04/12/12 - City Council Newsletter

Home Browse Search

“It’s important for the City to do as much pavement preservation as possible each year because we have a backlog of almost $120 million in needed roadwork projects,” said City Engineer Mark Schoening. “The City’s goal is to fix streets before they fail because this is the most cost-effective way to spend pavement preservation funds.” Residents wishing to learn more about specific projects planned for 2012 can visit www.eugene-or.gov/pwprojects. For more information, contact Mark Schoening at 541-682-5243. Eugene Celebrates Arbor Day Last Saturday, Apr. 7, over 120 community members came out to celebrate Arbor Day in Eugene by planting 115 trees. This infusion of new trees was particularly timely following the recent storm event that brought down and rd damaged hundreds of street trees across the city. The day kicked off with Mayor Kitty Piercy receiving Eugene’s 33 consecutive Tree City USA award from the Oregon Department of Forestry. The National Arbor Day Foundation award recognizes cities that have developed programs that plant and care for trees. The event held at Jefferson Park was led by the City of Eugene Park Stewards Program and the nonprofit Friends of Trees and included volunteers from the Friends of Awbrey Park, Eugene Water & Electric Board, NW Natural, Lane County Fairgrounds, Jefferson Westside Neighbors, and the University of Oregon’s Outdoor Program and Kappa Alpha Theta Sorority. In addition to putting trees in the ground, a lot of work went into transporting the trees, soil, and mulch by bicycle trailers to reduce the carbon footprint of the event. At the end of the planting, volunteers enjoyed a BBQ lunch put on by NW Natural. The celebration of Arbor Day is part of the national Arbor Week celebration which takes place the first full week of April each year. Throughout Arbor Week, local volunteers also planted street trees on Antelope Way and Frontier Drive, fruit trees in Lafferty Park, and native trees in Awbrey Park. Since 1872, Arbor Day has been celebrated as America's national tree holiday, a day set aside to plant ceremonial trees, educate children about the importance of trees and honor the important role trees play in the daily lives of people in communities across the country. For more information about the event, contact City of Eugene Urban Forester Mark Snyder at 541-682-4819 or mark.r.snyder@ci.eugene.or.us Newsletter Highlights Plantapalooza and Earth-Friendly Activities and Events Here are some of the highlights from the latest edition of Stormwater Connections, due out next week via mail:  What’s happening in the world of plants? Gardeners and plant enthusiasts will have lots of options to choose from at Plantapalooza on May 12. The celebration of plants features a plant sale, tours, hands-on activities and more.  Learn more about the local Earth Day Celebration at the Eugene Water & Electric Board River Plaza on Saturday, Apr. 21, or about free vehicle emission testing on Apr. 21 and 22. There’s plenty more to learn. Gardeners can find out about collective compost bins or upcoming how-to workshops. Homeowners getting ready to take on painting projects can learn some eco-friendly steps to take to minimize paint waste and what to do with leftover paint. Non-profit groups planning a car wash benefit will find contact information on borrowing a stormwater-friendly car wash kit. Looking to lend a hand or get involved with improving water quality or helping to spruce up a local park? Find out how, through the Eugene Parks Stewards program. Articles in Stormwater Connections typically address seasonal or current issues and cover at least one subject of interest to younger citizens. Copies of the newsletter have been placed in the City Manager’s Office. EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 4 April 12, 2012