nearly impossible to pick just one.
Our parks, of course. I have probably spent more time in the parks than anywhere else except my own home. Hiking, swimming, strolling, biking, every season has its pleasures.
Our downtown as well. Whether it’s shopping or going out to dinner, it’s probably going to be downtown. There are so many excellent restaurants and distinctive shops that make our downtown special.
Our breweries: Sierra Nevada of course, with great beer and an outstanding record of sustainability and supporting the community. Secret Trail, which has become truly excellent, both for their beers and as a companionable space to spend an evening with friends. NorCal Brewing may be the friendliest of all, in the gorgeous brick building on the corner of 8th and Broadway.
Add to all those things the way we have been able to preserve wilderness and wildness even as the city has grown. We’ve seen or caught on our cameras deer, wild boars, wild turkeys (special shout out to the turkey family living in the Barber neighborhood), foxes, coyotes, beavers, otters, and of course the ubiquitous squirrels and raccoons. Hawks, merlins, egrets, bald eagles, and even the turkey vultures
riding the updrafts are all wonders to behold.
Then there are the people. Despite recent divisions, Chico generally remains a friendly and open community. The talent and copious output of our artists and musicians never fails to amaze me. Local farmers fill the markers and our homes with beautiful produce year-round. Shopkeepers who know you, and go out of their way to ensure you get what you need. Restauranteurs with menus that showcase local products and innovative menus. Teachers and university faculty that go the extra mile to educate not only their students but our entire community. And all this engagement — despite the fact we sometimes drive each other crazy, it’s wonderful that so many in the community are actively engaged in civic life.
— Angela McLaughlin
Reach out, and try a little kindness
What makes Chico so great is all of the incredible people that reach out to make others lives better. We all need to reach out as often as we can to help others. Could you imagine if we did a kind act to make anther persons life better on a weekly basis, Chico would
be an even better place.
Kindness goes a long way in making these crazy times better. A kind hello to just offering a hand to someone in need will go a long way. If only 10 percent of our population did this weekly, wow. If 25 percent did this, Chico would be that much more
amazing. So I challenge all Chico residents to reach out and make a difference.
— Stan Merritt
So much history, and coffee with a view
I love the classic and historic buildings in downtown Chico. I enjoy shopping in downtown Chico and my daughters who were raised in beautiful Chico do too. The first thing they want to do when visiting is to go downtown. They have wonderful memories here.
I love to take my grandsons to Stoble’s third floor for lunch. The view is spectacular, the atmosphere is beautiful, and the company is so special.
— Carol Meurer
New ADUs providing hope for the future
I enjoy walking around my West Avenues neighborhood. I delight in the door décor, the lawn signs, the ever-changing flowers and trees, the Little Free Libraries where neighbors share books. This summer, I watched 5 new homes go up, all in the back yards of other homes. New housing for Chicoans is a good thing. Those 5 ADUs (alternative dwelling units) are completed and are homes to new neighbors. Now, there are 4 new ADUs going in, along with 3 older houses being rehabbed and made habitable again. I take pleasure in observing these changes while on my stroll.
— Loree Monroe
Contentious issues, but more great people
When Safe Space announced on social media that we were going to open the emergency shelter, the support from the community was amazing.
It started with Chico First Baptist Church providing its social hall as soon as we asked. I think Gail Hill (the pastor) might have come of the pulpit and responded to our text.
We had more groups and individuals offering to do meals than we needed. People dropped off dry clothes. The pastor of another church called to ask what we needed and I told her socks—she ran down to Walmart and brought us 40 pairs of warm socks.
All in all, it was a great indicator that, even with the level of vitriol we live with, particularly about issues like homelessness, there are really a lot of great people in this community.
— Rick Narad
Kindness, beauty, commitment to causes
I STILL love Chico. I love it here because of the generosity, kindness and energy of Chicoans. We showed what we were all made of during the aftermath of the Camp Fire, the Bear/Complex, and Dixie Fires by opening our homes and our wallets to help in any way we could. We have famous residents who love Chico so much they give back generously to our community.
When bad things happen, good people rise to help others out. We also look for ways to leave a better Chico behind.
Chico also boasts talented artists, musicians, builders, medical professionals, athletes, and more. We have some of the most highly trained law enforcement and firefighters. Our hospital was recently recognized as a top-rated facility and we have positively ranked schools as well. Those schools churn out youth who love innovation and our environment and they return to give back to this community.
We have passionate residents here who fight for what they believe in, and whether we believe in the same things or not, we can surely appreciate the commitment shown to our causes.
We have one of the most beautiful parks in the world, unique local businesses, and we have a historic and recently revitalized downtown.
Our neighborhoods are eclectic, historic, vibrant and beautiful in their uniqueness. One of my favorite things is to find a street I haven’t walked, biked or driven before and find what I love about it.
So yeah, I STILL love Chico and always will.
— Nichole Nava