4A | AUGUST 5, 2021 | COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL
Cottage Grove Sentinel
116 N. Sixth St.
Cottage Grove, Ore. 97424
damien Sherwood, editor | 541-942-3325 | dsherwood@cgsentinel.com
Opinion
The First Amendment
C
ongress shall make no law respect-
ing an establishment of religion or
prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or
abridging the freedom of speech, or of the
press, or the right of the people peaceably
to assemble, and to petition the Govern-
ment for a redress of grievances.
“I never considered a difference of opinion in politics, in religion, in philosophy, as cause for withdrawing from a friend.” —Thomas Jefferson (1800)
USPS#133880
A community-focused
approach is key to our future
I would like to take
this opportunity to re-
flect, with gratitude,
on some of the recent
developments around
town which share a
common vision of
community-focused,
continuous improve-
ment.
I also hope to raise
awareness and invite
conversation and ex-
citement around a cou-
ple of future projects
which have the poten-
tial to further establish
Cottage Grove as one
of the best places to
live in Oregon.
The energy and
community support
behind
initiatives
which aim to enhance
the livability and op-
portunities to enjoy the
natural and cultural
attributes of Cottage
Grove is evident and
ripe for building upon.
Some of the recent
and ongoing examples
of projects in town
which exemplify the
vision I am referring to
are the restoration of
the Armory and its use
as a hub for local events
and gatherings.
I think of the grass-
roots and public collab-
orations to reconstruct
the Swinging Bridge,
bringing new and re-
storing old murals and
all the care given to the
covered bridges sprin-
kled around the Cot-
tage Grove area.
I think of the
long-standing
phil-
anthropic actions of
community members
who built and maintain
Bohemia Park and who
for many years and in
many ways have been
advancing a vision of
a Cottage Gove that
embraces recreation,
culture and youth de-
velopment as well as a
sense of pride in home-
town.
I think of the mod-
ernization and expan-
sion of the swimming
pool, the evolution of
the Brew Station and
the
community-fo-
cused approach to the
recently been getting
attention and which
I believe have great
potential to be future
icons of Cottage Grove.
I would love to see our
community rally to-
gether and be involved
in the process of mak-
ing these features ex-
cellent and uniquely
Cottage Grove.
The first area of con-
sideration that I am
excited about is North
Regional Park. This is
the park located by the
wastewater plant and is
currently home to the
disc golf course.
From the City Council's desk
Ward 4 Councilor Greg Ervin
Covered Bridge Brew-
ing Group and the ac-
companying food cart
army that has sprung
up.
Public projects such
the creation and im-
provements to the bike
path and the rework-
ing of the roads and
sidewalks around Lin-
coln Middle School
are more examples of a
community who loves
where they live and are
willing to invest locally.
I could go on and on,
but the point is, there
is so much about this
still small town to be
thankful for and the
momentum is moving
in a good direction.
As we continue down
the path of communi-
ty-focused, continual
improvement there are
a couple of areas in our
town which have more
This is one of the
areas of town that has
tremendous potential
to be a standout fea-
ture. Planning for fu-
ture improvements has
already begun. Think
of the possibilities that
the geography of the
park lends itself to: it
has riverfront, wooded
and open areas, hills
and creeks.
If designed well, this
park can become one
of the most inviting
spots in Cottage Grove.
So many possibilities!
The other feature
which is starting to get
attention is the skate
park located at the
south entrance to town
on Hwy 99.
There are currently
efforts underway to re-
imagine how our skate
park can best serve its
patrons and the com-
munity. Ideas swirling
around involve add-
ing a public restroom
and drinking fountain,
constructing a lighted
and covered structure
creating year-round us-
ability, possible expan-
sion of the footprint of
the park and a redesign
of the features.
We have an opportu-
nity here in this park to
do something special
by making a positive
statement about who
we are as a community
and that we value the
interests of all our resi-
dents, in all age groups.
