HomeMy WebLinkAboutSeptember 18, 2014 - City Council Newsletter
City of Eugene
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Eugene, Oregon 97401
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(541) 682-5414 (FAX)
www.eugene-or.gov
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER
September 18, 2014
IN THIS EDITION
OPEN HOUSE ON PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE MASTER PLAN UPDATE SLATED FOR OCTOBER 2
EUGENE SUNDAY STREETS BRINGING LOADS OF FUN TO HARLOW NEIGHBORHOOD
BANNED BOOKS WEEK READ-OUTS AT EUGENE AND SPRINGFIELD PUBLIC LIBRARIES
DOORHANGERS ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS TO JOIN EUGENE’S LEAF TEAM
OLYMPIANS TO COACH LOCAL SWIMMERS AT AMAZON POOL
AROUND THE CITY
Open House on Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan Update Slated for October 2
The Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan (PBMP) was accepted by the City Council in 2012 as an
interim guiding document for the development of bicycle and pedestrian projects. It will be
adopted as part of the City’s Transportation Systems Plan (TSP) in 2015.
There will be an open house on Thursday, Oct. 2, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Downtown Eugene
Public Library, 100 West 10 Avenue, in the Bascom/Tykeson Room. The purpose of the open
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house is to verify bicycle and pedestrian projects and policies before they are incorporated into
the long-range TSP. Maps and comment forms will be available for people to record their
preferences. Attendees can drop in anytime between 5 and 7 p.m.
For more information, go to www.eugene-or.gov/pedbikeplan, or contact Transportation
Planner Reed Dunbar at 541-682-5727.
Eugene Sunday Streets Bringing Loads of Fun to Harlow Neighborhood
This Sunday, Sept. 21, from noon to 4 p.m., people will be able to walk, roll, bike, and dance in the streets along a car-free
route in the Harlow neighborhood. This is the second and final Sunday Streets event of the year. At the event, the City of
Eugene, in partnership with the Harlow
Neighbors, will be giving away over 350 free
helmets, sized toddler to adult. The helmet
giveaway begins at 1:30 p.m. on the lawn at the
North Park Community Church.
Activity centers along the route will be located at
Country Lane Park (at Sorrel Way and Country
Lane) and on the lawn at the North Park
Community Church (at Harlow Road and
Honeysuckle Lane). The activity center at
Country Lane Park will include a Slip ‘N Slide,
BMX demonstration, yard games by Playground
Sports, food carts and a pedal-powered music
stage. The stage will feature CaraVan playing
side one of Van Morrison’s Moondance album,
and local favorite Soulicious, playing funk, R&B
and some sweet rock and roll. The activity
center on the lawn at the North Park Community
Church will feature lawn games for families by
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September 18, 2014
SELCO, helmet decorating, arts and crafts by Nearby Nature, live musical performances by the North Eugene Ukulele
Orchestra and more.
This summer marks the fourth year of Eugene Sunday Streets, a free event that focuses on building community and
promoting active lifestyles. The first event in July along 5 Avenue in Downtown Eugene saw thousands of participants.
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Sunday Streets Harlow is presented by the City of Eugene with support from the Summer in the City program and
Point2Point Solutions at Lane Transit District.
With no designated start or finish, the two-way, car-free route can be enjoyed by foot, bicycle, roller skates, or dancing at
one’s own pace. The event is designed to get the entire community outside, having fun and enjoying healthy activities in
Eugene’s public spaces while showing how easy it is to get around by human-powered transportation.
There will be a protected bikeway along Coburg Road from the I-105 off-ramp to Oakmont Way to create a family friendly
route to the event. A fun and safe group-ride to the event will leave from Kesey Square in downtown Eugene at noon on
Sunday. Two-way traffic on Harlow Road will be maintained through the event area, but motorists are encouraged to use
alternate routes to avoid slow traffic and delays. Automobile parking for the event will be available in the Albertson’s
parking lot on Coburg Road and at Holt Elementary School on Harlow Road and Calvin Street.
To volunteer, or learn more about Eugene Sunday Streets, and to find the full event program, map, and schedule go to
www.eugenesundaystreets.org or call Transportation Options Coordinator Lindsay Selser at 541-682-5094.
