HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC Newsletter - 09/22/05
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER
September 22, 2005
City of Eugene
777 Pearl Street, Room 105
Eugene, Oregon 97401-2793
(541) 682-5010
(541) 682-5414 (FAX)
www.ci.eugene.or.us
IN THIS WEEK’S EDITION
PRESS CONFERENCE TO MARK START OF CONSTRUCTION ON DELTA PONDS PROJECT
PUBLIC COMMENTS SOUGHT ON STORMWATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
RECREATION SERVICES DIVISION HELPS ASSET MOVEMENT TAKE ROOT
NEW HENDRICKS PARK BENCH DEDICATED TO MEMORY OF LONGTIME EUGENE RESIDENT
OREGON DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY TRAINING PROGRAM TOURS CITY’S URBAN FOREST
ROBERT PLANT AT THE HULT CENTER ON SEPTEMBER 28
ECHO HOLLOW POOL PAINTED BY EUGENE WATER POLO TEAM VOLUNTEERS
AROUND THE CITY
Press Conference to Mark Start of Construction on Delta Ponds Project
A press conference on Tuesday morning, September 27, will mark the start of construction on a project
to restore and enhance water quality and aquatic habitat in the Delta Ponds. Mayor Kitty Piercy will be
joined by representatives from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, area congressional offices, and the
state of Oregon to speak about the vision for Delta Ponds and the significance of the work about to
begin.
Veraz Construction, Inc., of Tualatin has been hired by the Corps of Engineers to construct a weir, or
dam, to establish seasonal flows from the Willamette River directly into the southernmost pond in the
Delta Ponds system and to make channel improvements to improve water circulation in the first pond
area. Future phases will improve seasonal water circulation in the remaining areas of the Delta Ponds
system, enhance aquatic and riparian habitat, and improve recreational facilities, including the
construction of new bicycle-pedestrian paths in the Delta Ponds area.
While the initial project is fairly small – about $100,000 and several weeks of work – it is significant for
several reasons. It moves the Corps of Engineers into the construction phase of a much larger project
that up to now has been in the planning phase. Typically, the Corps assigns a higher priority for funds to
projects in the construction phase, so this should help the overall Delta Ponds project move forward. It is
also the first project that alters the hydrology of the ponds. Numerous habitat projects and some
recreation projects have been undertaken in the ponds area over the past several years, including work
done by volunteer groups and work funded by the state of Oregon and the federal Bureau of Land
Management. The Corps project will actually affect the flow of water through the ponds.
The press conference begins at 10 a.m. near the northern end of the Valley River Center parking lot. For
more information, contact Eric Jones, public affairs manager for the Public Works Department, at
682-5523.
Public Comments Sought On Stormwater Management Plan
The City of Eugene is seeking public comments on proposed revisions to the City’s Stormwater
Management Plan (SWMP). Eugene’s SWMP is the set of best management practices that reflects the
City’s commitment under its National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) stormwater
discharge permit to reduce pollutants to the maximum extent practicable. The proposed revisions to the
SWMP are in response to requirements in the City’s new NPDES permit, issued in March 2004.
Notice is being provided to residents in a variety of ways: information on the internet; a printed fact
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September 22, 2005
sheet (copies are available in the Council Office, the City Manager’s Office lobby, and Public Works
building locations); notices in the newspaper; and postcards mailed to interested parties. Comments
received by
5 p.m. on Friday, October 14, will be summarized in a report to the Oregon Department of Environmental
Quality. All persons who submit written comments will be identified as interested parties and will be
notified of the City’s response to their comments if they provide a current mailing address or a valid e-
mail address.
The SWMP web site is located at www.eugene-or.gov (click on NPDES link). For more information, call
Therese Walch, water resources manager, at 541-682-8647.
Recreation Services Division Helps Asset Movement Take Root
September 14 was a big day for the Recreation Services Division as it continued its community-wide
promotion of the 40 Developmental Assets. On that date, Clay Roberts, a nationally-renowned speaker
on community asset development, spent the entire day speaking to community organizations, agency
leaders, and Recreation staff. He also provided the keynote address at the annual Lane County
Prevention Coalition recognition dinner. Recreation Manager Sandy Shaffer helped coordinate this asset-
rich day for the community.
