Recapping the last month...

Tomorrow I will be giving my terminal project presentation (basically a thesis defense). The scope of the project has changed so much that, as I prepare, I find myself surprised at all of the things I still don't know, as well as the new things I have learned.

The Save Civic Stadium campaign is gaining momentum, and I am proud to say that the first public meeting to promote the organization and its mission went very well. A representative group also attended a city council meeting on Tuesday evening, and the 9 speakers eloquently plead the case for the preservation of Civic Stadium.

I feel that my three minutes really sum up the last month and my associated research, so I am reproducing it here. It goes a little something like this...

"Good evening, my name is Natalie Perrin and I am a graduate student at the University of Oregon. In June of 2007 I submitted a National Register nomination for Eugene Civic Stadium, which unanimously passed state and local review before being forwarded to the Keeper of the National Register in Washington, D.C. The 4J Public School District had a concern about the proposed boundary line, which has since been clarified. The nomination will be re-reviewed by the Oregon State Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation (O-SACHP) at their meeting on June 5th, 2008. With the clarifications that have been made the nomination should be passed [fingers crossed] by the end of the summer, 2008.

I also wrote my thesis on the Stadium, and would like to take this opportunity to discuss the benefits to the City of Eugene by preserving Civic. First, Goal 5 of the Oregon Statewide Planning Goals and Guidelines states that local governments shall adopt programs that will protect and conserve scenic and historic resources for present and future generations. They promote a healthy environment that contributes to Oregon's livability. In addition to it being our Civic duty under these stated planning goals, saving Civic Stadium makes viable financial sense as well.

The overall goals of sustainability and green urbanism that Eugene purports to embrace are best represented in preservation. The embodied energy of the structure of the grandstand - the old growth Douglas fir, the WPA labor - are immeasurable. By preserving the stadium we reduse construction waste and the pressures on our landfills. The stadium, after all, is in good condition and has repeatedly been found to be structurally sound through reports commissioned by 4J.

Heritage Tourism is also a factor, and the increase in revenues that the city could see from successful promotion of this historic site as a tourist destination could be exceptionally beneficial to the community. Heritage tourism is a multi-billion dollar industry in the US, and one Eugene should capitalize on. For example, Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama has brought more than 20,000 visitors per year, and acted as a catalyst for reinvestment and redevelopment of the surrounding area.

There is no doubt that the 6+ acres that surround our beloved Grandstand and Field are currently underutilized. Preservation of this rare historic resource does not have to restrict progress, nor should it. Preservation of Civic Stadium in conjunction with redevelopment of the site could serve to put Eugene on the map as a model city committed to preservation and progress. It is my hope that as the City of Eugene moves forward we remember that existing buildings can house extraordinary learning spaces while providing a link to the past for the community.

Thank You."