<br />September 6, 2018 <br /> <br />Hearings Official <br />c/o Nick Gioello, Associate Planner <br />City of Eugene Planning and Development <br />99 W 10 th Ave <br />Eugene, OR 97401 <br /> <br />RE: CU 18-0001/WG 18-0002 UO North Campus <br /> <br />Dear Hearings Official: <br />Thank you for the opportunity to comment <br />Willamette Greenway Permit application for North Campus. Several of us participated in the recreation <br />focus group for the project and are also users of the Riverfront Fields. The Department of Physical <br />Education and Recreations vision is that being active and seeking balance is a way of life. Club Sports <br />provides students the opportunity to compete, establish leadership opportunities, and form bonds that last <br />a lifetime. <br />Our recreation fields on campus, including the two existing fields along the river, are at full capacity. In a <br />given year, over 6,000 students participate physical education classes, intramurals, and club sports on our <br />campus fields. In addition, several thousand students use these fields for open recreation. The proposed <br />CUP offers opportunities to meet future needs on campus, and it is important to have options for recreation <br />fields that are close to classes and where students live. In its proposal, the university has carefully balanced <br />its long-term needs for physical education classes and student recreation with its other needs and interests <br />of the community. <br />Intramural and recreation programs have existed at the University of Oregon since the early 1920's. Our <br />programs provide opportunities for all students to take part in some phase of planned recreation at a time <br />that is convenient to their schedule. We believe opportunities provided should meet students' needs in the <br />areas of: 1) exercise and fitness, 2) stress reduction, 3) a sense of group belonging, 4) social interaction, 5) <br />relaxation, 6) self-testing and competition. All of these opportunities are ultimately aimed at fulfilling our <br />core purpose which is to educate, engage and inspire the campus community to live active, balanced lives. <br />North Campus represents great potential, should the opportunity to create spaces for these kinds of <br />activities emerge. <br />The proposed CUP not only exceeds the criteria in the city code, it creates a potential vision for the future <br />that will meet the essential needs of our students and be of tremendous benefit to students and the <br /> <br /> <br />Division of Student Life <br />Department of Physical Education and Recreation <br />1273 University of Oregon, Eugene OR 97403-1273 <br />541-346-4183 | 541-346-1359 uorec.uoregon.edu <br />FAX <br /> <br /> <br />