07/13/1987 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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qui te handsome. He di scussed the improvements to West Broadway and the opening of Willamette Street to vehicular traffic between 10th and 11th e avenues. He said $1 million has been invested between 10th and 11th avenues since the opening. Mr. Miles said Willamette Street between 8th and 10th avenues should be shared by vehicles and pedestrians. It should be a limited access street that cars enter and leave by ramps. He said the public plaza at the intersection of Broadway and Willamette should be visually connected to the Hult Center and the Eugene Conference Center. Ms. Ehrman opened the public hearing. Catherine Lauris, 1240 East 18th Avenue, read her testimony and submitted it in writing. She said she was a member of the Common Council from 1956 to 1968 when Eugene changed from a small town to a metropolitan area. She said she opposes changes to the downtown mall because there is no professionally demonstrated need for them. She said the City has restricted budgets and curtailed services recently. If money is available, it should be spent on the Library, the police force, and the fire department. Jim Hale, 4064 Meredith, said he opposes the changes. He said the decline in the downtown was not caused by the lack of traffic and the downtown will not be rejuvenated by the introduction of traffic. He said many things caused the decline. Some of them were the approval of outlying commercial districts, the overall decline in the economy, and the failure of the council to provide securi ty on the ma 11 . He said many things besides allowing vehicles on Wi 11 amette between 10th and 11th have caused the recent improvement in e business in that block. Mr. Hale said the central fountain ;s appropriately called a "tank trap." It should be relocated and should be smaller, more efficient, and more attractive. He said the mall should be smaller but it should remain as it is north and south of the central fountain. Charles Aylworth, 3415 Bell, asked the council not to change the mall. He said he was enchanted by the fountain when he first saw it. He said the central plaza and fountain pass a critical test of a public place because they are used by people who stop, sit, listen to music, and enjoy it. He said the fountain has provided a magnificent place for some dramatic presentations. He said Eugene is not so affluent that it can spend $1.5 million disrupting the ma 11. Mr. Aylworth said he does not think the changes to West Broadway are an improvement. He sa i d money spent to improve security, access, and the public's perception of the mall would be more beneficial than money spent to disrupt the mall. He said the public should vote before more money is spent to tear up the mall. Ellen Wright, #1, 26 East 24th Avenue, said she and her neighbors would like to have the "Gut" moved downtown. e MINUTES--Eugene City Council July 13, 1987 Page 7