Mayor Kaarin

10/13/2026

INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ DAY: Thank you to UO Native American Student Union for inviting me to join the Indigenous Peoples’ Day event on campus today—including this Round Dance.

A few hours after this event, I opened the Eugene City Council meeting with our land acknowledgement, which is shared to recognize and to respect.

The City of Eugene recognizes and supports the inherent political sovereignty of tribal governments and indigenous people and is continuously working to strengthen our government-to-government relationships with local tribal nations.

Since time immemorial, the Kalapuya people have been the indigenous stewards to our region. Eugene is built within the traditional homeland known as Kalapuya Ilihi, and Kalapuya descendants are citizens of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Community of Oregon and the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians of Oregon.

09/30/2026

❤️ LOVE YOUR BLOCK: New funding for community-led projects is coming to Bethel and Trainsong!

I’m proud to share that our “Love Your Block” grant application to the Center for Public Innovation was successful—which means two years of staffing and $70,000 in community microgrants are coming to the Bethel and Trainsong neighborhoods. Only 20 cities were selected from applicants across the country this year.

Bethel and Trainsong are historically underserved neighborhoods in Eugene, and residents have worked for years to support needed planning and improvements. I’m so proud we have seized this opportunity to support their work in new ways.

Neighbors will imagine the projects we accomplish over the next two years—other cities have tackled public space improvements, art, placemaking, and transportation safety. But in addition to physical improvements, I’m especially proud of how this program supports lasting community relationships and civic engagement. More to come!

Thank you to plus community partners and our City staff.

09/27/2026

BRIGHT PARADE 2026: What an incredible experience, Eugene! A huge party, a ton of good vibes, and the most fantastic display of creativity and community. “I love Eugene!” was the refrain all night—and there is so much to love. ❤️ Thank you EUGENE BRiGHT Parade SLUG Queens KINDR Foundation City of Eugene Eugene Cultural Service City of Eugene Transportation Planning and to the hundreds of floats and metric mile of Eugene community!

09/25/2026

Our parks legacy is continuously inspiring. What a joy to officially open the new South Meadows trail this week. Thank you to the City of Eugene, Parks & Open Space, City of Eugene, Eugene Parks Foundation, The Obsidians, and to so many partners and friends,

09/10/2026

BACK TO SCHOOL: Welcome back to all of our local students, families, teachers, and staff! It was also “back to session” for City Council this week, as we had our first work session of Fall 2026.

There were two items on the agenda: 1) an overview of the Council’s fall meeting schedule aligned to our updated strategic plan, and 2) an update from our community development and permitting staff, who issued over 9,600 permits last year—from small kitchen remodels to new health clinics and commercial construction. In both cases, these updates offer a snapshot of the 24/7 work happening in your city and—to wrap our Labor Day week—my appreciation to our city staff for all their work.

09/10/2026

AUTUMN ARRIVES: Come celebrate the opening of the South Meadows Trail with us on September 22, 2026!

Parks and Open Space, in collaboration with the Eugene Parks Foundation, is pleased to invite the community to the official grand opening celebration of the South Eugene Meadows Trail at the newly developed parking area (5200 S Willamette St, Eugene, OR) on September 22, 2026, from 10 to 11 a.m.

Eugene Mayor Kaarin, Eugene Parks Foundation Board President Kevin Alltucker, and Parks & Open Space, City of Eugene Government Director Craig Carnagey will share opening remarks, followed by a ribbon-cutting and light refreshments. A celebratory “hike the loop” walk for those interested will depart from the trailhead around 10:30 a.m.

South Eugene Meadows Park is located south and west of the Eugene city limits. The South Eugene Meadows Trail includes a shared-use (hiker/biker) trail that forms a 3.8-mile "lollipop loop," when approached from the new trailhead parking area. This 194-acre natural area includes a beautiful mixture of oak woodlands, open prairie, and Douglas-fir forest.

The park property is covered by a Conservation Easement administered by OWEB and BPA, in recognition of the important habitats on the site, and the Easement restricts the use of "motorized vehicles" on the property - meaning that electric assist on bicycles must be turned off within the park.

This $1.5 million project was made possible through the generous support of the Eugene Parks Foundation, which raised $665,000 for the construction of the trail.

This project also received funding from System Development Charges. The 2023 Parks and Recreation Levy funds ongoing care and maintenance of the entire park.

The property was purchased in 2012 with funding assistance from the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board, wildlife mitigation funds from the Bonneville Power Administration, and a generous contribution from the landowner.

08/17/2026

NEW RIVERFRONT AFFORDABLE HOUSING: A gravel parking lot right next to City Hall is on the way to becoming Affordable Housing. The new four-story building will hold 29 units of Affordable Housing for households earning 60% AMI and below, and the project will be developed with (Lane County’s housing authority). We’re also working with Homes for Good on the Affordable Housing project at 4th/Mill. This $17-million project on the riverfront received most of its funding from LIFT funds and low-income housing tax credits, as well as $3.11M from riverfront urban renewal. You’ll see it start construction in the year ahead, and we’ll have more news to share about the riverfront restaurant/brewery/cafe hub overlooking the park, too.

08/14/2026

SAFETY + OPPORTUNITY: Construction takes time, even when done has efficiently as possible. As the site waits to become Affordable Housing next year, it will provide safe shelter to neighbors who would otherwise be unprotected and on the street. Thank you to our partners and volunteers at Community Supported Shelters, St. Vincent de Paul, and Cascade Housing. Your care for our community makes a difference every day.

08/05/2026

LOCAL RESPITE: Please take care as temperatures rise and wildfire smoke blows into the valley this week. Our Eugene Public Library is among many locations offering cool indoor spaces and filtered air.

The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory for parts of the Willamette Valley, including Eugene, for August 4-5. Temperatures are expected to approach 95-100 degrees. Additionally, smoke has blown in from wildfires in central and eastern Oregon, impacting air quality.

Community centers and libraries are open regular hours and are available for people needing respite from heat or smoke. Information about potential impacts to outdoor programming can be found at getrec.org

Community members are encouraged to stay hydrated with water when the temperature is so high. All water fountains and splash pads in Eugene are turned on for summer. Splash pads are on seven days a week, including holidays, from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. at:

- Downtown Riverfront Park (701 E. 8th Ave.)
- Fairmount Park (E. 15th Ave. and Fairmount Blvd.)
- Oakmont Park (2295 Oakmont Way)
- Santa Clara Park (860 River Loop 2)
- Skinner Butte Park (248 Cheshire Ave.)
- Umso Park (Grand Cayman and Antigua drives)
- Washington Park (2025 Washington St.)