|
"We've all learned — we regret that we didn't
<br /> ° make this known," said John Etter, landscape
<br /> aC tcgistcr -f uar1 architect in the combined parks and public works
<br /> department. He got stuck with making explanations,
<br /> MONDAY even though the hush -hush approach was a
<br /> OCTOBER 11, 1993 collective staff exercise with enough suspects to
<br /> field a touch football team.
<br /> UT, NOW THAT everybody's vented on that,
<br /> let's examine what the department has in
<br /> DON BISHOFF mind. It may not bea bad idea —with
<br /> i 1 11 1� i conditions.
<br /> This all came up because a light fell off a pole
<br /> last spring at Kincaid Field, next to Ellis Parker
<br /> The neighbors Elementary School in southeast Eugene. The city
<br /> hired an expert to check all its field lights, and he
<br /> said to replace those at Kincaid and at Graham
<br /> like art 1{� da v rlt /1{� V Field The staff looked around and said, why spend
<br /> $ 100 000 to re-light 4 acres at Kincaid, when for a
<br /> yi
<br /> HEN KEN LUSE says, "I'm just a typical little more we could light 13 acres and a lot more
<br /> W Not In My Back Yard guy, I guess," he's playing area at Ascot?
<br /> talking almost literally. In the city's master parks plan, Ascot is
<br /> NIMBY Luse doesn't mind the occasional pop designated as a lighting -suitable community park. It
<br /> foul into his Ascot Drive back yard, but a 100 -foot- has restrooms and lots of playing room, both
<br /> tall light pole is something else. Or the roar of a lacking at Kincaid.
<br /> crowd beneath that pole at 11 at night. And a lighting company convinced the staff that
<br /> The back yard of Ken and Patti Luse is just 60 fancy new metal halide, low -glare lights can be
<br /> feet from the foul line of one of the softball installed at Ascot with about 75 percent less light
<br /> diamonds in Ascot Park, 13 acres of gorgeous city "spillage" into surrounding neighborhoods than
<br /> playing fields behind Monroe Middle School and with old- fashioned ball field lights. So the staff
<br /> ringed by about 20 homes. On that foul line, the city tiptoed around and let a contract to put up $140,000
<br /> proposes to erect one of eight tall poles holding worth of new lights at Graham Field and $129,000
<br /> enough lights to illuminate two softball diamonds worth at Ascot.
<br /> and two soccer fields. The Ascot lights are now on hold until a public
<br /> Illumination means night softball and night meeting at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Monroe library.
<br /> soccer. Night tournaments. Maybe even night City staff members will be talking compromise,
<br /> lacrosse, night rugby and night ultimate Frisbee.
<br /> but neighbors have unconditional city surrender in
<br /> "I mean, we're taking a completely nice mind. They've hired lawyer Don Diment, himself a
<br /> neighborhood with nice park neighbor, to represent them.
<br /> middle-class people and
<br /> turning it into a night "I guarantee we will fill the library and there
<br /> sports complex," Ken won't be enough room for people to stand — they'll
<br /> Luse said. have to move to the gym," Luse said.
<br /> ` 7 ate- ' ' Well, something like He's mad that the city also invited sports users:
<br /> that. But aren't kids and "They're not watching their house drop in value by
<br /> i ,, ,. �! grown -ups supposed to $40,000. They don't give a rap where they play their
<br /> �=+"' 1 . > do things like play games; they just want to play."
<br /> organized ball in large
<br /> city parks, maybe even Sure — and Ascot Park seems one logical place
<br /> after dark? to play. Yes, there are other parks, but none quite
<br /> so well set up for lighting now.
<br /> -, \ • /n• "We're not griping
<br /> N , - about the park," said I sympathize with Byrne and the Luses. Because
<br /> y John Byrne, the Luses' their homes are closest to home plate, they'll bear
<br /> next -door neighbor. "What we're concerned about the brunt of any crowd noise, glare, unsightly poles
<br /> is the noise at 10 o'clock and 11." and the like. But there are trade -offs: They have the
<br /> closest access to park amenities — expanses of
<br /> They're also mad about another of those greenway, paths, and mating mallards in the
<br /> incredible "whatever you do, don't ask or tell surrounding swale.
<br /> anybody" gaffes that the city blunders into now and
<br /> then like a blind hog stumbling into a swamp. The city could offer to buy their homes and
<br /> In this case, not only did parks, recreation and others most affected at pre - lighting values. My
<br /> Y p guess is that the homes could be resold at no loss —
<br /> public worki4fifictials not ask residents or the to people who'd put up with night sports in
<br /> Harlow Neighbors neighborhood group what they exchange for a great extended back yard.
<br /> thought — officials kept the lighting plans secret
<br /> from them. Only on Sept. 24 did the city send a Bottom line: The city's owned Ascot since 1965,
<br /> letter to about 20 park- border homeowners, telling planning it as a major active community park. So,
<br /> them the lights were going up — on Sept. 27! let there be light — if the city's agreeable to
<br /> When neighbors hollered, city officials retreated reasonable restrictions (a 10 p.m. game curfew, for
<br /> Y example, and no PA systems on fields closest to the
<br /> and admitted that they'd kept quiet to try to keep homes).
<br /> neighborhood opposition from stalling the project!
<br /> You could make a case for dumping this idea on . As a final goodwill gesture to the neighbors,
<br /> grounds of staff stupidity alone. assign the "let's- keep -it -a- secret" staff members to
<br /> the trash pickup detail.
<br />
|