The Recreation Division is a committed member of the “Asset Champions of Lane County,” a group of
local agencies that work together to plant the asset message deep into the roots of the community. Last
Thursday’s “OPINION” section of the Register-Guard included an article written by Recreation Manager
Craig Smith on the topic of asset development. This was the first in a series of bi-weekly articles in which
local youth advocates and City of Eugene employees share their work perspectives and discuss the
benefits of youth asset development. The goal of the series is to familiarize Lane County residents with
the asset development model, and how to add it to their lives and to the lives of local youth. Future
asset articles will appear in the “OPINION” section of the RG every other Thursday.
For more information on the 40 Developmental Assets, contact Recreation Manager Craig Smith at
682-6340, or visit www.search-institute.org.
New Hendricks Park Bench Dedicated to Memory of Longtime Eugene Resident
On Friday, September 23,at 2 p.m., a new bench by a local sculptor will be dedicated to the memory of
Grant Chase. Born in Eugene in 1926, Grant was a local business man who, upon retiring in 1981,
devoted much of his time to the Eugene Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society. Grant and his
wife Dottie often visited the Rhododendron Garden at Hendricks Park. After Grant’s death, Dottie
thought placing a bench in their favorite spot would be a fitting tribute to her husband. The inscription on
the curved steel and basalt bench reads, “He loved nature and all of its offerings.” Following the
ceremony, an informal reception will follow in the F.M. Wilkins Shelter, across the road from the bench.
All gardening enthusiasts, friends, and the general public are invited. For more information, contact
Ginny Alfriend, Hendricks Park head gardener, at 682-5324 or at ginny.d.alfriend@ci.eugene.or.us
Oregon Department of Forestry Training Program Tours City’s Urban Forest
Participants in the Oregon Department of
Forestry’s Community Tree Management Institute
(CTMI) training program spent the day in Eugene
last Thursday learning about the City’s tree
preservation programs. Urban Forestry staff led
the group of 13 “students” (city arborists, planners,
landscape architects, and a mayor) on a tour that
highlighted partnership efforts in preserving trees
during private, public and commercial
development.
Kent Kullby and Matt Denberg from the Planning
and Development Department discussed tree
preservation planning in the East Ridge Village
Planned Unit Development. Adam Steffen, a
Public Works Engineering landscape designer, led
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September 22, 2005
a hike on the new Amazon Headwaters trail, showing tree protection measures put into place
there. Steve Gallup of Public Works Engineering, showed how partnering with urban forestry staff
helped in constructing the Garden Way street improvements.
Linda (McKay) Korth hosted the group at the Oakway Shopping Center courtyard (see photo), where she
grew up playing among the white oaks when it was in her grandparents’ farmyard. Tree preservation on
this project was cited in a special award previously given by the Eugene Tree Foundation (ETF), whose
president, Phil Carroll, talked about how a local non-profit tree advocacy group can work with the City
and developers to encourage tree preservation. For more information, contact Urban Forester Mark
Snyder at 682-4819 or mark.r.snyder@ci.eugene.or.us.
Robert Plant at the Hult Center on September 28
,
Robert Plant the legendary voice of “Led Zeppelin,” returns to the Hult Center
on Wednesday, September 28. Since his Zeppelin days, Plant has been
touring throughout the world and recording. His tour band, “The Strange
Sensation,” which was formed in 2001, earned aGrammy nomination in 2002
for Dreamland, its first recording. He is currently promoting his new recording,
Mighty Rearranger, which features the hit "Shine It All Around." This
quintessential rock vocalist and frontman is often imitated, but never
duplicated.Get ready to rock Silva Hall! For more information, contact the
Hult Center Ticket Office at 682-5000.
Echo Hollow Pool Painted by Eugene Water Polo Team Volunteers
This past weekend, during the annual maintenance
closure at Echo Hollow Pool, teens from the South
Eugene Water Polo team assisted Facility
Maintenance staff in painting the pool floor and walls.
Their volunteer labor was part of a creative initiative
to include swim and water polo team members in the
upkeep of aquatic facilities. Dave Lane, facility
maintenance supervisor, felt the partnership was very
successful. The students saved his crew several
hours of labor working on a site they use, and
received community service credit that will apply
toward their high school graduation requirements.
Recreation Services and Facilities Maintenance plan
to build on this recent success for future pool
maintenance closures by including even more competitive aquatic participants. Amazon, Sheldon and
Echo Hollow Pools need a wide range of minor cleaning and beautification projects during their
maintenance closures. The list of tasks is usually so long that some items cannot be addressed by staff.
With the assistance of swim and water polo team volunteers, Lane anticipates a more thorough
completion of the maintenance needs during the closures.
For more information, contact Facility Maintenance Supervisor Dave Lane at 682-8327, or Aquatics
Manager Doug Smith at 682-6336.
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