HomeMy WebLinkAbout02/10/11 - City Council Newsletter
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER
February 10, 2011
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
FOR FAMILIES AT THE LIBRARY: BILINGUAL FIESTA AND BLACK HISTORY MONTH PLAY
FREE HEARTS OF CLAY FOR VALENTINE’S DAY
SNAP NEIGHBORS WORK WITH CITY STAFF ON DIVERSE STRATEGIC PLANS
NEW PARK TRAILS CONNECTING NEIGHBORS IN EAST EUGENE
WEST BANK TRAIL EXTENSION PROJECT PROGRESSING
AROUND THE CITY
For Families at the Library: Bilingual Fiesta and Black History Month Play
Family Fiestameansfun in Spanish and English. On Saturday, Feb.19, from 11:00
a.m. to noon, families are invited to join the Children of Bethel Ballet Folklórico for a
bilingual dance party at the Bethel Branch of Eugene Public Library.
On Wednesday, Feb. 23, at 10:15 and 11:00 a.m., the Downtown Library will host an
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inspiring and interactive play for young children in honor of Black History Month. The
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Strength of Harriet Tubman tells the story of the African-American hero who risked her
freedom 19 times to guide more than 300 people out of slavery. The play will be
performed by students from Drinking Gourd Elementary School, ages five through nine.
Children in the audience will get to participate in the show, which encourages kids to
take courage from Tubman’s example and “do the right thing, even when it’s hard.”
All activities are free. For more information, please call the Eugene Public Library at 541-682-8316 or visit
www.eugene-or.gov/library.
Free Hearts of Clay for Valentine’s Day
The Youth and Family Program is offering a free valentine heart to everyone for
Valentine’s Day. Pick up a free ruby heart of clay at the Amazon Clay Arts Studio,
2700 Hilyard Street, on Feb.11, 5 - 8 p.m., or Feb. 14, 3 - 5 p.m. Join in valentine
fun and check out the new and improved ceramics studio and classes.
For more information, call Gina Tafoya at 541-682-5373.
SNAP Neighbors Work with City Staff on Diverse Strategic Plans
“Thank you, we learned a lot!” was the refrain of Trainsong Neighbors and City staff reflecting on completion of the
pilot Strategic Neighborhood Assessment and Planning (SNAP) project. Over the past nine months, the Trainsong
SNAP leadership team worked with neighborhood residents to identify priorities
and goals for neighborhood improvements and to draft specific action items to
address needs. Liaisons from City departments provided input into the work plan
to refine strategies and identify contacts and available resources that may help
with implementation. Trainsong Neighbors are now eligible for up to $5,000 to
help accomplish the goals of their plan. The Trainsong Neighbors work plan can
be found on the SNAP program web page at www.eugene-or.gov/nap.
Two new SNAP projects have been initiated and two more are awaiting start-up.
Centro LatinoAmericano is working with Latino-owned businesses along Blair
Avenue and adjacent neighborhood associations (Whitaker Community Council
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February 10, 2011
and Jefferson Westside Neighbors) to strengthen connections between Latino-owned businesses and the
surrounding community. The Santa Clara and River Road community organizations submitted a joint proposal to
conduct education and outreach activities focused on urban transition issues such as land use, transportation, parks
and governance. Upon completion of these two SNAPs, staff will be working with Active Bethel Citizens to plan for
urban agricultural options that enhance food access and security in the neighborhood and with Harlow Neighbors to
diversify and expand participation in the work of the association.
For more information, contact SNAP leads Rene Kane at rene.c.kane@ci.eugene.or.us or 541-682-6243, or Lorna
Flormoe at 541-682-5670.
New Park Trails Connecting Neighbors in East Eugene
A series of recent projects, strengthened by community partnerships, have created new trails in southeast Eugene,
resulting in improved commuting options and connections between neighborhoods.
