10/08/09 - City Council Newsletter

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percent in 2009, without reducing the level of service provided. In response to the challenge, crews and supervisors worked together to develop approaches for re-thinking their work and reducing fuel consumption. Several strategies were developed including reducing the use of less fuel- efficient vehicles, redesigning maintenance routes, using the Maintenance Management System to better organize work geographically, working with two or more staff per vehicle when feasible, replacing a pickup truck with a hybrid sedan for inspection work, and reducing engine idling time whenever possible. Staff began implementing their fuel efficiency strategies in January of 2009, and, despite atypical weather early in the season which required more turf mowing and tree work than normal, by the end of September, fuel consumption for the Park Operations section had been reduced by 20 percent from the previous year. Over 3,000 gallons of gas and diesel fuels have been conserved and additional savings are being realized through the reductions in vehicle miles driven and vehicle maintenance and repairs. For more information, contact Park Operations Manager Kevin Finney at 682-4809 or kevin.p.finney@ci.eugene.or.us Summer 2009 – A Season of Park Celebrations The Parks and Open Space (POS) Division enjoyed a busy summer meeting neighbors throughout the city at seven park celebrations honoring recent park renovations and developments. The process of bringing new life to a neighborhood park is a community effort from the early stages. POS worked with neighborhood groups to ensure each celebration reflected the surrounding community’s values. The celebrations were kicked off with a dedication from Mayor Kitty Piercy and featured everything from polka music and a motorcycle show, to hand-cranked ice cream and sack races. West University Park started things off in mid- Filbert Meadows Park Celebration May when the park’s native landscaping was in bloom. This urban park celebration brought neighbors and college students together to enjoy marimba music and raffle prizes donated by neighborhood businesses. The Golden Gardens Park grand opening offered guided tours of the park’s many safety and habitat enhancements to over 100 attendees. At Fairmount Park, kids enjoyed music, ice cream from Prince Pücklers, and splashing around in the new spray play area. Friendly Park neighbors celebrated recent renovations under their park’s old shade trees on a very hot summer night. The celebration of Rosetta Park, Eugene’s newest pesticide-free park, featured vegetarian cuisine, solar oven brownies cooked in the park and high-energy foot races for kids of all ages. The Candlelight Park grand re-opening was held in conjunction with National Night Out, and offered neighbors pizza from two local pizzerias, raffle prizes, and an exercise exhibit by a neighborhood gym. The final celebration was held on a warm September evening at Filbert Meadows Park where guests listened to music by the Junction City Polka Band and took turns hand-cranking ice cream made with local organic fruit and nuts. Each and every gathering featured the sight of neighbors visiting with one another, some for the very first time - just one of the many ongoing benefits of healthy and vibrant neighborhood parks. For more information, contact Carrie Peterson at 682-4907 or carrie.a.peterson@ci.eugene.or.us. Speed Hump Construction Ahead Traffic-calming projects on three streets are planned to be completed by the end of October 2009 (weather permitting) by Eugene business Knife River Corporation with a combination of public and private funds. Following a series of public meetings last fall, over two-thirds of affected residents polled favored publicly funded installation thth of six traffic-calming speed humps on Fillmore Street (between 19 and 24 avenues) and four speed humps on East 32nd Avenue (between Alder and University streets). On Praslin Street, the Avalon Village Homeowner’s EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 4 October 8, 2009