Community Section Editor:
Ayisha Yahya
ayishayahya@dailyemerald.com
Oregon Daily Emerald
COMMUNITY
SECTION
C
Monday, September 22, 2003
BRT to speed residents around town
I he system, which will see hybrid
electric busses speed passengers
down Franklin Boulevard, is set for
construction starting spring of 2004
By A. Sho Ikeda
Senior News Reporter
Area residents will not see signs of the first
phase of Eugene's newest transportation system,
Bus Rapid Transit, until the end of the school
year, because construction has been postponed
until spring 2004.
The BRT system — based on the principles of
light rail transportation, such as Portland's Met
ropolitan Area Express (MAX) — uses busses in
coordination with existing infrastructure like
roads and traffic signals. BRT busses would also
have an exclusive right-of-way, letting them by
pass other vehicles in their own lane.
Mark Pangborn, assistant general manager at
Lane Transit District, said much progress has
been made in developing BRT, despite con
struction delays.
Pangborn said the BRT proposal is already in
its final stages, and LTD is waiting for approval of
building permits from the city of Eugene and the
Oregon Department of Transportation.
"We're waiting for permits on our design of the
Phase 1 system," Pangbomsaid. "We will proba
bly get those during the next couple of months."
Pangborn said LTD needed to resolve design
issues before applying for permits from the city
and ODOT, preventing the organization from
starting construction this summer, as originally
planned. He added that LTD is also waiting for
the University to select a site for its new basket
ball arena. The University is considering build- j
ing the arena at several sites along Franklin
Boulevard, where the BRT will operate.
"Of course, we want to make sure that every
thing is settled before even starting construction,"
Turn to BRT, page 14C
am
Eugene’s award-winning Owen Rose Garden
offers at least 47 of the 52 categories of roses
among 4,500 shrubs on nine acres of land
By Ayisha Yahya
News Editor
Fiery pinks and mellow peaches. Luscious reds and virgin
whites. With its vibrant flowers, Eugene's Owen Rose Garden
greets the eyes with a splash of color. The garden is located on
Jefferson Street, along the Willamette River, and offers a tran
quil space away from the bustle of urban life.
George E. Owen, a local lumberman and philanthropist,
donated the original two acres of the garden to Eugene in
1950, selling the acres for $10 each. Owen said he wanted "a
place where the people of Eugene could get away from daily
stresses and smell the roses. "The Eugene Rose Society then do
nated 750 rose bushes to start the garden.
The garden now covers about nine acres and has more than
4,500 shrubs of some 400 varieties of roses, according to the
garden's Web site. Head gardener Dee Grissell said there are
52 different classes of roses, adding that the garden includes
at least 47 of these classes. He said the garden has both old
style and modem varieties, as well as some rarer types.
"We have some roses that nobody has or are very rare,"
he said.
Taking care of the flowers is labor-intensive, Grissell said.
The garden has three gardeners constantly tending to the
plants as they bloom from buds into a flourish of color.
"Each plant has its own individual character so you learn
by trial and error from year to year (what each one needs),"
he said.
Even in the winter, when the flowers are dormant, the garden
ers must continue pruning them. In the spring, Grissell said they
start cleaning, fertilizing and spraying the plants for fungus.
"We try to minimize our pesticide usage," he said. "We use no
Turn to GARDEN, page 8C
Jessica Waters Photo Editor
Owen Rose Garden, on Jefferson Street, covers nearly nine acres and boasts more than
400 varieties of roses and is cared for by three gardeners.
Criminal
activities
down by
6 percent
Although the overall crime rate
sank last year, area bike thefts
increased by 22.5 percent
Ali Shaughnessy
Senior News Reporter
University junior Sara Green has lived
in Eugene for two years. She said that
while she has never felt threatened, she
knows to keep her bike locked up and her
personal belongings close at hand.
"My bike was stolen my second week
here," she said. "I learned my lesson."
It's possible others have learned that les
son in the same way, or perhaps thievery
is on the decline. Either way, the crime rate
for person, property and behavioral
crimes in Eugene dropped 5.6 percent
from 2001 to 2002, according to Eugene
Police Department reports.
The University area in particular also
saw a decrease in crime, while both the
South University and West University
neighborhoods saw an increase in person,
property and behavioral crimes.
EPD Spokeswoman Kerry Delf noted
that percentage changes from one year to
the next don't necessarily mean crime is
changing for better or worse.
Bike thefts increased in the city of Eu
gene, from 732 in 2001 to 897 in 2002, a
22.5 percent increase. On campus, bike
theft increased 73.7 percent, jumping
from 118 cases in 2001 to 205 cases in
2002. There was no change in the South
University neighborhood, but in the West
University neighborhood, bike thefts in
creased from 86 in 2001 to 111 in 2002, a
29.1 percent increase.
EPD Crime Prevention Specialist Tod
Schneider recommends that people buy a
heavy duty, U-Bolt-style lock.
"Always lock your bike, or assume it will
be stolen," he said. "Standard cable locks
will not be adequate." He added that if
people can get around without a fancy
bike, they have a better chance of their bi
cycle not being stolen.
Rape incidents also increased in Eugene.
There were 40 cases reported in 2001 and
55 in 2002 — a 37.5 percent increase.
Turn to CRIME, page 13C
Eight city councilors oversee Eugene’s legislative work
City councilors have had a full legislative plate
this session, dealing with many local hot topics
By Jan Tobias Montry
Managing Editor
They may seem like governmental faces in the crowd to many
University students, but the members of the Eugene City Council
make a bigger impact than students may think.
In fact, the eight council members could decide many big is
sues this year, from cell tower locations on campus to the loca
tion of a new sports arena.
The City Council, the legislative branch of Eugene's govern
ment, develops policies and legislation for the city.
Pape
The City Council has two leadership positions, president
and vice president, who don't hold any significant additional
power. Currently, Ward 5 City Councilor Gary Pape is
president and Ward 8 City Councilor Nancy Nathanson is
vice president.
Pape, who has lived in Eugene for 48 years, said the city doesn't
have the resources to do everything it wants, and as a result, it
must make cuts.
"First and foremost, I want to find a way through this difficult
financial time," he said.
Pape said he wants to focus his efforts on public safety services
and saving police services, which he said are short of what a com
munity of Eugene's size should have.
Also on Pape's plate are working on the new fire station and
federal courthouse constructions, and enhancing branch libraries
to accompany the downtown library.
"I hope we will do it with the long-term taste and construction
we saw with the (downtown) library," he said.
Nathanson
Nathanson, whose western ward is more conservative than the
other South Eugene wards, is heavily involved in telecommuni
cations, but she also lists public safety, as well as parks and open
space, as her top priorities.
Nathanson's involvement in telecommunications started when
she chaired a committee that developed Eugene's comprehensive
Turn to COUNCIL, page 14C
Mark McCambridge Senior photographer
City councilors meet on Jan. 13 to discuss the marijuana fine increase and
to choose several new officers.