11/15/12 - City Council Newsletter

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Eugene Receives Silver Safety Award The City of Eugene has again been recognized by the League of Oregon Cities for excellence in its safety performance and low accident rates. The annual Safety Award Program was initiated by the league to stimulate participation in loss prevention programs. The Silver Safety Award, which the City has received each year since 2001, was awarded on Sept. 28, at the League of Oregon Cities Annual Conference in Salem. For more information, please contact Safety/Loss Control & Environmental Program Manager Craig Sorseth at 541-682-5762. Rainwater Harvesting Workshop a Success Last Saturday, Nov. 10, local residents learned how to harvest rainwater to water their gardens and reduce stormwater pollution. Taught by local expert Sarah Whitney, the workshop covered how to design a safe, attractive and effective system. After the presentation, participants viewed two rainwater harvesting systems installed at the Alton Baker Park Water Wise Garden. Rainwater harvesting is a strategy of capturing rain, storing it over time, and re-using it on-site. This decreases the volume and rate of stormwater runoff and associated water pollution, flooding and erosion. Rainwater harvesting also reduces the amount of water taken from the McKenzie watershed that is then treated and pumped to homes for uses such as irrigation, that don’t require treated drinking water. This workshop is part of a series associated with the Alton Baker Park Water Wise Demonstration Garden, the result of a partnership between the City, Eugene Water & Electric Board, Nearby Nature, LandCurrent Landscape Architecture and Schirmer Satre Group. The garden showcases strategies to reduce water use and capture and treat stormwater, while creating a beautiful landscape. It features a water-saving landscape design, native, edible and low-water-use plants, an efficient sprinkler system, a rain garden, a bioswale and a 3,000-gallon rainwater cistern. Local television station KVAL covered the event. The workshop presentation is posted on the City’s website, and a video of the workshop will be available, thanks to Lane Community College. Future workshops will address sustainable garden design, raingardens, smart irrigation and plant selection and soil health. For more information, contact City of Eugene Green Building Analyst Jenna Garmon at 541-682-5541 or jenna.r.garmon@ci.eugene.or.us or www.eugene-or.gov/. Hult Center Continues 30 Birthday Celebration with Post-It Wall th Have a favorite memory of the Hult Center? Still savoring a magical moment? Come over to the Hult and post it! The Post-It Wall is a temporary artwork installed in the Hult Center Lobby as part of the center’s 30 birthday celebration and is th designed for the community to post their memories, experiences and wishes. The wall was opened for posts with a special reception for the Hult Center’s local presenters whose performances have graced the Hult’s stages over the past 30 years. The Hult wouldn’t be here without them. Over 40 representatives from these local arts organizations attended to post their pictures and well wishes on the wall. The hope is that by the end of the season the wall will be a-flutter with the memories, moments and magic of the community. The Post-It Wall is located just inside the 6 Avenue entrance; post-its and pens provided. th For more information, contact Events Manager Theresa Sizemore at 541- 682-5242 or theresa.j.sizemore@ci.eugene.or.us. Sand Mandala at Eugene Public Library The Monks of Drepung Loseling Phukhang Monastery, visiting from South India, will build a traditional Tibetan Buddhist Sand Mandala at the Downtown Eugene Public Library over the course of three days, starting Friday, Nov. 30, and ending Sunday, Dec. 2. Admission is open to all; drop-in, and free of charge. EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2 November 15, 2012