City Council Newsletter - 09/07/07

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The Eugene Depot renovation project has been recognized by both design professionals and by the general public. In 2005, the depot won second place in the Eugene Celebration's "People’s Choice” awards in thePublic/Institutional category. Also in 2005, the Southwest Oregon and Southern Oregon Chapters of the American Institute of Architects presented PIVOT Architecture with a Citation Award for its design work related to the renovation of the Eugene Depot. The $4.6 million funding for the depot renovation project was the result of an exceptional collaboration between Amtrak, Federal Highway Administration and Rep. DeFazio’s office. The Oregon Department of Transportation and the City of Eugene managed the rehabilitation work, with oversight by PIVOT Architecture and construction by Morris Kielty, General Contractor, both of Eugene. For questions related to the City's Historic Preservation Program and the National Register, contact Ken Guzowski, 682-5562, and for questions regarding the rehabilitation project, contact Russ Mecredy at 682-6024. Summer Reading Breaks Records at Eugene Public Library The verdict is in. This year's "Get a Clue" theme for Summer Reading programs at Eugene Public Library has been found guilty of irresistibility, with more readers of all ages participating than ever before. More than 4700 children and teens signed up, and adult sign-ups increased to over 1000. Summer Reading for Kidsencouraged readers to set individual goals for the number of books or number of minutes to read. Younger kids’ parents pledged to read aloud to them. Each youth chose a free book to take home and get started. New for kids this year were mini-mysteries: puzzles requiring use of the Library's catalog and reference books. Children enjoyed working their way up the levels from Junior Sleuth to Master Spy, while learning what the Library offers and how to find it. Special "Get a Clue" events for kids and families ranged from educational workshops on forensic science, emergency rescue, and hieroglyphics to a Mystery Night when kids played detective to solve a “crime" on the Library premises. Hundreds of kids th and adults celebrated reading with the 14 annual Teddy Bear Picnic in Amazon Park and the Mysteries of the Deep party at Amazon Pool. Teen Summer Readingkicked off with a visit by author Karen Karbo, followed by a variety of hands- on art workshops and Retro Mystery Cinema showings of classic films. The summer’s highlight was a wildly popular Wizard Rock concert in honor of the release of the final Harry Potter book. Summer Reading for Adultsbrought in scores of brief book reviews by local readers. “Get a Clue” booklists were in high demand, including classic mysteries, true crime, and a list of Eugene Summer Favorites 2006. Selections for book groups were also tied to the theme. Enthusiastic audiences packed a suspenseful and funny talk by visiting mystery writer Diana Abu-Jaber, as well as a do-it-yourself Genealogy Internet class. Partners in this success include Library volunteers, Friends of the Library, Eugene Public Library Foundation, local schools, Novella Café, Second Hand Prose, and Unique Eugene. For more information, contact the Eugene Public Library at 682-5450 or www.eugene-or.gov/library. Hult Event Leads to Recognition for Youth A speech given by 17-year-old Katey Finley as part of the Celebrating Hult 25 ‘The Talents of Tomorrow- Outstanding Youth Performances’ is expected to be published as a opinion article in the September 9 edition of The Register-Guard. In her speech, the Willamette High School senior asks, “Can We Live Without Art?” She concludes, “…though we could theoretically survive without art, we certainly don't want to live without it.” EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2 September 7, 2007