02/27/14 - City Council Newsletter (2)

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“Working City” is financed with Eugene’s telecom funds and is produced as a public service through a joint effort involving City staff and Metro Television. The Park Watch video can be viewed on the City’s video web page or by going directly to http://vimeo.com/87201295. It also airs on Comcast Cable channel 21 (check the Metro TV schedule for times). For more information about Park Watch, contact Natural Resource Manager Eric Wold at 541-682-4842 or Lieutenant Doug Mozan at 541-682-5362. The Big Read: Great Gatsby Events at Eugene Public Library It’s the cat’s pajamas! Everyone in Eugene/Springfield is invited to join The Big Read, a celebration of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby.” The Eugene Public Library and Springfield Public Library will host free events for all ages that are inspired by the book’s themes, including talks, live music, dance, book groups, theatre, films, and more, running from late February through early April. Oregon Contemporary Theatre will present the play, “The Great Gatsby.” A tragic love story, a mystery, and a commentary on American life, “The Great Gatsby” may be the most popular classic in modern American fiction. Adults will get together to share views at drop-in book groups at all Eugene and Springfield library locations, as well as Campbell Community Center and online at the Eugene Public Library website. Also planned is a book group in Spanish and book groups for children and teens. Enjoy The Big Read Kick-Off on First Friday, Mar. 7, at the Downtown Eugene Public Library, featuring Debra Conner’s one-woman show about Zelda Fitzgerald at 5 p.m., followed by a Jazz Age concert by the Carl Woideck Quartet at 6 p.m. Additional highlighted events include an all-ages Cubism art workshop; illustrated talks on Roaring Twenties’ fashion, architecture, and local history; and Charleston lessons. The Eugene Public Library received a $16,000 grant to support The Big Read. The Library’s primary partners in the project are the Springfield Public Library and Oregon Contemporary Theatre; these partners also co-sponsored The Big Read 2012 focused on “Fahrenheit 451.” Community collaborators this year also include 4J Schools, Bethel Schools, Eugene Public Library Foundation, Friends of Eugene Public Library, Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art, Oregon Humanities, and Radio Redux. The Big Read is a program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest. For a complete calendar of local Big Read events, visit the Eugene Public Library website or call 541-682-5450. For updates, connect with the Eugene Public Library on Facebook or Twitter. First Trip to Hoodoo this Season A lack of snow delayed its start, but Alpine Adventures - City of Eugene’s Adaptive Skiing program- finally got underway at Hoodoo Ski Resort on Sunday. Two lifts: the Ed Chair and Manzanita, were open on Sunday, which was just enough to get six Alpine Adventure participants and 14 volunteers on the slopes. Therapeutic Recreation Intern Andrea McMillan said, “Everybody was happy to be out skiing, and the warm, sunny weather made the day a complete success.” Last season, 11-year-old Shanti Morrell, claimed the unofficial record for fastest run with an average of 41.9 miles per hour at Alpine Adventures. It’s a title she hopes to defend this season even with an impending face-off against Hollis Shostrom. Alpine Adventures typically operates every Friday and Sunday from mid- January to the end of March. But without snow this year, nearly half of the season was lost. Now that snow has finally fallen, Alpine Adventure participants are hoping for a late spring. Alpine Adventures is presented by the City of Eugene’s Outdoor and Adaptive Recreation programs. In partnership with Oregon Adaptive Sports (OAS), Alpine Adventures gives individuals of all ages with disabilities an opportunity to experience winter sports. OAS provides equipment, lessons and lift tickets while Alpine Adventures provides transportation and volunteer support. For more information, please contact Adaptive Recreation Senior Programmer Shayle Wigger at 541-682-5311. EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2 February 27, 2014