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was expressed not to have a small dog park area since that would result m a crowded, muddy, and messy <br />area. The dog off leash area at Amazon Park was used as an example of an area that was too small at <br />approximately 2.5 acres. Even at the s~ze of the more recently developed dog off leash area in Alton Baker <br />Park, 4 acres, degradation has occurred to the turf. It was d~scussed that lrr~proved drmnage and ~rngat~on <br />may be necessary to help the turf w~thstand the constant year round use that dog off leash areas receive. <br />A statement was made that people come w~th their dogs from south and east Eugene to use the Candlelight <br />off leash area. Several people lobbied for at least half (5.5 acres) of the Candlelight park to be designated as <br />an off leash dog park on the master plan, wNle others said that no more than half of the park should be <br />reserved for the dog off leash use. Everyone present felt that whatever the size, the dog off leash area <br />should be made accessible. <br /> <br />A suggestion was made to consider using the southwest comer of the park s~te as the dog off leash area. It <br />has a natural separation from the rest of the park s~te by the ex~snng open drainage way. Access fi'om the <br />north and east would need to be provided by a footbridge over the drainage way. Providing shade in dog off <br />leash area was considered important. Shade trees and a covered gazebo or shelter was proposed. Other <br />amenmes such as dnnk~ng fountmns, benches, etc were mentioned as desirable. <br /> <br />The ~dea of developing sports fields at Candlehght did not receive much support from the people in <br />attendance. Even though people were told that the City had long beheved that this park due to ~ts s~ze and <br />fiat topography would be an ~deal s~te to locate sports fields, there was not much sympathy among the <br />group to see this happen. People were more opposed to seeing a ball field than a soccer field~ In fact, after <br />some d~scuss~on, the group stated that they would not mind seeing soccer fields since such a space had <br />multiple use value. When not used for game play, ~t would provide open space for other mfomml act~wt~es. <br />Ball fields were considered a more formal use that reqmred more infrastructure, and d~d not lend <br />themselves readily to alternate uses. <br /> <br />Whde on the s~te posting for the first pubhc meeting, a neighbor approached staff' and briefly provided <br />some wewpomts. WNle being happy to see the s~te finally developed for a variety of uses, he felt that <br />prowdmg faclht~es for active play such as basketball and soccer were especmlly important. <br /> <br />One person expressed an interest m seeing w~ldhfe haNtat developed ~n the park. Since the s~te has been <br />mmntamed over ~ts history as a rough mown field, there is little existing haNtat value. Any s~gmficant <br />haNtat would need to be created. A logical location for this would be along the open waterway comdor that <br />runs through the park. <br /> <br /> PARK LANDSCAPE <br /> <br />The 'wetland' status of the park s~te was discussed. A wetland dehneauon was performed wNch <br />documented approximately V~ acre of low quality wetland. Most of the wetland ~s located on the easts~de of <br />the park, approximately halfway between ~ts north and south boundaries. A very small amount of wetland <br />~s documented along the bottom of the small open dramageway that traverses tNough the park s~te. The <br />C~ty ~s planmng on purchasing mmgat~on credits m the West Eugene Wetland M~t~gatlon Bank m order to <br />develop the park. The cost to purchase these credits is estimated to be approximately $25,000. <br /> <br />The open dramage way through the park ~s one of the upper reaches of the GreenNll -IMbutary, which ~s <br />undergoing coordinated enhancement ~mprovements. As part of that overall program, the City ~s planning <br />on creating an enhanced waterway through Candlehght Park. Design opnons will be explored wNch will <br />lay back the steep banks of the waterway, open up or widen portions, meander ~ts ahgnment to fit around <br />other uses ~n the park, and plant native vegetation that w~ll hopefully create haNtat and stormwater <br />filtration value. The open waterway w~ll likely reqmre at least a couple of pedestrmn crossings, w~th <br />footbridges being preferred over culvert crossings. <br /> <br />Candlehght Park ~s a fiat s~te w~th l~ttle or no topograpNc rehef. A short d~scuss~on addressed the ~dea of <br />modifying the s~te grades. People d~d not want to see extensive mounding that could result in ~Nd~ng' <br />places for undesirable act~wtles. Admittedly though, the audience d~d see benefit m some low height <br /> <br /> <br />