A message from the Eugene School Board
The 4J Board is hearing from many people about Civic Stadium. We appreciate the input and will deliberate in public session at our meetings on February 5 and 19 before making a decision.
The goal of the 4J Board is to make a responsible decision on behalf of all 4J students and the community.
We’ve noticed some misinformation in the emails that we’ve received. Here are some fast facts.
(1) The 4J Board cannot combine or mix-and-match proposals.
Some people are urging the 4J Board to combine elements of different proposals. For example, to combine the YMCA and City of Eugene offers. Only the proposers can change their offers. The 4J Board can only select from the proposals offered to the district.
(2) The current Civic Stadium site is not the same as the original property acquired with a City bond measure and deeded to the school district.
South Eugene High School now sits atop part of the original site that was acquired with a City of Eugene bond measure in 1938. The Amazon Parkway area was later deeded back to the City for the roadway. The school district purchased additional parcels that are now part of the current Civic Stadium property. For a map showing the original property and parcels that were acquired later, click here.
(3) The Civic Stadium property is not required to be used only for recreation purposes. There is no deed restriction.
This question was settled by the Circuit Court in 2007. There is a recital at the beginning of the deed that explains the reason for deeding the original property to the district to be used “as a recreation area for the District and the municipality.” This is much different from a deed restriction. The original site is already being used for other purposes, as it sits beneath the Amazon Parkway and part of South Eugene High School.
4J continues to be a partner in providing recreation space for our community. Our school gyms and athletic fields are heavily used for community recreation. Civic Stadium was the first and only venue for high school football in 1938; today 4J provides many more fields and recreation facilities for our students and community.
(4) The school district has invested significant funds in maintaining the Civic Stadium property over the past 75 years.
Civic Stadium was built in 1938 as a cooperative project between the Eugene School District, the Eugene Chamber of Commerce, and the Works Progress Administration (WPA). The stadium was built using funds raised by the school district and community members, materials donated by area businesses, and labor donated by the WPA.
The school district has maintained the stadium and surrounding property since 1938. The Eugene Ems also made minor repairs during the time the baseball club rented the stadium.
The 4J Board takes our responsibility seriously.
We have asked more than 30 questions of the proposers, including costs they expect the school district to pay and other important factors. Each proposer now has the opportunity to make their best and final offer.
We encourage you to find out more information and to review the proposals on the 4J website.
–Eugene School Board
