HomeMy WebLinkAbout03/06/14 - City Council Newsletter
City of Eugene
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Eugene, Oregon 97401
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www.eugene-or.gov
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER
March 6, 2014
IN THIS EDITION
CAMPBELL CENTER PATRONS REPURPOSE WOOD FROM FALLEN TREE
BESTSELLING AUTHOR TERRY BROOKS AT EUGENE PUBLIC LIBRARY
HOME SHOW BOOTH FOCUS IS ON ECO-LOGICAL AND ECO-NOMICAL
NEW SURVEY REVEALS LOCAL TRAVEL CHOICES
AROUND THE CITY
Campbell Center Patrons Repurpose Wood from Fallen Tree
Curly Burly Milling salvaged the wood from a beautiful, old black walnut tree that had
toppled over in the recent storm. They milled the wood, kiln-dried it and donated it to
Campbell Community Center’s woodshop. Wood workers were thrilled. Kiln-dried wood
as fine as this black walnut is in high demand, and it was all snapped up within two days.
Wood that has not been kiln-dried can be dangerous or damaging to some equipment, so
many shops won’t allow patrons to use reclaimed or re-purposed wood.
The popular woodshop at Campbell Center is a public facility built and staffed by
volunteers. It is open to adults, age 18 and older, who want to use power tools for wood
products. The shop opens at 9 a.m. every weekday and recently extended its hours on
Mondays to 7 p.m. Tuesday - Friday, it closes at 3 p.m. Woodworkers use the shop on a
drop-in basis; the cost is $2 per day. Some basic skills are needed to use the shop, but
classes and volunteer help is available.
For more information, please call Recreation Programmer Tom Powers at 541-682-5318.
Bestselling Author Terry Brooks at Eugene Public Library
The Downtown Eugene Public Library will host a talk by Terry Brooks on Sunday, Mar. 9, at 1:30 p.m. Brooks is the epic
fantasy writer and New York Times bestselling author of more than 25 books. Admission is free.
Brooks is best known for the phenomenally popular Shannara novels, considered by many to
be one of the greatest fantasy epics ever written. The series is currently being adapted into a
show for MTV. Among Brooks’ other works is “Sometimes the Magic Works: Lessons From a
Writing Life,” a memoir and writing guide.
Brooks has been writing since high school, starting with stories in the genres of science
fiction, westerns, fiction, and non-fiction. One day in college, he was given a copy of “The Lord
of the Rings.” That moment changed his life because in Tolkien’s work he found a way to
combine all the elements of his own writing in one genre.
A practicing attorney for many years, Brooks now writes full-time from his home in the
Pacific Northwest.
This event is sponsored by the Eugene Public Library, Wordcrafters in Eugene, Friends of Eugene Public Library, and
Eugene Public Library Foundation. Books will be available for purchase and signing courtesy of the UO Duck Store. For
more information, contact the Eugene Public Library at 541-682-5450 or www.eugene-or.gov/library.
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 1
March 6, 2014
Home Show Booth Focus Is on Eco-Logical and Eco-Nomical
A showcase display at the Spring Home Show will highlight vehicle care tips that help
protect vehicles and the environment. Simple steps such as maintaining air pressure in
tires, getting regular tune-ups and cutting idle time are examples of ways to save money
and protect air and water quality. The display also includes a list of automotive shops
that are certified in the EcoBiz program, which recognizes businesses that meet all envi-
ronmental regulations and take extra voluntary steps to reduce water, energy, and
material consumption, prevent water and air pollution, and reduce the generation of
hazardous and solid waste.
The booth is in Expo Hall 3 at the Lane County Spring Home Show. This well-attended event has over 18,000 people
attending and is a great way to interact with community members. The home show runs Mar. 6 - 9 at the Lane County
Fairgrounds. For the home show schedule, visit www.eugenehomeshow.com.
The information station will have handouts on a range of topics, and staff from partner agencies will be available to answer
questions. Booth visitors who spin the wheel of knowledge will have the option of entering a drawing with multiple prizes
donated by local businesses and several agencies.
This will be the sixth year that an interactive booth, created and staffed by the Lane Pollution Prevention Coalition (Lane
P2C) will be featured in the Expo Hall. The Lane P2C is a group that works together to share information and inform and
educate residents about pollution prevention. These agencies include the City of Eugene’s stormwater and wastewater
management programs, City of Springfield Environmental Services, Department of Environmental Quality, Lane County
Public Works recycling and household hazardous waste programs, Springfield Utility Board, Lane Regional Air Protection
Agency, and Eugene Water & Electric Board. The City’s stormwater management program focuses on a commitment to
protect local waterways while promoting environmental stewardship.
Kathy Eva, public information specialist for the stormwater management program, will be presenting a session on “Rain
Garden Basics & Benefits” on Sunday afternoon. For more information, please contact Eva at 541-682-2739 or visit
www.eugene-or.gov/happyrivers.
New Survey Reveals Local Travel Choices
The new Eugene-Springfield Metropolitan Area Travel Barriers and Benefits Survey, conducted in January 2014, provides
valuable insights into how people travel for non-commute trips such as running errands, going to entertainment events
and keeping appointments, and why people choose to drive or not drive. The survey was conducted by DHM Research, of
Portland and sponsored by the City of Eugene.
Purposes of this survey include supplementing the American Community Survey data about travel choices, monitoring
success of programs designed to increase active modes of transportation (i.e., walking, biking, and transit), and measuring
answers so consistent comparisons may be made over time. One example of the usefulness of the survey information is the
City of Eugene’s “20-Minute Neighborhood” strategy. This approach to accommodate growth and meet state and local
goals for reduced greenhouse gas emissions was developed for Envision Eugene: “Plan for growth so that an increasing
proportion of residents live in 20-Minute Neighborhoods where residents can meet most of their daily needs near their
homes without the use of an automobile. This strategy is intended to reduce the need for, and reliance on, motorized forms
of transportation…” To implement this strategy, there was a need to understand the opportunities and barriers for people
making the shift from single-occupancy vehicles to active modes of transportation, and for having a survey mechanism that
can be repeated to monitor progress over time.
The survey found, for example, that in Eugene:
While driving remains the most frequently used mode of transportation, substantial numbers of people frequently
walk (23 percent), bike (19 percent), or bus (13 percent) for groceries and errands.
One-third of people bike at least once a month for transportation purposes.
Gas prices, health, and environmental issues were the largest influences on people who choose to not drive alone.
43 percent of the people who do not bike regularly would bike more often if there were more bike lanes or paths
available or if the bikeways were better connected.
86 percent of people who do not walk regularly would walk more frequently if stores and services were located
closer to their residences.
For more information, please contact Senior Transportation Planner Kurt Yeiter at 541-682-8379 or
kurt.m.yeiter@ci.eugene.or.us.
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2
March 6, 2014