Levy Progress
The $3.15 million operating levy funds have already made their mark. The City has hired two full-time park police officers, two park ambassadors, and five maintenance positions to increase the public safety presence in parks and natural areas and provide general maintenance in parks. Staff has opened restrooms and added more clean-up crews. Approximately 4,000 feet of trail in our natural areas have been resurfaced, with more to come - mostly on the Ridgeline Trail!
2020 Park Survey Results
Over the summer we surveyed Eugene residents, with the help of the Turell Group, to better understand perceptions of our parks and recent maintenance improvements made possible through the 2018 Levy funding.
We found that Eugene loves our parks and they are important to the quality of life of nearly all survey respondents.
When it comes to the levy, residents have noticed significant improvements in parks since the 2018 operations and maintenance levy was passed.
Understanding and improving safety has been a key focus of POS in recent years. The survey showed that park usage and illegal camping are key factors in respondents feeling safe.
While our survey did not directly address equity in parks, trends emerged in the responses of residents from varying areas of Eugene that can help guide our work in improving equity across the park system. One example is the impact that illegal camping has made in Eugene’s low-income neighborhoods. When asked what prevents you from visiting Eugene parks, those in the Bethel-Danebo area were significantly more likely to select “Concern about my personal safety at parks,” (42%) than in Southeast Eugene (23%).
As we strive to serve Eugene in the best ways possible, this survey will go a long way in helping us understand the needs and desires of those in our community.
Park Safety
- Added two year-round Eugene Police Officers dedicated to patrolling parks
- Added two year-round and two seasonal Park Ambassadors
- Expanded Illegal Camp Response Team to provide daily clean-up operations
- Increased graffiti removal response from monthly to weekly
Park Maintenance
- Reopened closed restrooms
- Visiting more parks daily for increased custodial services during summer
- Increased mowing frequency
- Added preventative tree maintenance in developed parks
- Added preventative maintenance of irrigation, lighting and park furnishings
- Added seasonal weekend and after-hours maintenance in high-use parks
Habitat and Natural Area Maintenance
- Increased seasonal trash service to several times a week at high use trailheads
- Increased trail maintenance to three miles each year
- Added preventative maintenance of roads, parking areas, fences, signs and portable restrooms
- Continuing vegetation management to reduce fuel loads, manage weeds and add native plants
Up Next
General Maintenance and Operations Services for Future Assets
As new parks, community centers, pools, turf fields and natural areas are completed with bond funding over the next five years, funding from the levy will provide for their care.