03/13/08 City Council Newsletter

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Traffic Calming Project Moves Forward on Acorn Park Street Construction of four speed humps will be completed this spring on Acorn Park Street in West Eugene. This project is being funded in part by a Community Development Block Grant that also provided funding for improvements to Acorn Park and portions of a sidewalk construction project on Acorn Park Street near the Amazon Creek. The traffic calming project is designed to improve driver and pedestrian safety on Acorn Park Street by bringing vehicle speeds in line with the posted speed of 25 miles per hour. City transportation planning staff worked collaboratively with the Churchill Area Neighbors (CAN) and residents who would be affected by the project. In addition to meeting with the neighborhood association, staff held two public workshops to develop a traffic calming strategy for the street. The strategy addresses concerns and interests expressed by neighbors while also meeting engineering and design guidelines for an effective project. For additional information, contact Associate Transportation Planner, David Roth, at david.f.roth@ci.eugene.or.us or 682-5727. th Eugene Firefighters Place 20 in Stair Climb for Leukemia th A team of firefighters from Eugene Fire & EMS placed 20 among more than 200 departments participating in this year's Scott Stair Climb, which was held March 2 at Seattle's 73-story Columbia Center. The event, a fundraiser to support research to cure leukemia and other types of blood cancers, drew more than 1,300 firefighters, primarily from the Pacific Northwest, but also from as far away as New Zealand. The competition requires firefighters, in full bunker gear including SCBA, to climb 69 flights of stairs, changing air bottles once at approximately the midway point. Eugene's top finisher was firefighter th Marchello Folino, who completed the climb in just over 15 minutes, placing 58 overall. Firefighter Carolyn McCann finished fifth in her age group among female firefighters with a time of slightly over 20 minutes. The Eugene contingent participated in the fundraiser on their own time, with support from IAFF Local 851. This year's Scott Stair Climb raised a record sum of more than $400,000 to help fight blood cancers. For more information, please contact Firefighter Frank Folino at 682-7100. Library Springs Into the Olympics with Vacation Fun for Kids & Teens During spring break, get a head start on the Olympic Trials with free events hosted by the Eugene Public Library! Celeste Rose and the Oregon Fantasy Puppet Theatre perform a puppet show for kids on Monday, March 24, at 2:00 and 4:00 p.m., at the Downtown Library; Thursday, March 27, at 2:00 p.m., at Sheldon Community Center; and Friday, March 28, at 2:00 p.m., at the Downtown Library. For downtown shows, pick up free tickets starting 30 minutes in advance. The zany puppet show, "The Boy Who Jumped So High," tells the story of a child determined to enter the Fishy-Island Olympic Trials. While practicing jumps, Gilly accidentally knocks the sun from the sky -- and runs away to hide at the bottom of the sea.Will the Games go on? Find out as more than a dozen colorful marionettes sharethe tale with music, comedy, and audience participation. Meantime, middle and high schoolers get together for TGA: Teen Gaming Afternoon at the Downtown Eugene Public Library on Thursday, March 27, 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. Drop in to meet friends, eat snacks, and play video games including Guitar Hero 2, Guitar Hero 3, plus surprises. For information, call the Eugene Public Library at 682-8316. Public Outreach Aids Understanding of City Codes and Regulations In late April, staff members from the Permit and Information Center will join participants in Neighborhood Economic Development Corporation’s (NEDCO) Threshold Homeownership Education program for an informative and interactive session on some of the local government regulations that can affect new and prospective homeowners. NEDCO works with low-income families and individuals to prepare them to become successful homeowners through counseling and a course of 12 two-hour classes on topics as varied and essential as budgeting and mortgage qualification to home maintenance and repair. NEDCO repeats the sessions throughout the year, and staff members from the Planning and Development and Public Works departments support the series by sharing information and answering questions about building permits, EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 3 March 13, 2008