March 19, 2010
By Dan Corcoran
EUGENE, Ore. -- Community leaders are talking about how best to develop and protect the heart of Eugene.
The City Club of Eugene tackled the issue of downtown development and safety. Over the last several years, many private citizen groups have been working on downtown plans.
Coming together with the best ideas, they hope to make a difference.
"We are noticing real progress in terms of collaboration, and we know that this is important. So we are going to keep working on this, but we can work much more efficiently," said guest speaker Susanna Meyer.
Ideas to improve downtown included more collaboration with the UO, increasing grants for downtown non-profits, and more outdoor public activites to draw people in.
Comments
Downtown
I know you're well aware of the problem in Eugene. Dick pretty much said it all and quite eloquently. I just wanted to say, we moved to the area about three years ago and were pretty excited, coming from a larger town, to have a smaller sized downtown area that seemed to have a few cute shops, a nice square, attractive and comfortable. It didn't take long though, to realize that you wouldn't want to walk around downtown unless you like pushing your way through young adults spitting on the sidewalk, blowing smoke and not even attempting to stand to one side so you could pass with your family. The city talks about downtown being a living room...not mine, but it sure is to the youth.
It has come about that we will be able to move this year and make Corvallis the home we thought Eugene would become. We've spent many days and evenings on the streets of Corvallis and not once did we feel uncomfortable or feel we were putting someone out by walking through their group hanging out in the middle of the sidewalk. Give me smaller and safer over what Eugene is. I hope that the plans to improve the area work out for all of the residents here. I think it could be a pretty awesome downtown, just like what the internet says about it... until you get here.
Downtown Development and Safety
There are already enough "outdoor public activites" such as sleeping on the sidewalk, deficating on the sidewalk, urinating on buildings, agressive panhandling, and smoking dope in the alleyways.
Grants from the public trough for "downtown non-profits" will only make matters worse!
Ideas from people who have never run a business or met a payroll will likely result in the same type of "projects" I participated in as a UofO student during the early 60's which resulted in creating the problem you have been trying to solve for the last 50 years! YOU WERE WARNED BY THE BUSINESS AND DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY AT THE TIME THAT WHAT HAPPENED WOULD HAPPEN! (AND IT DID).
Profitable busineses don't require a strings-attached subsidy from the taxpayers' pocket. They need to be left alone to do their busines. Not harassed by city and county paperwork, taxes and fees, excessive sign regulations, restrictive zoning and crazy parking requirements and restrictions. They cannot thrive in the environment you have created. Look at the empty store fronts on Willamette Street. They have been vacant since long before the current economic difficulties.
Other than those who work downtown, few persons daily/nightly participate in "downtown" activities such as shopping, dinning and dancing, seeing a movie, etc. (ie SPENDING MONEY!)
I go to the bank, drop off or pick up my dry-clraning, or hit the courthouse for information then, rather than try to fight my way through the "crowd" in front of the library, I GET OUT OF THE CITY CENTER AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE!
You've made a mess of the park blocks with the outdoor Saturday market of temporary shacks after tearing down the original Eugene Public Market building which housed full-time 6-day a week merchants selling fresh in-season fruit and produce, flowers and plants, fresh eggs, farm-fresh milk and dairy products, locally produced cheese, grass-fed beef, goat chicken, rabbit, mutton, chicken, rabbit, etc.,etc. YOU TORE IT DOWN BECAUSE IT WAS TOO OLD FASHIONED!
The river front "bike paths" have become a camping ground for illegal aliens and drug users.
Your often touted Rasor Park on River Road is nothing more than a dog baño for which you substituted in place of a high-end residential development. The area has now become too dangerous to ride or walk alone.
When is the "City" of Eugene going to figure out that profitable busineses that cater to the public and adaquate police activity are the only thing that will "bring back" the hustle and bustle of a vibrant (sp?) town that Eugene once was!