Lane County CORAA

05/14/2025

BOHEMIA'S APPEAL: PARKS AS CATALYSTS FOR GROWTH AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Like many rural Pacific Northwest communities, Cottage Grove once had a vibrant wood products-based economy and thriving commercial downtown district. Now, Cottage Grove’s ability to achieve future prosperity hinges on drawing in new residents and new businesses.

To do this, the city must appeal to another industry — recreation and tourism — and present itself as an attractive, family-friendly home for businesses and families seeking to escape the high costs, congestion, and other problems of major urban areas. That’s why local civic leaders, businesses and residents have joined together as boosters of the city’s outdoor living room, Bohemia Park.

The park provides a place to spend time outdoors in a beautiful, safe environment, and enjoy free recreational opportunities necessary to health and well-being – especially important in this majority low-income community. Access to parks and recreation facilities can also increase property values, foster job creation, and provide a foundation for place-based economic development.

Research underscores the ability of parks to attract consumers to nearby downtown areas and increase tourism. Bohemia Park provides an important regional draw to local businesses for the more than 320,000 people who live within a 20-mile radius.

Lane County CORAA
Life in Cottage Grove, Oregon

05/08/2025

Let's Get Em Done!
The Case for Funding that Completes all of CoRAA's Projects

As we’ve already stated, a challenging fundraising landscape has kept CoRAA’s partner organizations from completing their signature projects – until now, that is.

Still, these projects have already found broad support among the members of their communities, and the fundraising progress each organization has made showcases this support. State lottery funding could ensure that these projects are completed in a timely fashion, their benefits ready for area residents and visitors as soon as possible.

And here’s why it’s critical to complete these projects NOW:

Because over time, costs will only increase – Back in June of 2024, a quarterly report stated that increases in construction costs have leveled off to pre-pandemic levels of between 2 and 4 percent. And while that’s good news, it doesn’t mean that costs won’t increase significantly for CoRAA’s projects the longer funding is delayed. Such increases could add between $138,000 and $278,000 to the cost of completing CoRAA’s seven projects, should they not be funded this year.

Because all of CoRAA’s projects are construction-ready – Each of these projects can begin construction as soon as funding is secured. CoRAA’s member organizations have done all the due diligence and careful planning that will ensure their projects’ success.

Because further delays can be harmful – For projects like Bohemia Park, a delay in funding could actually halt construction that’s already planned or in progress. At Suzanne Arlie Park and Howard Buford Park, visitors seeking unauthorized access routinely damage the park, damage that will continue until proper access is built. Further fundraising and construction delays will mean the loss of revenue opportunities at the Shelton McMurphey Johnson House and the Emerald Valley Pickleball Foundation’s 24-court pickleball facility.

Because each of CoRAA’s projects is part of a broader plan for its organization – Nonprofit organizations, especially those dedicated to nonessential services, do not have the luxury or the bandwidth to plan new projects frivolously. CoRAA’s projects represent a significant and carefully planned step in the broader, long-term plans of each of its organizations.

Simply put, these projects make sense. Further delays could set these organizations back years in potential growth, stabilization and prosperity.

The Shelton-McMurphey-Johnson House
The Rink Exchange
Emerald Valley Pickleball Foundation
The Willamette Activity Center
Lane County CORAA
Lane County Parks
City Of Oakridge Oregon
Eugene Parks Foundation

05/07/2025

HEALTH BENEFITS OF CORAA? Let Us Count the Ways...

So how can CoRAA’s projects complement health and wellness services and initiatives? We’re so glad you asked!

Access to the Wonders of Nature Has Tremendous Health Benefits

The many miles of trails at Suzanne Arlie Park, access to the Coast Fork of the Willamette River at Howard Buford Park, an afternoon outdoors at Bohemia Park in Cottage Grove – each of these parks offers a natural remedy for life’s stressors and challenges.

Access to nature has been shown to: 1. Reduce stress 2. Improve concentration 3. Enhance learning 4. Cultivate joy 5. Foster stewardship

Social Connection Improves Health and Helps People Live Longer

Community gathering spaces such as the Willamette Activity Center and area parks, athletic facilities like the Lane Ice Center and EVPF’s new 24-court pickleball facility, museums and other cultural centers – these spaces and facilities exist as vessels for human activity and connection. They bring people together, and it turns out that getting together has a fantastic effect on human health and wellness. Social connection can help reduce the risk of chronic disease and serious illness, such as heart disease, stroke, dementia, depression and anxiety, and it can lead to longer lives and better health by improving our ability to manage stress, encouraging healthy eating habits, and improving our quality of sleep.