The Northwest Youth Corps Outdoor School,
supported by members of Friends of Hendricks Park
and the Fairmont and Laurel Hill neighborhood
associations, and volunteers from Oregon Woods
Inc., received a City of Eugene neighborhood
matching grant to realign a heavily eroded segment
of the Floral Hill Trail in Hendricks Park. The
improved trail joins Hendricks Park and the newly
constructed .75-mile Ribbon Trail to Floral Hill Drive
and creates a pedestrian connection between the
Fairmount and Laurel Hill Valley neighborhoods.
In addition, Eugene Water & Electric Board’s
(EWEB) need to place a water main line down a
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narrow City-owned parcel between 30 Avenue and
Spring Boulevard resulted in an opportunity to
improve a crucial commuter link. The City Parks and
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Disciples of Dirt help build 30 Avenue trail connector
Open Space Division partnered with EWEB staff and members of the Disciples of Dirt and the Obsidians to build a
trail over the location of the filled-in water main’s trench. EWEB staff built the bulk of the trail as a component of its
project. The two volunteer groups worked with City Volunteer-In-Parks staff to build a connecting trail segment near
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30 Avenue, while a second grant-funded youth crew worked to build a trail segment down a steep hillside near 29
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Avenue. A trail segment connecting the dead ends of Central Boulevard near Laurelwood Golf Course and 29
Avenue completed the connection work.
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The new trails allow pedestrian and bicycle access between 29 and 30 avenues and Central Boulevard. Bicycle
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commuters and pedestrians are able to get off busy 30 Avenue to travel between neighborhoods south of 30, Lane
Community College and other destinations. One regular hiker interviewed recently summed up the experience, “I’m
becoming addicted to the trails; it’s so nice to be able to experience a little bit of nature a few minutes from home!”
For more information, please contact Natural Resources Maintenance Specialist Jesse Cary-Hobbs at 541-682-4843.
West Bank Trail Extension Project Progressing
A $1.6 million project is under way to extend the West Bank Trail from River Avenue, under the Randy Pape’ Beltline,
along Division Avenue to Beaver Street.
Work currently is focused on the section along Division Avenue,
which will include a path undercrossing at the main entrance to the
Delta Sand & Gravel yard. Later this summer, the work will move to
the path alignment along the river bank. The project is scheduled to
be completed in November 2011. Knife River Corporation is the
general contractor. Construction costs are approximately $1.58
million, with funding coming from a federal transportation
enhancement grant administered by the Oregon Department of
Transportation.
The project extends the existing West Bank trail to connect the River
Road and Santa Clara neighborhoods. Currently, bicyclists and
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February 10, 2011
pedestrians wishing to cross the Beltline corridor must use River Road, a busy arterial street with five lanes of traffic
moving approximately 32,000 vehicles a day. When using River Road to cross the Beltline corridor, cyclists and
pedestrians must navigate the intersection of Division Avenue, the on- and off-ramps to Beltline Highway, and the
intersection of River Avenue/Silver Lane. The extended trail will provide an option that reduces the number of vehicle
conflicts with pedestrian and bicycle movements. The project also provides a connection from Eugene’s Bascom
Riverbank Trail System to the street system north of Beltline.
The project includes constructing a 12-foot-wide concrete shared-use path with pedestrian-scale lighting. Also
included in the project is construction of a section of retaining wall to support the path and limit the footprint of the
path adjacent to the river. The path alignment will connect to the existing West Bank Trail approximately 850 feet
south of Beltline, run north along the bank of the Willamette River under Beltline, and turn west and proceed along
the north side of Division Avenue to the intersection at Beaver Street. In addition, the Metropolitan Wastewater
Management Commission has requested that three 12-inch-diameter water lines be constructed within the footprint
of the path project to provide for future use as recycled water lines serving the area north of Beltline. These lines
would go through additional permitting through the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and Oregon Water
Resources Department prior to becoming operational. Recycled water use will benefit aquatic species by helping to
mitigate thermal impacts to the Willamette River and by supplanting water withdrawals, allowing more water to
remain in-stream.
For more information, contact Project Manager Scott Milovich at 541-682-6086.
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February 10, 2011