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The original Carnegie Library in downtown Eugene, which opened in 1906. i Eugene Public Library Our new downtown public library has become a very special place for the community. The library includes both indoor and outdoor public plazas, children's activity area, public meeting rooms, a cafe and a used bookstore. Public art is located throughout the building and exterior spaces. The library draws people of all ages downtown, for events and activi- ties and the simple pleasure of finding a book to read. The River The Willamette River is a treasured recreational and environmental asset, and should be a fundamental aspect of the identity and vitality of our city. The EWEB fountain and riverfront plaza is one of the few points of access to the river in downtown. Access to the riverfront from downtown will be enhanced as neighboring areas develop and 5th and 8th Avenues are improved as Great Streets. The plan supports the creation of a carefully designed at- grade crossing of the railroad tracks at 8th Avenue, with an inviting civic destination where 8th Avenue leads to the river's edge. Development and activi- ties along the riverfront should support the use of this special area as an urban recreational resource. Views of the river from adjacent developed areas should be emphasized. The Millrace and Cannery Square The Millrace is a visible reminder of the city's industrial beginnings. Only a portion of the Millrace is an exposed waterway; the remainder is in a culvert at the end of Ferry Lane, west of Patterson Street until it reaches the Willamette River through the EWEB property. Recent planning efforts around the new Courthouse reinvigorated ideas for the Millrace to provide an above-ground pedestrian path to the river. Design concepts and cost estimates for Millrace improvements vary widely. This plan supports the concept for full daylighting of the Millrace, between the existing surface waterway ending at Ferry Lane and the outfall on the EWEB property. Cannery Square is the name proposed for the public space envisioned near the corner of Ferry Street and 8th Avenue, in front of the new Federal Courthouse. This space will be designed as part of the improvements to the courthouse area and may include Millrace improvements. Cannery Square is envisioned as part of the sequence of public spaces along 8th Avenue leading from the Park Blocks to the river. Nearby Open Spaces Downtown is bordered by a wealth of extraordinary open spaces -Skinner Butte Park, Alton Baker Park, and the extended Willamette River Greenway park system. These places provide great views of the city or the river, and opportunities for outdoor recre- ation. Activities such as biking, canoeing, kayaking, even rock climbing and bird watching take place directly next to Eugene's commercial core. Eugene's unique community identity and quality of life are intricately bound to these nearby nature areas. These areas complement the urban experi- ence downtown. They become even more critical as density and intensity of uses increase in the down- town core. These areas must be easily visible and accessible from many points downtown. They should be promoted as a key element in the marketability, economic viability and livability of downtown. ..; ~) ,, ~ _. ,r 2O EUGENE DOWNTOWN PLAN • APRIL 2004 Downtown is bordered by wonderful parks, close enough for a lunchtime stroll.