CITY OF ROSE BURG ANNUAL REPORT
1963 - A year of CIVIC PROGRESS! Under the leadership of Mayor Thomas Garrison, the
City Council devoted extra effort toward the following goals:
W IjWUUUIV All VSllY MUVCIUUlCill
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A Long Range Program of Street Improvements
A Plan for Unifying the Roseburg Urban Area
The Development of a Downtown Parking Program
p3J( -fa The Acquisition of property for "River Bend" park
rT OPERATION ECONOMY has become a "way of life" in the City of Roseburg. Two
reports were issued during the year by the City administration indicating that economies in
operation were being made in every department. Tangible results in dollar savings have
been noted while providing, in the words of Mayor Garrison, "the required City services at
the least possible cost." gg? A STREET IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM is well justified,
considering that, of 59 miles of City streets, only 35 miles are paved. In order to finance need
ed street improvements, the Council established a Street Improvement Fund in 1963, ear
marking $45,000 in gas tax monies for this purpose. Already this fund has provided for the
resurfacing of nine downtown streets, improved Stewart Park roads, increased the contribu
tions to residential street paving projects and paid the cost of a traffic signal installation.
' UNICOM is the name given to Roseburg Area Unification Committee which was
appointed by Mayor Garrison in March. The purpose of the Committee of citizens from the
entire region is to review the problems of community growth, analyze the need for municipal
services and determine what steps, if any, should be made toward unification of the Rose
burg urban area. Unicom is still at work and is expected to make a report to the Council and
to the community at large during 1964. 'jjjj Action on a DOWNTOWN PARKING PRO
GRAM culminated several years of study and debate by businessmen, the Chamber of
Commerce, the Planning Commission and the City Council, when in December the Council
voted to acquire three properties in the central business district. The new parking facilities
will add 112 off-street spaces for use by downtown shoppers, financed solely from parking
meter revenue. The dream of "RIVER BEND PARK" became more of a reality in
1963 as the City Council proceeded to acquire property along the shores of the South Umpqua
River. Property in the vicinity of the Oak Avenue Bridge was purchased with funds approved
by the voters at a special bond election in April. Downstream, 48 acres of surplus Veterans
Administration land was ready for reconveyance to the City by Congessional action as the
mllyqr; closed.
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