Exercise Has Numerous Health Benefits

Exercise such as that available during a pickleball game, a public skating session or a trail hike has benefits for brain health including improved thinking or cognition for children 6-13 and reduced short-term feelings of anxiety for adults. Regular physical activity can reduce the risk of depression and anxiety, help us sleep better, maintain a healthy weight, reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, some infectious diseases and numerous types of cancer.

Cultural Connection Makes Us Stronger and More Resilient

A visit to the Shelton McMurphey Johnson House offers a look at the cultural fabric of Lane County, a glimpse at where we come from that can inform where we’re headed as a community. Such cultural exploration broadens our perspectives, builds community resilience, and promotes personal fulfillment.

Support CoRAA – It’s Worth It!

We all know the old saying, that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and as such, financial support of CoRAA can purchase the ounce of prevention that will facilitate and support the cure provided by local health and wellness organizations. State lottery funding for CoRAA can (and should) act as a perfect complement to spending that supports essential health and human wellness services.

The Rink Exchange
Emerald Valley Pickleball Foundation
The Willamette Activity Center
Eugene Parks Foundation
Lane County Parks
The Shelton-McMurphey-Johnson House
City Of Oakridge Oregon

05/05/2025

RENTALS DRIVE REVENUE
CoRAA's Projects Showcase Tremendous Economic Development Potential

CoRAA features projects with the potential to drive DIRECT spending in Lane County:

• Tournaments and other events can draw visitors to the Emerald Valley Pickleball Foundation's new 24-court facility in droves. A preliminary Event Impact Summary conducted by estimates a single large regional tournament with 600 overnight attendees and 1,500 day attendees would generate about $1.5M direct business sales and another $1M indirect sales. The direct sales include $507,000 in lodging and $350,000 in food and beverage sales, and $394,000 in retail sales.

• At The Shelton-McMurphey-Johnson House, the variety of new rental opportunities provided by the new garden terrace will make the historic home one of the most popular new event destinations in town.

• At the Lane Ice Center, a new long-term lease with Lane County, in addition to valuable repairs made to the rink’s chiller and dasher boards, has the future looking bright. The replacement of their building’s roof ensures that these gains will not be upended, and momentum lost, by the need for repairs that were totally preventable. Leadership is also looking at the potential of adding a second sheet of ice that could exponentially grow wintertime hockey and skating activities in Lane County. And a new roof could even mean that the rink could one day stay open during the warm summer months, growing its revenue potential even further.

Eugene, Cascades & Coast
Emerald Valley Pickleball Club
The Rink Exchange

05/02/2025

COMPLEMENTARY CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION

Each of CoRAA’s projects fits naturally and perfectly into the overall network of public parks and recreation facilities in Lane County

•The new mountain biking trails at Suzanne Arlie Park, for instance, will be part of a larger county-wide mountain biking trail network that will be more enticing than ever for potential visitors, increasing the appeal of Lane County as a mountain bike destination by providing more trail options and diversifying the type of facility available with the new skills park.

• At Bohemia Park, development at its North Plaza will draw locals and visitors ever-closer to Cottage Grove’s historic downtown, where small businesses will be ready to welcome them with open arms and be grateful for the additional spending they bring into the local economy. A second pavilion and restrooms will mean more reservations for events that can bring in visitors from out of town.

• At Howard Buford Park, the new ADA accessible boat ramp and the official access to the Willamette River that it will provide can offer the possibility of a healthful, social day on the water for ANYONE who chooses to visit, contributing to the ripple effects of local spending.

Eugene Parks Foundation
Parks & Open Space, City of Eugene Government
Lane County Parks
Life in Cottage Grove, Oregon

05/01/2025

It was a pleasure to meet with Representative Nancy Nathanson at her office in Salem recently to talk about CoRAA and its projects, and we love appearing in her newsletter!

If you value the projects that CoRAA hopes to finish, please let your legislator know! They do value your opinion!

Senator Cedric Hayden, Senate District 6
p. 503-986-1706, e. [email protected]

Senator James Manning, Senate District 7
p. 503-986-1701, e. [email protected]

Senator Floyd Prozanski, District 4
503-986-1704, [email protected]

House Speaker Julie Fahey, District 14
p. 503-986-1414, e. [email protected]

Representative Nancy Nathanson, District 13
p. 503-986-1413, e. [email protected]

Rep. Lisa Fragala, District 8
p. 503-986-1408, e. [email protected]

Rep. Darin Harbick, District 12
p. 503-986-1412, [email protected]

Rep. John Lively, District 7
p. 503-986-1407, e. [email protected]

The Willamette Activity Center
The Shelton-McMurphey-Johnson House
The Rink Exchange
Emerald Valley Pickleball Foundation
Emerald Valley Pickleball Club
Lane County Parks

Email from Representative Nancy Nathanson Consumer protection, federal impacts, Eugene advocates, DMV March-April 2025 The February e-newsletter focused on federal actions and their impact, or likely

04/29/2025

We’re Not Just ‘Playing’
Arts, Recreation and Culture as the Lifeblood of a Community

Sure, engaging in artistic, athletic and enriching cultural pursuits can be fun and life-affirming, but the folks who call Lane County home know that providing opportunities for such enrichment isn’t just about having fun. Access to artistic, athletic and cultural pursuits uplifts the quality of life and prosperity of EVERYONE in Lane County.

