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<br /> O The city will add a • 6, .. r h t i ' *.-
<br /> 0 boat launch this '�v Nt 4. ..-447c ,�` a l ,Vii`• ' x . .,r; }° `' .
<br /> �-- fall and rebuild ? , •V. a
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<br /> restrooms within a y r`a¢ fes',{ f`, & .,} s
<br /> year.Designs for a mss, • a� , ' r 48
<br /> co C) playground that -' ' ?r y . � , .V --`' x
<br /> will feature ,3te .,-, } s ' 441'''
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<br /> water-spray .y -',4',.4';'4'..,,.'4
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<br /> .,- equipment are also fi ; x *�` " vv . r r
<br /> � to the making. '* d t 49':"` iitta ,
<br /> 9 Officials and f:4'<
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<br /> volunteers are • a
<br /> .,.�.. ., ,,., ' a 4,4,..'4.'i'.:- - •
<br /> bringing back M �3 • r ' r. ,.r< -,„
<br /> natural vegetation 9 ` "
<br /> and calling �,
<br /> attention to the --*i'4-^• > P-,;,47; -
<br /> •
<br /> t
<br /> area's Native � b �
<br /> American heritage . '•,e -, 4 , N1AI ii .' ''
<br /> at the east end of _ ;� % x
<br /> the park.
<br /> . --,- — - CHRIS PIETSCH/The Register-Guard
<br /> P ARK the developed west end of the park, shrubs such as willows and red daylight."
<br /> with its mowed lawns and artificial twig dogwood — a natural buffer Other east park projects in the
<br /> duck ponds, popular Cuthbert con- that will shade pools along the river pipeline include permanent rest-
<br /> Continued from Page One cert venue, off-leash dog park and and provide habitat for insects and rooms near theBMX g inLkots track arkrd and
<br /> the Science Factory, formerly food for fish. reduced par
<br /> 9,
<br /> a long time, and areas of the park WISTEC. About 800 feet along the along the Leo Harris Parkway, to
<br /> show it," Weiss said. "Alton Baker But those who venture east of Willamette has been replanted so allow for a more attractive, land-
<br /> Park is a critical piece of our park there discover the park's wild side. far,and twice as much of the bank scaped north park entry.
<br /> and open space system.We'd like to The 237-acre area now called Whila- remains to be done,Weiss said.
<br /> make it a shining gem in this neck- mut(pronounced"wheel-a moot")is "We will probably never rid the West end wish list
<br /> lace (of parks) we have along the a showcase for oak and cottonwood park of blackberries, but we are The city is starting work on a
<br /> river." groves, remnants of filbert or- trying to increase the diversity of long list of proposed improvements
<br /> The landscape will enjoy a high- chards,clusters of wildflowers,hab- plants growing here,"she said. for the west end of Alton Baker
<br /> er profile with completion of itat for dozens of types of birds and Planners also have begun reseed- Park with$500,000,from a parks and
<br /> Autzen Stadium's 12,000-seat expan- mammals, and a prairie that con- ing native grasses in the central open space bond measure approved
<br /> sion next door, and a fuller eight- ceals a former Lane County landfill. meadow, formerly the 70-acre Day by voters in 1998.
<br /> game home game schedule this sea- "We are one of the few urban Island Landfill, which closed in Nearly half the money will go
<br /> son.Thousands of Duck fans stream areas in the world that has a park 1974. A popular spot for ground- into a new boat ramp, boat trailer
<br /> through the park on their way to at its center that is managed for its nesting birds, it's a type of prairie parking lot and access road south of
<br /> and from Autzen. natural values," said Sonnichsen, habitat that's unique on the valley the former off-leash dog area.It re-
<br /> "With the stadium being larger, whose home on Judkins Point over- floor,Weiss said. places an informal gravel launch
<br /> there is a lot more potential for looks the east park area, and who "Much of the open space we site at the east end of the park that
<br /> people to see how nice of a park it runs in the park several times a have,if not wetlands,is forest,"she was closed in 1996.
<br /> is," said AndyPeara, executive di- week.
<br /> said."This is upland prairie,a rare The 20-foot-wide concrete ramp
<br /> ct.
<br /> rector of Nearby Nature,a nonprof- "As the value of open space con- ecotype." is 31 and� be openuled to be fyear-round.finished
<br /> OIt's
<br /> it group that serves as the park's tinues to grow — whereas open It's sorimp�ant thaatthe east
<br /> expected willtbe used primarily for
<br /> host and leads nature walks. space does not grow—we are going parkan said.
<br /> As one of the largest metropoli- to be increasingly grateful to have residents to enjoy, drift boats
<br /> and planner Jr canoe,
<br /> tan parks in the Northwest, Alton this open space refuge right in the "It's a place to be Eugene oat
<br /> peaceful and
<br /> Baker Park stretches 21/4 miles from center of the metro area,"he said. next to the river, and enjoy somesaid.
