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<br /> The Senior Program at Petersen Barn Community Center will hold a free Oregon trivia contest for adults
<br />and seniors on Wednesday, February 18.
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<br /> To honor Oregon’s birthday, the Adaptive Recreation Program at Hilyard Community Center plans a day of
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<br />service by helping with a community project on May 16. Open to persons of all abilities.
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<br /> Participants in the painting class at Petersen Barn are invited to paint a scene from Oregon that will be on
<br />display at the annual "We Are Bethel" celebration on June 6. Call 682-5521 for information.
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<br />Eugene Cited as Top Place to Retire
<br />Houston-based Where to Retire magazine has selected Eugene to profile as a top retirement town in its
<br />March/April issue. The magazine’s editor, Mary Lu Abbott, said Eugene was selected because of its ample
<br />recreational and cultural opportunities, hiking and biking trails, lakes for water sports, festivals, music events, and
<br />continuing-education classes. She also noted that Eugene’s housing market is diverse, with a buyer’s pick of
<br />affordable homes in older neighborhoods, condos in the city and land outside town. Finally, Abbott said Eugene’s
<br />moderate climate, lush scenery, state-of-the-art medical facilities and proximity to the Oregon coast and the
<br />Cascade Range make it a great choice for retirees looking for a friendly city with a sophisticated vibe. According
<br />to the magazine, 700,000 Americans move to new towns to retire each year. Where to Retire magazine was
<br />launched in 1992 with the goal of helping its readers find the ideal place to retire. This accolade is the latest in a
<br />long string of superlatives Eugene has accumulated over the years. Most recently, Eugene has been named:
<br />America’s #1 Green City, 2007 (The Green Guide), Silver Bicycle Friendly Community award (League of American
<br />Bicyclists), one of the top 21 bicycling cities in the nation (Bicycling Magazine), Tree City USA (National Arbor Day
<br />Foundation), one of the 19 most environmentally conscious cities in U.S. (Nature-Friendly Communities), and the
<br />Eighth Best Walking City in America (American Podiatric Medical Association). For more information, contact Jan
<br />Bohman at 682-5587.
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<br />Fire & EMS Begin New Recruit Academy
<br />Attrition on the line due to normal retirements and departures has led the Fire & EMS Department to hire a new
<br />group of recruit firefighters who will begin training this month. Among the eight new recruits, five are certified to
<br />the Paramedic EMT level and the other three are certified to the Intermediate level. The new firefighters will
<br />undergo the department's regular 13-week recruit academy, which consists of classroom training and hands-on
<br />drills to develop proficiency in the normal fire suppression, rescue, and emergency medical response skills that are
<br />required on the job. This class will graduate on May 29, and the Mayor and City Council will be invited to the
<br />department's graduation ceremonies. After graduating, the recruits will be assigned to fire stations around the
<br />City, where they will continue to be evaluated until they have successfully completed the required one-year
<br />probationary period. For more information, please contact Fire & EMS Training Captain Matt Ennis at 682-7133.
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<br />Dedication of I-5 Bicycle and Pedestrian Bridge Slated for February 17
<br />The Oregon Department of Transportation is inviting local elected officials and citizens to attend the ribbon-cutting
<br />ceremony to celebrate the completion of the Interstate 5 Bicycle and Pedestrian Bridge project. U.S. Congressman
<br />Peter DeFazio, Mayor Kitty Piercy, Councilor George Poling and Springfield Mayor Sid Leiken will be guest
<br />speakers at the grand opening of this new facility. The ceremony will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February
<br />17, on the west side of the new bridge. This site is south of Beltline Highway and north of the Harlow Road
<br />overpass. The bridge is accessible from the Harlow Road neighborhood in Eugene and from the Gateway Mall in
<br />Springfield. The path and bridge can be accessed from the Harlow neighborhood at four locations: the north side
<br />of Harlow Road just before I-5, Chateau Meadows Drive, the south end of Berkshire Street, and the east end of
<br />Willakenzie Road. Parking is available on the west side of the Gateway Mall, near the Sears store. There will be
<br />signs and guides at the access points to direct people to the ribbon-cutting area. The successful completion of this
<br />project represents many years of cooperative effort on the part of officials from ODOT, the cities of Eugene and
<br />Springfield, Lane County, several local bicycling organizations, the Eugene Water & Electric Board, Gateway Mall
<br />management and other nearby businesses. The new bridge will connect the bicycle path networks of Eugene and
<br />Springfield. Contact Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator Lee Shoemaker for more information at 682-5471 or
<br />lee.shoemaker@ci.eugene.or.us.
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<br />Seismic Improvements of Sheldon Pool Scheduled
<br />Recreation Aquatics staff is in the process of notifying patrons that Sheldon Pool and Fitness Center will be closed
<br />for an important and necessary seismic improvement project from June 15, 2009, until it re-opens on September
<br />14, 2009. The project will improve and upgrade the structure of the 40-year-old natatorium in order to reduce risk
<br />to patrons and staff in the event of a significant seismic event. Improvements will add steel cross-bracing between
<br />the large overhead beams to improve lateral strength as well as strengthening of the beams themselves. This
<br />project and its goals are similar to the project completed last year at Echo Hollow Pool. In addition to the structural
<br />improvements, the acoustic qualities of the space will be improved by adding acoustic panels and relocation of the
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<br />EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 3
<br />February 12, 2009
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