A Promising Start

I was pleasantly surprised this past Wednesday by the first of the public engagement events hosted by the City of Eugene as part of its process to imagine a new Eugene Town Square in the heart of downtown. The venue was Whirled Pies Pizzeria & Bar, which comfortably accommodated the large and enthusiastic community turnout (my guess is a couple hundred people of all ages attended the kickoff meeting). The mood was joyful, the presentations by City of Eugene Urban Development Manager Will Dowdy and members of the design team led by Cameron McCarthy Landscape Architecture & Planning were informative, and the question & answer period was spirited. Free pizza and cookies added to the festivities. If this “Imagination Lab” was any indication, the Town Square project is off to a promising start. 

I enjoyed the display boards documenting the past of the Town Square site (which encompasses the current Park Blocks and the “butterfly” parking structure), especially those including historical photographs I’d never seen before. I likewise appreciated the “dot exercise" (a de rigueur fixture of such events) allowing me to vote for what I think would make the new Town Square memorable, useful, and right for Eugene. 

People want to know their participation will influence the shape a project ultimately takes. For the design of a future Eugene Town Square, this means the City and the Cameron McCarthy team must be committed to incorporating public input. I know they are. They are not merely seeking buy-in to an already predetermined outcome. In addition to hosting the first Imagination Lab and other public engagement events, they are purposely being transparent about the process and the project’s progress. Their vision for Eugene Town Square is one that will be co-created with the community, a plan that honors all voices, recognizes and values diversity—a place rooted in what everyone wants. 

A challenge for the City and Cameron McCarthy is to ensure citizen involvement genuinely is inclusive. As I wrote back in 2012, public planning processes do have their pitfalls. While well-intentioned, they tend to gloss over inevitably complex issues that cannot be adequately addressed by even the most comprehensive public consultation efforts. And despite the earnest efforts of public agencies like the City of Eugene, certain constituencies are invariably underrepresented. 

I suspect the vast majority of those present Wednesday evening at Whirled Pies were there because they choose to be engaged and have the wherewithal to be so. Regrettably, there are others who cannot afford to attend and be heard at the meetings to which they’re invited. They may lack the time to participate because by necessity they work two or more jobs. They may not be fluent English-speakers and so may feel unwelcome or uncomfortable. They may not have the means to conveniently travel to the meeting site. Conversely, some are simply too indifferent to care about the future of downtown Eugene and feel they have better things to do. This is unfortunate. 

Another hurdle is the planning for a new Eugene City Hall, whose fate is now hitched to the Town Square project. The troubling record of cost overruns and lack of transparency associated with the City’s past attempts to build a new symbolic seat for itself hovers like a menacing cloud over the current effort. Undoubtedly, there is a fair share of the public who are skeptical about the City’s ability to execute anything in a timely and fiscally responsible manner. Gaining the confidence and support of these people—overcoming their distrust and cynicism—is necessary to realize a Eugene Town Square that truly represents the entire community. 

Meaningful community input is essential to a project as important as Eugene Town Square. The City of Eugene and Cameron McCarthy are making it easy for everyone to express their opinions. They’re hosting additional public engagement events, the next of which will include the presentation of initial design concepts. In addition, there will be online surveys (the first is here), so you can participate in the design process even if you cannot attend the public meetings. Your voice matters so be sure everyone hears what you have to say!

(All photos are by me)