<br /> the e bond money also paid for
<br /> the Ferry Street Bridge to The east end also serves as a unique space ein" said.hart of
<br /> Springfield. It offers a little some- "green link" between Eugene and Eugene-Springfi the
<br /> relocating the dog park and some
<br /> thing for everyone. On any given Springfield. Scores of bicycle com- Path upgrades are planned as riparian restoration work in the
<br /> day it caters to runners,bird watch- muters pedal the corridor daily. well as improved access to the river Whilamut Natural Area.
<br /> ers,picnickers,anglers,dog owners, The 1996 master plan for the at designated viewpoints. In turn, A tleannoney playground,�be left over
<br /> to tart
<br /> gardeners, music lovers, canoeists sprawling Whilamut area emphasiz- the city will limit river access in o starved as a regional attraod,ccon-
<br /> on-
<br /> or students learning about science es habitat rehabilitation, a return spots vulnerable to erosion and cecould spanup _
<br /> and nature. to native vegetation and passive trampled vegetation. will helpto 2 acres and would
<br /> "This is a park that doesn't have recreation. To that end, officials
<br /> com visitors interpretive
<br /> aboutve and signs will eler includegwater tic frills,canons,umbrellas or
<br /> the immediate impact on you that and the 15-member planningDesignatedafor the east side of
<br /> some of the features in Golden Gate mittee have focused on removing the history of the site and its main rte the
<br /> Park might," said David invasive plants, including broad unique wildlife habitats. They will theeund parking
<br /> be g lot, 2004 play-
<br /> Sonnichsen, vice chairman of the tangles of blackberries,and reintro- include'a projectjeldabed "talking
<br /> talk s later.The won'tc'ty hopes to tap private4o
<br /> citizene planning committee that ducingW native vtedethtion. sources to make it a reality.
<br /> oversees the east end of the park. "We're excited that there will be will be placed this fall throughout Next year,dilapidated restrooms
<br /> "But it is a place where the human more native habitat coming back," the Whilamut Natural Area and the the west parkadated rece will s
<br /> scale and the natural scale can corn- Peara said."We see more heron ev- 40-acre piece e ofn park
<br /> s the east
<br /> of Inter-East Gate nearrerith and next summer the city
<br /> e
<br /> plement each other,and it grows on ery year,more osprey." the
<br /> you. And your appreciation of it County corrections crews have Woodlands. plans
<br /> a moveto
<br /> a largr community tt ea ege-
<br /> t of
<br /> viows dramatically on repeated tackled vvall in recent years.t of the ckberry re-Along the with Each word based on the Kalapuyyaa its present location.The city also is
<br /> visits." language. One will say "illioo," exploring the possibility of estab-
<br /> Walkwater's edge,the tenacious invader Another,"ga-
<br /> on the wild side is being replaced with alder, big- which means"joyful." fishing a native plant nursery next
<br /> Most visitors are familiar with leaf maple, Oregon ash and native ach-li," means "peaceful in to the new garden,Weber said.
<br /> More than$4 million in projects
<br /> have been outlined for the west end
<br /> of the park.
<br /> Alton Baker Park is relatively natural,with high They range from a nature educa-
<br /> �hTII+!FAKER PARK hiodiversity.The number of species documented in the lion and volunteer center to an out-
<br /> Located in the center of the Eugene-Springfield park includes 35 mammals,117 birds,12 reptiles,nine door teaching pavilion to a
<br /> metropolitan area,Alton Baker Park sweeps across 400 amphibians,eight fish,17 butterflies,46 other friendship/cultural garden and tin-
<br /> acres of riverfront land and offers some of the best invertebrates,21 trees,24 shrubs,172 wildflowers I proved ved cheelcchllairaaccessib projects
<br /> ity.
<br /> urban recreation opportunities around: and 43 grasses,sedges and rushes. one e one as funds become
<br /> ity
<br /> PARK HISTORY II The county operated its main landfill from 1963 to available.
<br /> 1974 on 70 acres of what is now a large open area in "it's a work m progress,"weber
<br /> ■According to the Kalapuya tribe,native people the east end of the park.Trash was dumped in pits said, pad will be for longer than
<br /> used the area for centuries as a place to live,fish and where gravel had been mined for freeway and other sal be here."
<br /> harvest camas root and sunflowers. construction projects.The dump was capped with a
<br /> ■Most of the land was used for agricultural purposes layer of soil ranging from 6 inches to 2 feet.
<br /> through the late 19th and early 20th centuries,helping IN A wide variety of recreation occurs in the park,
<br /> preserve the open space and natural features. including fishing in the canal and pond,bicycle
<br /> ■It was identified as a desirable place for a motorcross on five acres leased along Leo Harris
<br /> metropolitan park in the 1950s.In 1959,Lane County, Parkway and running on miles of crisscrossing trails.
<br /> Eugene and Springfield officials agreed to set aside The University of Oregon uses land just north of the
<br /> land for North Bank Park.More than 500 acres had Autzen footbridge for a hammer throw practice field—
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