Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 18, 2000)
Springfield sheds negative image for better visage ■ The town just east of Eugene has had the reputation of a backwards community, but downtown improvements and new infrastructure bring it up to speed By Clayton Cone forthe Emerald Carpenters laid out boards and nailed them into place, creating steps to the mezzanine of the soon to-be-opened Springfield Art Cen ter on Main Street. In the back ground, judges for the Aug. 25 Mayor’s Art Show looked over paintings and sculptures for debut at the Springfield Filbert Festival. All the activity was just part of what Springfield Communications Director Rosemary Pryor called the “renaissance of the downtown I love it. It’s just a good place to live... I don Y think it has any pretensions about it. Paula Jenson Springfield resident area,” which she said was coming at the tail end of widespread devel opment in the city. “If people haven’t been to Springfield lately, they haven’t seen Springfield, because it simply doesn’t even look like the same town it was 10 years ago,” she said. Pryor talked about “miles of off street pedestrian paths resplendent with landscaping, lighting and benches,” the new indoor “wave pool” and the other recently reno vated community pool. There is also a new city hall building, the preservation of historic sites, the Gateway Mall area and lodgings, the construction of upscale homes in the Thurston and Hayden Bridge areas, the critical-care hospital and economic diversification. But all these bright spots fade in comparison to the topic that most quickens her speech — that Spring field’s downtown area is on the short list for a new federal court house. “We’re all, of course, watching with bated breath this whole saga with the federal courthouse,” she said. “If the federal government should decide to site a major feder al facility in downtown Spring field, there’s no question in my mind that that will simply unleash a torrent of interest in downtown Springfield. Investment opportuni ties exist like crazy there. ” Pryor said the General Services Administration has been narrow ing down preferred sites between Springfield and Eugene. She also said that had Spring field not been changing over the past 10 years, it would not even be on that list now. “The whole identity of Spring field is evolving significantly,” she said. “We were once a timber town, and our roots will always be there. “To be blunt, we’re very proud of that because it’s good, honest labor,” she said. “But we’re no longer a timber town.” In fact, only one forest products company, Weyerhauser, makes it into the top three employers in town. Weyerhauser boasts slightly more than half the number of em ployees of McKenzie-Willamette Hospital and approximately just SzfcOO 169 K. Broadway • 34 3 2298 M°sS ded»^'e You look ravishing! Elegant, classic, exquisite jewelry to bring out the best in you. ■ Goldworks ^-■ ir\i/r O-V- APT t.i THE BOOK FAIR /4nt 95C 'P'Urt&i "A Browsers Paradise" Used books for every interest and age. Free Parking USED BOOKS We buy Since BOOKS USED books 1409 Oak St. 343-3033®^ Closed: Sun & Mon, Open: Tues-Thurs 10:00-5:30 Fri. Eve until 7:00, Sat 10:00-5:00 w»oa«ra«fr»K*&:-g»««g Azle Malinao-Alvarez Emerald A former timber town, neighboring Springfield is coming into its own through community improvement projects, a revitalization of downtown and the possible construction of a new federal courthouse. over thirty percent of the employ ees working for the Springfield School District, according to Pryor. SONY comes in as the fourth largest employer at 430, she said. Moreover, there are more people employed in the wood-products in dustry in Eugene than there are in Springfield, she said. But the image of Springfield, even aside from the 1998 Thurston High School shooting, may still be tainted. In an informal poll on the Uni versity campus during inter-ses sion, six out of eight people ap proached declined to comment about the city of more than 50,000 people just across the Willamette River. One simply said, “It’s going to be all negative.” “What we know is true, from the comments that we hear and the ex periences that we have, is that some people haven’t updated their picture of Springfield,” Pryor said. Both people who would speak about Springfield were residents of that city. “I love it. It’s just a good place to Turn to Springfield, page 20C THE BOOKSELLERS, GROCERS & WINE MERCHANTS Homeopathic and Herbal Remedies KVA •Organic Produce, Natural and International Foods Dried Fruits, Nuts and Bulk Foods ♦ Imported and Domestic Wine and Beer • Deli with Over 150 Cheeses, Sliced or Cut to Order Vitamins and Body Care Products MON-SAT 9-8 • SUN 10-5 1 25 West 11th Avenue • DOWNTOWN EUGENE • 342-8666
