On this day, September 9, 1938, installation of the pioneer statue atop the Oregon Capitol Rotunda began. It took several days.
Also on this day, September 9, 1998 Keiko the killer whale star of the movie
Free Willy, left Oregon. He was flown to a sheltered bay in Iceland when Jean-Michel Cousteau's Ocean Futures Society took over his care. Part of his training included swimming in the ocean outside the bay. Keiko disappeared on one of these excursions. He eventually turned up 870 miles away off the Norwegian coast.
Also on this day, September 9, 1942, A Japanese float plane, launched from a submarine, made its first bombing run on a US forest near Brookings, Oregon. Japanese planes drop incendiary bombs on Oregon in an attempt to set fire to the forests of the Northwest. The forests failed to ignite, but Pacific Coast citizens stepped-up their blackout drills in preparation for future Japanese raids.
They say it will provide long term savings
After several months, the City of Eugene
has completed its purchase of the former Eugene Water & Electric Board (EWEB) headquarters site at the downtown Eugene riverfront to be transformed into
Eugene’s new City Hall. City Manager Sarah Medary and EWEB General Manager Frank Lawson signed closing documents and officially handed over the site keys on Tuesday.
“This is an exciting day and step for Eugene!†said City Manager Sarah Medary. “After more than a decade without a City Hall, it feels very good to say that we’ve finalized this purchase in a location that builds on our great history and relationship with EWEB, connects our downtown to the Willamette River and uses City funds responsibly.â€
“We’re glad that the City of Eugene is buying EWEB’s former riverfront headquarters site to maintain this location as a space for the community,†said EWEB General Manager Frank Lawson. “EWEB and the City have always had a positive and productive relationship, and we’re grateful to staff in both organizations for all the work they’ve done to make this sale happen. In short, selling the site to the City aligned with EWEB’s core values and serves our customers well.â€
The new City Hall site is located at 500 E. 4th Ave. in Eugene. The city says it will establish a place for civic and community engagement, a public space on the river, increase ease of access to City services and provide long term savings to the community.
Several offices from within the Central Services Department, including the City Manager’s Office, will relocate to the new site first. An exact timeline and list of offices has not yet been finalized.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T
A D V E R T I S E M E N T
City Hall offices are expected to open to the community in early 2024. As part of the sale, EWEB will be able to maintain about 1,000 square feet of shared public-facing space where customers can make an appointment to conduct EWEB business.
The Eugene City Council voted 7-1 approving proposed terms and details for the City of Eugene to purchase the former headquarters site of the Eugene Water and Electric Board (EWEB) at its January 30 Special Meeting.
The City of Eugene says that the purchase will provide space for an accessible City Hall while retaining public ownership of a valuable public building space along the river for better access and service to the community.
The terms of the deal include the 4.4-acre property, which includes two buildings and parking lots, for $12 million.
The Mayor of Eugene is
Lucy Vinis.
--Bruce Armstrong| Post Date: 2023-07-16 14:06:34 | Last Update: 2023-07-16 14:19:45 |
