HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Newsletter - 08/23/07
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER
August 23, 2007
City of Eugene
777 Pearl Street, Room 105
Eugene, Oregon 97401-2793
(541) 682-5010
(541) 682-5414 (FAX)
www.eugene-or.gov
IN THIS WEEK’S EDITION
AIR SHOW BIG DRAW FOR 2007 NORWEST FLY-FEST
MAINTENANCE SCHEDULED FOR TWO SWIMMING POOLS
MONROE-FRIENDLY BIKEWAY PROJECT TO BEGIN SOON
SOLAR SHOWERS AT EUGENE SERVICE STATION
SUMMER RECREATION PROGRAMS WIND DOWN
AROUND THE CITY
Air Show Big Draw for 2007 Norwest Fly-Fest
The 2007 Norwest Fly-Fest promises to draw big crowds Saturday,
August 25 and Sunday, August 26. This year’s event will feature air
shows each day, with dazzling flying acts and fantastic aerobatics
performed by legendary stunt pilots from across the country.
The Eugene Airport, together with the Oregon Air and Space Museum,
is sponsoring the Norwest Fly-Fest, dedicated to fostering general
aviation education. The theme of this year’s event is “Exploring
Aviation” and will feature a wide range of aircraft on display, from
antique to military. The event will also feature static displays, the
Young Eagles program, and a Young Aviators Activity Center.
“Two completely different air shows will be offered at this year’s event,” said Phil Groshong, tenant and
general aviation manager for the Eugene Airport. “Saturday’s performers will be joined by three
additional aerobatic pilots making Sunday’s show truly spectacular.”
Ten thousand spectators are expected to attend this year’s two-day event, made up of pilots, aviation
enthusiasts, and members of the community. For more information contact Phil Groshong, at 682-5430
or go to: www.norwestflyfest.com
Maintenance Scheduled for Two Swimming Pools
Routine maintenance will close Sheldon Pool from August 26 - September 9 and Echo Hollow Pool from
September 1 - 30. The fitness centers at both sites will also be closed. Amazon Pool is open for
recreation swims through September 16 and for lap swims through October 31. For information about
the maintenance, contact Dave Lane, 682-8327. For pool information, contact Doug Smith, 682-6336, or
Rich Fay, 682-6354.
Monroe-Friendly Bikeway Project to Begin Soon
Eugene will soon have a new north-south bike route. Work is scheduled to begin in early September on
the Monroe-Friendly bikeway project. The project will create a bikeway from the West Bank Trail along
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the Willamette River at Owen Rose Garden down Monroe Street to 13 Avenue, past the east side of the
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Lane County Fairgrounds, and then up Friendly Street to 28 Avenue. When the route is completed,
bicycles will share the roadway with motorized traffic. The bikeway route will be marked with informative
signs at intersecting bike paths and major cycling routes. Reflective pavement markings will be installed
in the travel lanes to indicate the shared use for both modes of travel.
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 1
August 24, 2007
The $440,000 project is scheduled to start immediately after Labor Day and be completed by October 19.
State and federal funds are the primary sources of funding for the project. Most of the bikeway work
involves installing signs and pavement markings, which will not cause significant traffic impacts. The
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portion of the route between 8 and 13 avenues was repaved earlier this summer and, at that time,
crews installed two “speed tables” to help slow down traffic.
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As part of this project, the intersection of 8 Avenue, Monroe Street and Blair Boulevard will be
reconstructed, creating a much safer intersection for bicycles, pedestrians and vehicles. This work will
require closing the southernmost section of Blair Boulevard and about 200 feet of Monroe Street north of
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8 Avenue for several weeks. Local businesses in that area have been contacted, and motorists will be
encouraged to use alternate routes to avoid construction-related detours and delays. A neighborhood
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matching grant was awarded this year for additional landscaping, art and other amenities at 8 and
Monroe for the new public space that this project will create.
The need for a bicycle-friendly route between south Eugene and the Willamette River has been identified
since 1979. The Monroe-Friendly bikeway fulfills this need, offering an onstreet connection between the
Fern Ridge Path and the Ruth Bascom Riverbank Trail and providing a north-south connection between
southwest Eugene and the downtown area. For more information, contact John Bonham, project
manager, at 682-5300 or john.j.bonham@ci.eugene.or.us.
Solar Showers at Eugene Service Station
Folks who rely on the Eugene Service Station for shower facilities – and those who pay the utility bills --
will see big changes this fall. Thanks to a $123,000 grant from the City of Eugene’s federal Community
Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, the showers and ventilation system will be renovated, and a
solar water-heating system installed.
Located behind the Bethel Public Safety Station in St. Vincent dePaul’s Lindholm Center on Hwy 99N,
the Service Station is a day shelter for homeless adults. In addition to taking showers, they can do
laundry, get a meal, receive mail and messages, use the phone, access the Internet, and find day-labor
opportunities. Due to council’s action to increase the budget, the Service Station is open seven days a
week, year round. On a typical day, the center serves between 250 and 350 people.
In July (an average month), 2,555 showers were taken at the Service Station, according to Manager,
Roxann O’Brien. After 12 years of continuous operation, the facility is worse for the wear. Constant
moisture has compromised the ceiling and created a haven for anything that can survive daily sanitizing.
“This project is going to make the showers a lot nicer,” she said. During peak wintertime usage, the
shower usage contributes to utility bills that averaged $1,700 for several months running. Installation of
a solar water-heating system will help control costs while yielding an approximate $10,000 rebate from
the Energy Trust of Oregon. In light of the City’s commitment to both sustainability and addressing
homelessness, the solar aspect of this renovation was particularly attractive.
For more information please contact Bob Briscoe, Planning and Development Department, at 682-5446
or Bob.Briscoe@ci.eugene.or.us
Summer Recreation Programs Wind Down
This week, many of the City’s summer programs are coming to an end. The last day of recreation
summer camps is Friday, August 24, including Fun For All, the free, drop-in playground program. Also
on Friday, the last of the Summer Concerts in the Park will be held as Hip Hopera performs at 6:30 p.m.
at Churchill Youth Sports Camp. The performance follows the culmination of the summer Skateboard
Contest Series.
Other outside music opportunities are still available, however, as the Washburne Park Band and Classical
Series continues on Sundays through September 2, with a special finale on Monday, September 3, at 6:30
p.m. at Agate St. Park. The last of the 2007 Summer Movies in the Park, “The Incredibles,” will be shown (in
Spanish) at 9 p.m. on Friday, August 24, at Petersen Barn Community Center. The summer Swim and Polo
League wraps up August 26, as does the Free Shakespeare in the Park Performances at Amazon Park.
As one season gears down, another is gearing up, with registration already underway for fall Recreation
programming that begins September 1. For information, contact Kathy Madison, 682-6342.
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2
August 24, 2007