City Council Newsletter - 04/26/07

Home Browse Search

Eugene Children’s Nature Film Festival Returns The 2nd Annual Eugene Children’s Nature Film Festival takes place this Sunday, April 29, at the McDonald Theater. The free festival offers families the opportunity to see a variety of award winning nature-related short films from around the world. This year’s films include the 2003 Academy Award nominee for best animated short, as well as a live action film following children in Nepal as they explore their environment. The festival is followed by an reception with “giant critters” and lots of information about outdoor activities taking place in the community. Reception participants include REI’s Children say “cheese” at 2006 Nature Film Festival PEAK outdoor program, Nearby Nature, and Mt. Pisgah Summer Camp. Doors open at 1:30 p.m. and the screening runs approximately 70 minutes. The festival is being presented by the City of Eugene Parks and Open Space Division and has been generously sponsored by Dr. Gray Grieve Orthodontics. For more information, contact Kelly Darnell at 682-4814 or kelly.a.darnell@ci.eugene.or.us Public Input Invited on West Broadway Redevelopment Concepts The Eugene Redevelopment Advisory Committee (ERAC) is sponsoring a Downtown Public Information and Input Session at the Eugene Public Library (Bascom/Tykeson Room) on Monday, April 30, from 6 - 8 p.m. ERAC will collaborate with other groups, including Citizens for Public Accountability and the Eugene Chamber of Commerce, with the intent to create an effective public information and involvement session. The session will focus on current redevelopment concepts for the West Broadway Redevelopment Area. City staff will make a brief presentation at 6:30 p.m. on the two concepts currently under consideration. Information will also be provided on financial tools and implications for public/private partnerships and recent downtown planning and development efforts. Throughout the session, community members will have the opportunity to learn about the possibilities for West Broadway and to express their views on possible redevelopment concepts. The West Broadway Redevelopment Area includes property along West Broadway between Willamette and Charnelton streets. The City Council, acting as Eugene’s Urban Renewal Agency, authorized purchase options on most of these properties, with the intent to encourage redevelopment activity to create a vibrant, active downtown environment. In November 2006, the renewal agency issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to identify a development team with the vision, talent and financial capability to successfully complete a mixed-use redevelopment project in the area. In March 2007, therenewal agency held a work session to review the five responses received. The renewal agency recognized Beam Development and KWG Development Partners as the two most qualified development teams for this project. The renewal agency directed City staff to work with both teams to explore and return with more detailed project concepts for review and approval. Information received from the public at the information session will be forwarded to the Urban Renewal Agency on May 9. For more information on the Public Information and Input Session, call Nan Laurence, community development planner, at 682-5340, or by e-mail at nan.laurence@ci.eugene.or.us. Work Scheduled to Start Next Week on River Avenue Improvement Project With utility work substantially completed by EWEB, Qwest, and Comcast, the City’s contractor is gearing up to improve River Avenue between River Road and Beltline. Delta Sand & Gravel is the general contractor for the project, which is scheduled to begin Wednesday, May 2. The Public Works Engineering Division is managing the project. The street design was a collaborative effort involving residents and businesses on River Avenue and representatives from local neighborhood groups and the Eugene Bike Coalition. When completed in the EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2 April 26, 2007