Laserfiche WebLink
<br /> <br />EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER <br /> <br />February 3, 2011 <br /> <br /> City of Eugene <br /> 777 Pearl Street, Room 105 <br /> Eugene, Oregon 97401-2793 <br /> (541) 682-5010 <br /> (541) 682-5414 (FAX) <br /> www.eugene-or.gov <br /> <br />IN THIS WEEK’S EDITION <br /> <br />THOUSANDS CELEBRATE COMMUNITY CHAMPIONS <br />ALL-INCLUSIVE SNOWBOARDING LESSONS OFFERED FOR TEENS <br />ENJOY BRIAN DOYLE’S “IRISH BLARNEY” AT EUGENE PUBLIC LIBRARY <br /> <br />AROUND THE CITY <br />Thousands Celebrate Community Champions <br />Thousands of people flocked to the streets and downtown Park Blocks on Saturday, Jan. 22, to celebrate the <br />University of Oregon (UO) and community champions. Enthusiastic supporters were lined up two- or three-deep <br />th <br />along the parade route on 13 Avenue and Oak Street to show their appreciation for the “Ducks” football team and a <br />broad selection of university and community programs. <br /> <br />About half of the 49 parade entries <br />represented a full range of the UO’s <br />academic, cultural and athletic programs. <br />The other half was selected to represent a <br />wide variety of community champions, <br />including school marching bands, <br />veterans, youth sports programs, and <br />much more. The City had three parade <br />entries, including one titled “City of Eugene <br />– Proudly Serving Our Community of <br />Champions,” which included the Mayor, <br />City Councilors and executive managers, <br />followed by staff representing many of the <br />City’s best-loved, award-winning services. <br /> <br />A crowd estimated at several thousand <br />people filled the Park Blocks to enjoy <br />performances by the award-winning UO <br />Gospel Singers, local singing group <br />4ToFly, and the UO’s On the Rocks a cappella group. Brief remarks by Mayor Kitty Piercy, UO President Richard <br />Lariviere, and Athletic Director Rob Mullens, preceded the final guests - UO football coach Chip Kelly and the <br />football team, with the Ducks marching band and cheerleaders. <br /> <br />A unique community-building event, “Celebrating Champions – Honoring Excellence on the Field, in the Classroom, <br />and in the Community” was successful in meeting several university and City goals. In the short term, it gave the <br />community an opportunity to greet and congratulate the football team in a fun, yet planned way, without crowds and <br />significant service impacts at the airport and other public spaces. It gave the university a way to share the spotlight <br />gained by the success of the football team with other less-publicized, but equally excellent university programs. <br />Longer term, it addressed several council goals, including bringing positive activities downtown to support <br />revitalization, making recreation and cultural activities accessible to everyone in the community, and strengthening <br />the partnership between the City and the university. <br /> <br />Many staff from across the City, as well as at the university, worked hard in a short period of time to make it all <br />happen. Mayor Piercy said, “This was a wonderfully successful event, crossing many different parts of the <br /> <br />EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 1 <br />February 3, 2011 <br />