4J Stadium. June - September 1999

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• RrC.Ci•vr • i3Y CITY M} NAG ER DISTRIBUTED TO: June 8, 1999 JUN 09 I999 MAYOR_ WOG , MGR Mr, Jim Torrey, Mayer City of Rupee Council Members ASST MG11 City Hall 777 Pearl Street COD `•�" Eugene, OK 97401 DEPT L ier. S RE: Proposed Athletic Field — Sheldon High School 114F0 oisp Dear Mr. Torrey and Council Members: Please accept this letter as my appearance at the June 16, 1999, meeting =which the &aball (eldFyauth sports complex issue will be discussed, [ am attaching copies ofa petition circulated in the immediate neighborhood to be considered in the process of maldng your final decision. As you ran set, 150+ residmsrts oppose the placement of a field at Sheldon in any lion. Concerns have been shared and addneased at the various Cal Young Neighborhood Association meetings as welt as at the design planning chapatis May 22. Despite the "official" rhetoric, my peon continues to be that the decision hats already beat made and the District and the City axe so committed to what they WANT (as cpposed to what they NEED) that they are refusing to hear the resideras. 1 believe the response to the cell amass raised is totally without honest acknowledgement adze impact en the neighborhood. What the District and the City see is a large open space (et Sheldon speoifueally) sufficient in size to accommodate the physical dimeosioe of a fbaced football field. It's as ifthe reality of the impact is a1'no acroseg erect because 41 has made a cotmniunerlt to the community of the various booster dohs, athletes and their fhcniliee, and beeping that commitment is of greater importance than recognizing the negative impact on a neiglnboirood. lady perception is that ally lip service is being given the maims and, once the field is a reality, the neighborhood will be forgotten. 41 will have gotten what they want at the expense ofa greater community. 1 am also enclosing nags my sister sent after 1 asked that she call the Seattle school district offices, inquiring about the number ad? individual high schools and how many ofthem have their personal field. As you can see, nearly fvurtimes the number of high schools in Eugene use a single stadium in the Seattle area and apparently do so suooetsfully. Several of the signers of the petition shared their belief' (and•eupportythat Ecgaae needs a place far our • high schools to play football, but that four fields were far too many. The University has backed oiFof their timeline, and 41 should utilize that additional time to better research or plat a more rescuable alternative. 1 believe we all would much rather have a single (or possibly two) really nice neutrally- -Owed field(s) for cur tax dollars than have four which are 1acicing in some respect. For eyanrplc. 1 understand that portable restroom facilities will be brought in for the high school games in other words, these fields will not have sufficient plumbing to accommodate 1000 sp ctatots. 1 wonder, then, about tha multitude ofedherusers that are hoped fbr: Will porta - potties become a permayseut fixture 500 feet from my lot line? I doo't understand how speakers and lights can be more important than toilets.