Here’s how:

Economic Impact: People travel from throughout the Pacific Northwest and beyond to visit Lane County, to ski its mountains, run its trails, and see shows at its venues. And while they’re here, they patronize local businesses, eat at restaurants, and bed down for the night at hotels. Simply put, bringing visitors to town means big business for Lane County.

Community Health and Wellness: Maintaining an active, socially connected lifestyle bolsters the quality of life and all aspects of physical, mental and emotional health for Lane County residents and guests. Studies show significant improvements in personal wellbeing, life satisfaction, depression, stress, and happiness among those who regularly engage in social activities, exercise, partake in nature, and enrich themselves through cultural activities.

Cultural Enrichment: Cultural enrichment helps broaden one’s perspective and understanding of the world around us. It leads to more active, engaged citizenship and a more direct interest in the well-being of those around us. Learning about the culture and history of the area we call home also has enormous educational benefits, helping to bridge the gaps that might otherwise divide us.

Tourism Appeal, Community Engagement: Ready, easy access to free or low-cost athletic, cultural and recreational pursuits can help convince visitors from all over the world to choose Lane County as their next destination. A generally favorable climate, along with facilities and amenities that are available throughout the year help extend the tourist season here. Each of the facilities of CoRAA can be enjoyed all year long, and the uniqueness of this array of projects adds to an already impressive portfolio of options for potential visitors.

Ready to support CoRAA and its wonderful projects? Contact your legislator today and tell them to fund the coalition!

Senator Cedric Hayden, Senate District 6
p. 503-986-1706, e. [email protected]

Senator James Manning, Senate District 7
p. 503-986-1701, e. [email protected]

Senator Floyd Prozanski, District 4
503-986-1704, [email protected]

House Speaker Julie Fahey, District 14
p. 503-986-1414, e. [email protected]

Representative Nancy Nathanson, District 13
p. 503-986-1413, e. [email protected]

Rep. Lisa Fragala, District 8
p. 503-986-1408, e. [email protected]

Rep. Darin Harbick, District 12
p. 503-986-1412, [email protected]

Rep. John Lively, District 7
p. 503-986-1407, e. [email protected]

Lane County CORAA
The Willamette Activity Center
The Shelton-McMurphey-Johnson House
The Rink Exchange
Emerald Valley Pickleball Foundation
Eugene Parks Foundation
City Of Oakridge Oregon
Lane County Parks
Emerald Valley Pickleball Club

04/28/2025

READY TO HIT THE TRAIL? LET YOUR LEGISLATORS KNOW!
Support for CoRAA Helps Bring Miles of New Trails to Town

There's plenty to do at Suzanne Arlie Park for trail enthusiasts of all types. Unfortunately, there's just not a designated trailhead! At least not yet...

Lane County CORAA is proud to be working with the Eugene Parks Foundation to fund an access road and trailhead at the 515-acre park, a newly acquired jewel in the developing Ridgeline Trail system. There'll be 11 miles of trails there, offering all types of interaction with nature, including mountain biking trails of a kind that don't currently exist so close to town. But we've gotta have a trailhead first!

Want to help open up this community treasure? Reach out to your local legislators today and tell them you support CoRAA and its fantastic projects!

Senator Cedric Hayden, Senate District 6
p. 503-986-1706, e. [email protected]

Senator James Manning, Senate District 7
p. 503-986-1701, e. [email protected]

Senator Floyd Prozanski, District 4
503-986-1704, [email protected]

House Speaker Julie Fahey, District 14
p. 503-986-1414, e. [email protected]

Representative Nancy Nathanson, District 13
p. 503-986-1413, e. [email protected]

Rep. Lisa Fragala, District 8
p. 503-986-1408, e. [email protected]

Rep. Darin Harbick, District 12
p. 503-986-1412, [email protected]

Rep. John Lively, District 7
p. 503-986-1407, e. [email protected]

04/25/2025

"The things that make the quality of life don’t just keep us alive, but make life worth living."

Thanks to the Eugene Weekly for a well-written article about Lane County CORAA!

Want to help us complete these seven great projects? Reach out to your legislator to voice your support today!

