Implementation of a bond measure and operations levy is going well, according to the City of Eugene.
In 2018, voters approved a five-year annual operating levy for more than $3 million, as well as a capital bond for roughly $40 million.
Carolyn Burke, the city’s Parks and Natural Resources Planning Manager, said four years into its implementation, 80% of projects are in progress or finished, like the Sheldon Pool and Echo Hollow pool expansions.
“We’re anticipating that the final projects would be completed by 2028,” Burke told KLCC. “So that’s a10-year implementation cycle.”
Kelly Shadwick, Parks and Open Space Community Engagement Manager, says levy-funded operations are helping officials respond to illicit activity in natural spaces.
“We have our park resource officers, park ambassadors, and we have an activity clean-up team that really cleans up a lot of the garbage debris in parks and natural areas, and particularly on our waterways.”
Shadwick added that as the levy will expire in June this year, so the Eugene City Council will discuss future funding for parks and recreation at a Feb. 8 workshop.
Burke said that there are a couple new projects that’ll launch in 2023.
“We're developing phase one of a community park for Santa Clara. Santa Clara has been without a community park, and we have purchased property over the years, and this bond and the levy have allowed us to actually develop that land,” said Burke.
“We'll also be installing new lighting along the Fern Ridge path. This will make the entire past system lighted, and therefore more accessible kind of throughout all times of the day and evening. And another project that we're really excited about is the Delta Ponds looped trail. “
The City of Eugene has released a report on the bond and levy as well.
In its release, official say the third annual survey was conducted in the summer of 2022 to understand residents’ experiences in parks and measure their satisfaction with enhanced levy services. Several key takeaways include:
- Eugene parks are important to the quality of life of survey respondents with 89% of respondents indicating parks are “extremely” or “very important” to their quality of life.
- Illegal camping was the key factor in respondents’ feelings about safety. People’s sense of safety for more than half of respondents (58%) has not changed in the past year.
- For most (70%), the changes made possible by 2018 Levy funds are completely or mostly worth the additional expense.
©2023, KLCC.