Banned Books Week Read-Outs at Eugene and Springfield Public Libraries
To celebrate free speech and honor defenders of First Amendment rights, the Eugene Public Library, Springfield Public
Library, and Lane County Chapter of ACLU of Oregon will host two Banned Books Read-Out events. Admission is free.
Springfield Library Director Rob Everett will kick off
the Banned Books Read-Out at the Springfield Public
Library on Saturday, Sept. 20, from 1 to 3 p.m. Mayor
Kitty Piercy and Eugene Library Director Connie
Bennett will lead the Banned Books Read-Out at the
Downtown Eugene Public Library on Saturday, Sept.
27, from 1 to 3 p.m.
Both events will feature a variety of community
members reading passages aloud from books that
have been challenged or banned. Everyone is invited
to stop by to listen and borrow books that have been
targeted by would-be censors.
Many people are under the impression that attempted censorship is a thing of the past or that “it doesn’t happen here.” In
fact, individuals and groups continue to request - or demand - that public and school libraries remove or restrict access to
particular books, music, films, and other resources. For information about recent censorship attempts in Oregon, visit the
ACLU of Oregon website www.aclu-or.org/bannedbooks.
For more information about the local Banned Books Read-Out events, contact the Eugene Public Library at 541-682-5450
or Springfield Public Library at 541-726-3766.
Doorhangers Encourage Residents to Join Eugene’s Leaf Team
Fall is just around the corner, and the staff at Public Works is already gearing up for the annual leaf season. One of the key
goals this year is to work with residents to avoid the problems that come with putting leaves out too early. The official start
date for leaf collection in Eugene is Nov. 3. That means that leaves placed in the street in October (or even September!) will
be blown around for a month or more, clogging storm drains and creating hazards for people using the street.
To target the problem, doorhangers will be placed on homes and businesses that have leaves out front, reminding property
owners to hold their leaves until the weekend before scheduled pickups in their neighborhood. The doorhangers also make
it clear that property owners are liable for any injuries or damages caused by leaves placed in the street.
The over-arching message is that by working together, Public Works and community residents can come up with win-win
leaf solutions. Residents and businesses will be encouraged to “be part of Eugene’s leaf team” by following a few simple
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September 18, 2014
practices: reuse leaves as mulch or compost material; store leaves by placing them in yard debris containers or large plastic
bags (bags can be emptied in the street later, but don’t put the bags in the street); keep leaf piles clean so other members of
the team (the folks who want leaves delivered to them) can use them for their gardens, and don’t place leaves or any debris
in bike lanes.
Schedule information and collection maps will be available on the leaf programs’s web page at www.eugene-or.gov/leaf or
by calling 541-682-4800. Notifications and requests for leaves will be tracked using the department’s automated
multimedia messaging service (MMS). For more information, please contact Surface Maintenance Manager Eric Johnson at
541-682-4904.
Olympians to Coach Local Swimmers at Amazon Pool
More than 100 swimmers, ages 13 - 18, will have the experience of a lifetime on Sunday, Sept. 21, when they meet and are
coached by four Olympic medalists: Ian Crocker, Caitlin Leverenz, Dana Vollmer, and Andy Grant.
The local swimmers, who are members of Team Eugene Aquatics, will attend a Mutual of Omaha Breakout! Swim Clinic at
Amazon Pool, 2600 Hilyard Street. The swimmers will hear inspiring messages from the Olympians and then get in the
water with them for a demonstration and instruction on swim strokes and techniques. Some of the participants will get a
chance to race against the Olympians.
Amazon Pool was built to the required
specifications for competitive swimming
and water polo and is often the site of
swim meets and special events such as the
Breakout! Swim Clinic. These events draw
visitors to the Eugene area and provide a
boost to the local economy.
Team Eugene Aquatics is a year-round
competitive swim team offering
instruction, training, and competition to
children and young adults of all ages and
abilities. It is a non-profit organization
financed and supported by its members.
Team Eugene Aquatics is one of 14 local
swimming and water polo clubs that
practice regularly at Sheldon, Echo Hollow
and Amazon Pools.
The Mutual of Omaha Breakout! Swim Clinic is a unique experience developed by Olympic gold medalist Josh Davis and
Mutual of Omaha to inspire and motivate a new generation of swim stars. As an official sponsor of USA Swimming, Mutual
of Omaha supports the sport.
For more information, contact Aquatics Section Manager Rich Fay at 541-682-6336.
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September 18, 2014