Senator Cedric Hayden, Senate District 6
p. 503-986-1706, e. [email protected]

Senator James Manning, Senate District 7
p. 503-986-1701, e. [email protected]

Senator Floyd Prozanski, District 4
503-986-1704, [email protected]

House Speaker Julie Fahey, District 14
p. 503-986-1414, e. [email protected]

Representative Nancy Nathanson, District 13
p. 503-986-1413, e. [email protected]

Rep. Lisa Fragala, District 8
p. 503-986-1408, e. [email protected]

Rep. Darin Harbick, District 12
p. 503-986-1412, [email protected]

Rep. John Lively, District 7
p. 503-986-1407, e. [email protected]

The Rink Exchange
Emerald Valley Pickleball Foundation
Emerald Valley Pickleball Club
City Of Oakridge Oregon
The Shelton-McMurphey-Johnson House
The Willamette Activity Center
Eugene Parks Foundation

Seeking Support for Community Projects Lane County Coalition of Recreation, Arts and Athletics lobbies for state funding News by Samantha SobelPosted on 04/24/2025Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Bluesky (Opens in new window)Click to share on Mastodon (Opens in new w...

04/18/2025

KEEPING THE FUN ON THE ICE
Want to Support Your Local Rink? Reach out to Your Representative Today!

There's been fantastic momentum lately at The Rink Exchange, with hundreds of area families able to enjoy the benefits of skating and sports thanks to upgrades at the rink.

And yet, a leaky roof is threatening to derail all the progress there. Lane County CORAA wants to help, to secure state funding to build a new roof at the rink and make seismic upgrades there.

But we need your help. Let your representative know that you support CoRAA and the rink roof renovation project! Area skaters will thank you!

Senator Cedric Hayden, Senate District 6
p. 503-986-1706, e. [email protected]

Senator James Manning, Senate District 7
p. 503-986-1701, e. [email protected]

Senator Floyd Prozanski, District 4
503-986-1704, [email protected]

House Speaker Julie Fahey, District 14
p. 503-986-1414, e. [email protected]

Representative Nancy Nathanson, District 13
p. 503-986-1413, e. [email protected]

Rep. Lisa Fragala, District 8
p. 503-986-1408, e. [email protected]

Rep. Darin Harbick, District 12
p. 503-986-1412, [email protected]

Rep. John Lively, District 7
p. 503-986-1407, e. [email protected]

04/17/2025

WANT TO KEEP THE GOOD TIMES ROLLING AT BOHEMIA PARK?
Call Your Local Legislator! Tell them to Support CoRAA and Get the Park Completed!

Over the years, Bohemia Park has become Cottage Grove's outdoor living room, the host of some of its most important gatherings. And this spring, Lane County CORAA wants to help the community complete its treasure.

Support for CoRAA and state lottery funding will help complete the additions at the park's north end, including the water tower/digital sign that can be used to convey valuable information.

Want to help out? Call or write your legislator and tell them to support CoRAA!

Senator Cedric Hayden, Senate District 6
p. 503-986-1706, e. [email protected]

Senator James Manning, Senate District 7
p. 503-986-1701, e. [email protected]

Senator Floyd Prozanski, District 4
503-986-1704, [email protected]

House Speaker Julie Fahey, District 14
p. 503-986-1414, e. [email protected]

Representative Nancy Nathanson, District 13
p. 503-986-1413, e. [email protected]

Rep. Lisa Fragala, District 8
p. 503-986-1408, e. [email protected]

Rep. Darin Harbick, District 12
p. 503-986-1412, [email protected]

Rep. John Lively, District 7
p. 503-986-1407, e. [email protected]

04/14/2025

TIRED OF WAITING TO PLAY?
CoRAA Can Calm the Crowds! Reach Out to Your Legislator and Support CoRAA today!

If you love pickleball, you understand why it's the fastest growing sport in America. But all that growth has one drawback -- there aren't enough courts for all of us. At least not yet!

Included among CoRAA's projects is the 24-court pickleball facility at Lane Community College, a project supported by the Emerald Valley Pickleball Foundation. Funding for CoRAA will get this facility completed!

Want to get those courts built as soon as possible? Write or call your Lane County-based state representative today and tell them you support CoRAA!

Emerald Valley Pickleball Club

Senator Cedric Hayden, Senate District 6
p. 503-986-1706, e. [email protected]

Senator James Manning, Senate District 7
p. 503-986-1701, e. [email protected]

Senator Floyd Prozanski, District 4
503-986-1704, [email protected]

House Speaker Julie Fahey, District 14
p. 503-986-1414, e. [email protected]

Representative Nancy Nathanson, District 13
p. 503-986-1413, e. [email protected]

Rep. Lisa Fragala, District 8
p. 503-986-1408, e. [email protected]

Rep. Darin Harbick, District 12
p. 503-986-1412, [email protected]

Rep. John Lively, District 7
p. 503-986-1407, e. [email protected]