09/22/1975 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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Jack Quirk, president of the Booster Club, reminded Council that one of the room tax criteria is recreational. This facility is a recreational one and it is important that it be preserved for that purpose. -- Vote was taken on the motion which carried unanimously. Joe Soderberg, 2412 Terrace View Drive, asked reconsideration of Council action in committee (denying the request for $5,733.49 to construct a fence). He rejected the argument that the request did not fit criteria for allocation of room tax funds, say- ing this field was the only recreational area in the southwest section of the city. He described the track facility as encompassing three football fields, it was used each weekend by the parks department, and in the summer, by the Eugene Sports Program. He said the Churchill area was receiving a tremendous amount of abuse and the only protection now was a four-foot cable which he thought was hazardous. He noted Council discussion in granting an allocation to the Sheldon area because it had been overloo~ed in terms of recreational facilities, and said that the Churchill area was the only part of the city without a swimming pool. Mr. Soderberg said the fence was definitely needed and he felt it definitely did fit the criteria for allocation of room tax funds. James Kays, 2085 Sunrise Boulevard, said there were considerable problems with traffic driving onto the field. There was significant lack of drainage on the field, he said, and with donated labor and equipment residents of the area had worked to im- prove that situation. He felt "this request for room tax funds was appropriate since the money would be used for maintenance of a recreational facility. And it was a small amount, he added, when compared to other requests for betterment of that area. Mr. Soderberg added that the fence planned would not be "just another fence," that there would be turnstiles to control pedestrian access as well as contorlling vehicle access. Councilman Hamel asked if it was true that the track was originally paid for by the e people in that area. Mr. Soderberg said it was paid for with tax dollars as a part of the original construction of the Churchill school. Councilman Keller noted that he was opposed to the allocation when it was considered in committee and that he still had reservations. However, he had many phone calls pointing out. that that was the only recreational facility in the Churchill area and that there appeared to be no funds available from the school district to construct the fence. Mr. Keller moved second by Mr. Hamel to reconsider action taken in committee and grant the requested funds ,in the amount of $5,733.49. Councilwoman Beal was in sympathy with the project but felt that precedent would be set, especially when the city was working with a limited budget. She said it could lead to requests for money for lights, then equipment, etc., and she thought the line had to be drawn somewhere. Councilwoman Shirey was in favor of the motion. She said that part of town was growing rapidly and had very little in the way of recreational facilities compared to other areas of the city. Councilman Keller said he had no intention of providing a loophole whereby lights, equipment, etc. , could be funded through room tax monies. However, he felt this was a different situation - this facility provided a place for kids and families to be- . come involved in healthy activities. He said he was not aware at the time of com- mittee action that these people had supplied so much of the facility and had been so involved. 9/22/75 - 8 5'/9 .~