EUGENE CIVIC ALLIANCE

Civic Park will be more than a new sports facility. Our goals for the project focus on meeting some of our community's greatest needs. These include: reversing obesity and inactivity trends, increasing access to gyms and fields, providing a space for community events, and boosting our economy.

- Reverse the Trends
Sixty minutes a day is an accepted minimum amount of time everyone should be physically active. Today, too many kids fall short of this mark. This problem is compounded by the decreased role of physical education in public schools. In Eugene School District 4J, K-5th graders receive just 10 minutes of P.E. per day. This issue becomes more troubling in light of obesity rates in Lane County. One in four 8th- and 11th- graders in Lane County are overweight or obese, a rate that's been climbing. Programs at Civic Park will allow kids to be active, sample many sports, learn basic movement skills, and most importantly, have fun!
 
The new facility will allow KIDSPORTS to expand their programs. It also will provide opportunities for adult and senior recreation indoors and out. The fieldhouse will be a welcoming place for people of all ages to stay active and socialize in any weather.

- Provide Space to Play
Eugene lacks an adequate number of gyms and fields. In recent years, Eugene has seen a net loss of eight schools due to budget cuts or consolidation. In most cases, when a school closes, access to a gym and field is also lost. This has created a shortage of play spaces in Eugene and made scheduling youth and adult sporting events difficult.

Civic Park will help ease the burden on Eugene's over-scheduled fields and courts. The fieldhouse at Civic Park will include four middle school-sized basketball courts which can convert to 6-7 volleyball, pickleball, or badminton courts. Civic Park will also feature two outdoor basketball courts and an outdoor turf field for soccer, rugby, lacrosse, football, or ultimate Frisbee.

- Unite a Community
For decades, Civic Stadium was as a hub for local events. Civic Park will strive to carry-on Civic's legacy. One way we will accomplish this goal is through our relationship with Lane United Football Club. As an anchor tenant of Civic Park, Lane United will boost hometown spirit, bring the community together, and inspire children to get out and play.

- Benefit the Economy
Civic Park will provide a venue for regional tournaments as well as high school sports playoffs and championships. These events will draw visitors and revenue to our community and generate rental income at Civic Park.

Facilities like Civic Park also increase the livability score of a city. The Eugene Chamber of Commerce and representatives from some of the area's top technology companies have expressed their support for Civic Park. They view the facility as an asset that will help recruit talented young professionals to the area.

Eugene Civic Alliance has developed a snapshot of how Civic Park will improve access to sports and recreation opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds.

Children, youth and adults in the Eugene-Springfield Metro Area will benefit from Civic Park, whether they are involved in physical literacy programs, competitive sports, or as a fan. Children will participate in KIDSPORTS and other youth programs at Civic Park. Their parents' generation will help make the facility self-sustaining by attending events, playing in recreational leagues that rent the facility, and paying to use the KIDSPORTS Fieldhouse in off-hours.

In addition to young families, Civic Park will offer programs and events for people of any age. From their first experience in a KIDSPORTS Tiny Tumblers class, to their high school championship basketball game, to their adult recreational soccer team, to their senior pickleball class, Civic Park will be a place where someone can enjoy a lifetime of fitness through sports and activities.

As a community-focused organization, we are dedicated to ensuring that all community members have the opportunity to reap the benefits of Civic Park and its programs. This is why KIDSPORTS programs are a great fit for the facility. Children who participate in KIDSPORTS programs represent a wide range of backgrounds and skill levels. KIDSPORTS promotes equal access to play through their scholarship program which provides assistance for children and families who otherwise could not afford to play.

Civic Park will be a hub for sports and community events. It will offer something for people of all ages and backgrounds and will strive to promote fitness and health for our entire community.

Eugene Civic Alliance has assembled a strong team to help make Civic Park a reality. ECA is led by a Board of Directors who bring a broad range of experiences and views to the organization. Together with the Board, the Campaign Leadership Team assists in the execution of the Campaign for Civic Park. Our Board and Leadership Team come from throughout the region and have the respect, influence, and experience necessary to guide the organization.

With a strong team of volunteers and staff, and a solid foundation of community support, Eugene Civic Alliance is well-prepared to complete this project. Our efforts are guided by the belief that Civic Park will meet one of our community's greatest needs. It's about kids and how we as a community provide for their basic physical fitness. It's about how healthy activities affect our community and economy. It's about the resilience of a community, despite setbacks, to play on.

Civic Park provides a unique opportunity to work together to benefit Eugene's children well into the future. To that end, we have also developed strong relationships with local organizations businesses, sports teams, government offices, schools, and individuals who have expressed their support for the project and their desire to see it completed. This will be a win for the entire community, showing everyone that we can think big and act together.

Currently, ECA is focused on the ongoing capital campaign, with the overarching goal being to raise the $35 million needed to complete the project. This goal has been divided into smaller sections within the project timeline. We have already accomplished many of these smaller goals including: raising $4.1 million to purchase the property, launching the capital campaign, and receiving approval of our proposal for $6 million in lottery-backed bonds funds from the Oregon State Legislature.

Tracking the success of our long-term goals for the facility will be more complex. Our long-term goal for Civic Park is for it to be a facility that is financially self-sustaining and that improves the health of children and adults in our community. Our projected revenue and expenditures for the first three years of operations indicate that the facility will generate income from rental fees and ticket fees. The money generated through these fees will go towards supporting operation of the facility and KIDSPORTS' operations.