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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06/27/13 - City Council Newsletter City of Eugene 125 East 8 Avenue, 2 Floor thnd Eugene, Oregon 97401 (541) 682-5010 (541) 682-5414 (FAX) www.eugene-or.gov EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER June 27, 2013 IN THIS EDITION CONGRATULATIONS 2013 HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES CELEBRATE RECREATION IN JULY PARK WATCH COLLABORATION ADDS ONLINE TOOL TO HELP KEEP PARKS SAFE, CLEAN AND GREEN “CALAMITY JAZZ” CONCERT AT EUGENE PUBLIC LIBRARY AROUND THE CITY Congratulations 2013 High School Graduates June is the month to celebrate all graduates, and for this community, the Hult Center is the epicenter of high school graduation. In 2013, the first graduation ceremony was for the International High School, quickly followed by Sheldon, Churchill, Thurston, and South Eugene high school ceremonies. Backstage the halls were filled with nervous laughter, speech rehearsals, photos being snapped and tagged, lots of high-fives, tears, hugs, and a wonderful sense of celebration, achievement, milestones, and honors. The Silva Concert Hall provides a graceful back drop for the students, their families, teachers and school administrators. Over the course of the month, more than 9,500 graduates pass through the Hult Center basking in the glow of achievement. One never tires of seeing the students in their caps and gowns standing on the steps of the Studiocade having their class picture taken. These special moments are savored, shared and remembered forever. Graduation post-it notes can be spotted on the Hult 30 Post-it Wall in the Lobby. These fun commemorations are welcome contributions to the ongoing celebration of the Hult Center’s 30 th birthday. For more information, contact Hult Center for the Performing Arts Marketing and Outreach Manager Libby Tower at 541-682-8380 or Libby.j.tower@ci.eugene.or.us. Celebrate Recreation in July In July, the Recreation Division will celebrate recreation and its many surprising benefits. For instance, according to a study by California State Parks, "social bonds are improved when families recreate together and when seniors and individuals with disabilities are actively engaged in recreation activities." Furthermore, the study found these interactions “unite families, encourage social sensitivity and support seniors and individuals with disabilities." Several events planned by Recreation this summer, such as We Are Bethel Celebration, Echo Hollow Pool's Neighborhood Block Party, the Campbell Center Ice Cream Social and Summer in the City - Movies in the Park, among many others, provide opportunities for individuals and families to realize these benefits. EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 1 June 27, 2013 Throughout the month of July, information will be provided about the surprising benefits of recreation. These facts, research findings and anecdotal results will be posted in community centers and pools, on Recreation’s Facebook pages, website, and Twitter. Knowing more about all that recreation can do, the community will be even more motivated to get moving! Folks will be asked why they love recreation and can respond by posting their answers to one of Rec's Facebook pages, Tweeting to #YILoveRec, taping up handwritten reasons in the community centers, and/or posting videos of testimonials. What makes recreation special? Is it fitness? Having fun? Learning something new? Or maybe it’s meeting people through recreation. It could be an appreciation for recreation facilities and sports fields that provide a place to recreate, make art or crafts, and play team sports. Of course, there are the environmental benefits of fresh air or just being in nature. Whatever the reasons are to love recreation, Recreation staff would like to hear them. For more information, contact Kathy Madison, Library, Recreation and Cultural Services marketing and public information manager, at 541-682-6342. Park Watch Collaboration Adds Online Tool to Help Keep Parks Safe, Clean and Green Park Watch is a powerful and interactive collaboration between the community, Eugene Police Department, Public Works Parks and Open Space, and Library, Recreation, and Cultural Services’ Recreation to increase safety and reduce crime in Eugene’s parks, recreation facilities, and surrounding neighborhoods. Park Watch is entering its second year, targeting patrols in high use park and recreation areas throughout the peak season with very positive results. These efforts are now going to be assisted by the release of a new online tool that takes advantage of quick and immediate reporting, provides direct access to the appropriate responder, and allows incident location tracking for follow-up action. Park users, neighbors and staff can easily report non-emergency safety issues immediately as they are encountered in a park or facility at www.eugene-or.gov/parkwatch from any computer or mobile device. The types of non-emergency issues that can be reported include bike path hazards, graffiti, harassment, theft, trash, vandalism, disorderly behavior and more. Best of all, users do not need to worry about whether to report to Parks or EPD, the dropdown menu is coded appropriately. For example, a “restroom problem” would get reported to Parks automatically, while “disorderly conduct” would go straight to EPD. Park Watch signs will begin appearing in the park system later this summer with the website and QR code direct access for smart phone users. The signs will encourage users to trust their intuition. If it doesn’t feel right, report it! For more information about Park Watch, contact Parks and Open Space Natural Resources Manager Eric Wold at eric.n.wold@ci.eugene.or.us or 541-682-4842, or AIC Captain Doug Mozan, Eugene Police Department, at doug.l.mozan@ci.eugene.or.us. “Calamity Jazz” Concert at Eugene Public Library On Friday, July 5, at 6 p.m., the Downtown Eugene Public Library will host a free concert by Calamity Jazz. The Downtown Library is open until 8 p.m., the first Friday of each month. The band features toe-tapping, high-energy, Dixieland, swing, and ragtime tunes with a super-fun band led by Vicki Cox (trumpet, vocals) with Meg Graf (piano, bass sax), Jeff Green (banjo, guitar), and Norm Gary (reeds). While visiting the Library, adults, teens, and children can sign up for Summer Reading 2013. At sign-up, each child and teen gets a free book, and each adult gets a coupon for a free coffee at Novella Cafe or $1 off books at the Friends of the Library book store. For more information, visit www.eugene-or.gov/library or call the Eugene Public Library at 541-682-8316. EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2 June 27, 2013