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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (July 28, 1987)
Editorial Moving or destroying BMX track impractical I .a n<; County has recently proposed a golf course to fie built on the ansa near Alton Baker Park and the former Day Island Landfill. But the design of the course may eliminate the Emerald Valley BMX Club, currently located near Aut/.en Stadium. While a larger, improved course in Eugene may be a necessity, it should not come at the cost of the BMX track or the other running and hiking facilities. Lane County must make provisions to design the golf course around the BMX track or find a new site for the golf course. According to Lane County Commissioner jerry Rust, the proposal for an 18-hole golf course has been considered for 15 years. It lias gone through a series of public hearings to determine the need and feasibility of another golf course in Eugene. Studies hy the Public Coif Association show Eugene has the fewest golfing facilities fora city of its size. This was one of the factors that prompted the course proposal. Rust also stressed the importance of golf to the older community. "Golfing will be an important form of recrea tion — the number of plavers is on the rise," lie said. Although the number of people using the track com pared to the number of golfers seems small, the BMX track has received national acclaim since it was created. It is the only track of its kind in the Eugene area, and recently hosted a national competition for tin- second con secutive year. Only 18 tracks in the country are awarded with the competition each year. The BMX Club was created in 1981. and the commis sion unanimously gave the track a temporary permit. Now the track may fie lost because the permit was not permanent. "People have the initial imago of the track as a cow trail out in blackborry flushes but it is not. It is an very exemplary track." Scott Snook, President of the Emerald Valley BMX Club, commented. In the span of five years the track area has fieen developed to accomodate competition and the public com fortably. It would bo costly and inefficient to move the track after it lias already been established as a quality site. Rust appears eager to reach a compromise, however. "1 would love nothing more than the course designers saying the two could coexist. An us vs. them confrontation would not serve the community." he explained. But the course must bo designed around the track or moved to a different location. The Alton Baker Park site is one of five potential loca tions, but the commission says it is the best because it is publicly owned and has a central location. However, the laiurelwood site also has these benefits. Conflict within the neighborhood and other legal problems, though, have deterred the commissioners from choosing this location. The county should not lie slowed by the controversy if the choice is feasible and will save it money. Currently the new course is expected to tie funded through a developer, with a 20-year lease, or the county will sell revenue bonds. Rust emphasized that tax money will not lie used. The money to relocate the BMX track cannot lie generated so easily, however The county has already closed several parks because of lack of funds. Snook estimated it would cost $t>0,000-$70.000, with volunteer labor, to move the track. The BMX track is an important addition to the Eugene area and should not be ignored because of its ambiguity. If the golf course completely eliminates the track, it will eliminate an entire aspect of Eugene recreation and national acclaim. Oregon Daily Emerald The Oregon Daily Emerald IS published Tuesday and Thursday during tho summer by (he Oregon Daily Emerald Publishing Co at tho University ot Oregon. Eugene Oregon. 97403 Dally publication will resume with the tail term The Emerald operates independently ol the University with utfices on the third lloor ol the Erb Memorial Union and is a member ol the Associated Press The Emerald IS private property The unlawful removal or use ol papers is prosecutable by law General Stall Advertising Director Susan Thelen Production Manager Michele Hoss Classified Advertising Alyson Simmons Assistant to the Publisher Jean Ownbey Editor Managing Student Govt News Editor Editorial Page Editor Photo Editor Night Editor Associate Editors Higher Ed* Administration General Assignment/Entertainment Community Stanley Nelson Carolyn lamberson Eden God bey Angela Mum; Shu Shmg Chen Mike Drummond Mike Drummond Aaron Kno» Stephen Maher Advertising: Janelte Heitmann Production: Sandra Daller / Ad Coordinator Kelly Alenandre, Eliot Knight Diana Moy Angela Muni; Ingrid White. Serena Williams News and Editorial 686-S511 Display Advertising MS 3712 Classified Advertising 686 4343 Letter Perfect Graphics 686 SS11 Production 6864361 Circulation and Business 686 5511 AFTER TESTIMONY, MXJR CLAIMS, ^OURASOTnO^WR VMWOP'THETWJTW, VIE HAVE JUST ONt MORE. QUESTION. WHATS IN THE PIPE? Commentary Image of success warps morals "What's the use of being elected or re-elected unless you stand for something?" — Clover Cleveland Moral behavior. Traditional values. We are awash in a political sea of righteousness that proves upon even the most cursory examination to tie chok ed with the lies of leaders, foul ed with fallen standards, poisoned by the culture of deception. Commentary by Alan Contreras In the bicentennial year of the Constitution, we display to the world America's theme: getting away with it. Our officeholders lie. cheat and steal. So do cor porate. religious and university leaders. There is no question of availability, only price. There is no question of right or wrong, only success or failure. Success is getting away with it. Failure is getting caught State Department officials brag of avoiding the questions of Congress. Religious leaders wallow in gold, playing crack the-whip with the mantle of Christ. Military officers and civilians make home-brew foreign policy. Corporations sell old cars as new. Colleges are for sale to the military, or the coaches or both. Can we turn to organized religion for an injection of moral direction as some leaders suggest? No. Not only are religious leaders embroiled in scandals of their own. but they are merely peo ple. gatekeepers and translators of ancient words now beyond meaningful access. Some preach love, some preach hate. Their churches claim as adherents the same liars, cheats and thieves who hold high places in our government, whose moral compasses swing as aimlessly on the way out as on the way in. Can we turn to the law for standards? No. The law is by nature both minimal and general. It guides us only in those areas where a momentary assemblage of legislators or a flicker of judicial whim determines the disposi tion of a particular idea The law also requires enforcement, and is thus subject to infinite abuse by the frail humans en trusted with that power. t'.an we turn to government itself? No. the shining city on a hill envisioned by john YVin throp at the founding of the Massachusetts Bay Colony may still have the lights on. but no one is home — at least no one YVinthrop would care to meet. There are too few able to assume the cloak of public trust without feeling the lining for coins. We have only ourselves. We must each develop our own moral sense as best we can and live by it. The source of our scale of right and wrong is unimportant, but Indore the nation can begin to find its moral bearings, each citizen must do so. Only when individuals stand for something can honest discourse about public issues take place. We live in a time of hate, fear, gn*ed. prejudice ami disdain. A time in which individualist separatism, having taken us to the bleeding edge of American life, has discovered itself unable to complete the circle, to establish a stable culture in its own image. We are left with the osteopathic skeleton of the law. the trampled mantle of religion, and the sorry assemblage of government. We must begin again to realize the meaning of society, to assess our place as in dividuals and groups, to con sider questions of right and wrong in relation to others, not just ourselves. If we do not establish certain basic levels of respect, certain norms, for our new in dividualist nation, we will con tinue slipping into the dark land of "us and them." with atrophied institutions mere political plums, and bombs in every basement. Letters Policy The Emerald will attempt to print all letters con taining fair comment on topics of interest to the University community Letters to the editor must be limited to 250 words, typed, signed and the identification of the writer must be verified when the letter is turned in. The Emerald reserves the right to edit any letter for length or style. Letters to the editor should be turned into the Emerald office. Suite 300. EMU.
