The West University Neighborhood Forum is hosting a community open house at 5 p.m. today and a series of small group discussions for neighborhood residents at 5:45 p.m. in the Central Presbyterian Church, located at 1475 Ferry St. Area residents, property owners and business managers are encouraged to drop in anytime during the event, which will run until about 7:30 p.m.
“It’s really an informal chance for students to ask questions and make suggestions so that we can change the neighborhood for the better,” Ward 3 City Councilor David Kelly said.
The forum will allow residents to learn about pressing local issues and potential solutions identified by the task force.
Topics of discussion will include neighborhood building, housing rights, alcohol prevention, education and crime. West University task force members hope to help to better define the involvement of the neighborhood association, the student-dominated demographics of the community, “knock-and-talks” and the Oregon Liquor Control Commission’s role in alcohol enforcement.
West University residents will also be able to talk to city and University staff and Eugene Police Department officials about what they think will make the West University neighborhood a better place to live in, work in and walk through.
“It will be completely different from any of the neighborhood task force meetings that have been held over the past few months,” Kelly said.
Pegasus Pizza is providing refreshments for students and local participants.

— Caron Alarab