There is currently a
survey put out by the
city which I would in-
vite everyone to partic-
ipate in. The survey is
on the city’s web page
at cottagegroveor.gov
and on the city’s Face-
Book page.
To get the survey on
the webpage click on
the “Click here for City
News and Meetings”
button on the city’s
main page. Then select
the Skate Park Survey
news item and the link
to the survey is right
there. You can also use
the search box and just
search for “Skate Park
Survey”.
My hope is that more
and more people from
Cottage Grove and
surrounding areas em-
brace a hopeful outlook
on Cottage Grove and
that they feel invited to
share their vision as it
relates to how we as a
community dream big
and aim high when we
imagine what the fu-
ture of Cottage Grove
will look like.
LETTERS
Reservoirs need
better regulation
In regard to the article concern-
ing lack of water in the reservoirs
close to Cottage Grove:
The reservoirs were originally
constructed for flood control. Rec-
reation is an added benefit.
Why does any more water need
to be released than the amount en-
tering the lake? If the water had not
been held back, it would have been
out to the Pacific Ocean months
ago.
It seems senseless to let water out
at a rate larger than is entering the
reservoir. There is plenty of time
late in the fall or early in the winter
to let water out and still have room
for flood control and it does not
have to be an amount large enough
as to cause problems downstream.
I have heard the argument: “Oh,
the farmers need the water for ir-
rigation!” or “The fish need it to
make it upstream!”
Once again, without the dams,
the water would have already been
gone.
As happens quite often, some bu-
reaucrat or our elected officials will
make a decision or law that does
not fit the criterion for the original
intent of our lakes and is far from
logical.
—Dick Gilkison
Cottage Grove
Closing & Passing of a
Cottage Grove institution
I was passing through Cottage
Grove last weekend and stopped
by Sunshine General only to find it
closed and vacant.
I enquired next door but all the
fellow could tell me was that the
store had been closed for some
time and he’d only just heard the
day before that the owner had
passed away.
I did an internet search and
found the obit from the Register
Guard:
“Gordon Earl Beaman, 71, of
Cottage Grove died July 20. Ar-
rangements by Andreason’s Cre-
mation & Burial Service in Spring-
field.”
A further search of the Cottage
Grove Sentinel yielded a little more:
Best of South Lane County 2019
Convenience Store
Sunshine General Store
I had grown up stopping by
the Sunshine General Store for
ice cream after swimming with
my mother. My father played jazz
there.
Mr. Beaman ordered organic
foods with which to stock his store
from my employer for many years.
He used to come to Eugene weekly
to pick up those orders. He was al-
ways pleasant.
He has been missed this last year.
I had suspected that his health was
failing but always felt it was too
personal a question to put to the
air.
I wanted to say something about
Mr. Beaman and wasn’t sure who to
tell. It seemed to me that the paper
of the small town he called home
would be a place to start.
We liked him and he is missed.
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HOW TO CONTACT YOUR REPS
Oregon state
representatives
• Sen. Floyd Prozanski
District 4 State Senator
PO Box 11511
Eugene, Ore. 97440
Phone: 541-342-2447
Email : sen.fl oydprozanski@
state.or.us
• Rep. Cedric Hayden
Republican District 7 State
Representative
900 Court St. NE
Salem, Ore. 97301
Phone: 503-986-1407
Email: rep.cedrichayden@
state.or.us
• Rep. Peter DeFazio
(House of Representatives)
405 East 8th Ave.
#2030
Eugene, Ore. 97401
Oregon federal
representatives
Email: defazio.house.gov/
contact/email-peter
Phone: 541-465-6732
• Sen. Ron Wyden
405 East 8th Ave., Suite 2020
Eugene, Ore. 97401
Email: wyden.senate.gov
Phone: (541) 431-0229
• Sen. Jeff Merkley
Email: merkley.senate.gov
Phone: 541-465-6750
• Heather Buch
Lane County Commissioner
- District 5
Email: Heather.Buch@lane
countyorg.gov
125 E. Eighth Ave.
Eugene, OR 97401
Or call 541-682-4203
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