Here is hoping everyone had a safe and happy Fourth of July celebration in the strange new world we find ourselves. I know many Grovers were at a loss without the annual Creswell Celebration to crash. It has become a Cottage Grove tradition for many, to migrate north for the day and enjoy your hospitality.
Hopefully we will be able to enjoy getting together on the next Fourth!
One staple of the celebration is back, sort of. The Cottage Grove Speedway opened the tracks to racing for the Fourth of July. On the Speedway’s website appeared the following announcement: “While we hope to keep things as normal as possible during this anything-but-normal time, there are certain things that are out of our control. We will continue to work toward racing as normal but for now just being open is a huge step! The biggest disappointment for us all is that spectators will not be allowed at this time, you can however catch all the action on dirtovaltv.com!”
It must have been strange for the drivers to battle it out in front of empty stands, but after standing idle for so long I am sure they were all juiced to be back slinging the dirt and competing with old and new rivals.
There is always an evocative feeling to hearing the sounds of the Speedway to remind me where I am. While I live far enough away not to be too overpowered by the noise, others might have a different view. It goes to show that you have to do your due diligence before you decide where to throw out your anchor.
***
Another sound that starts about a week before the Fourth is harder to take, not for me so much, but for some who are dear to me. I know fireworks are a tradition and delight many, but the appeal is not universal and terrifying to some. Vets and Pets are who I am thinking of. It is not so much the public displays, which are planned and known, but the random explosions that begin days before and linger afterward that cause the most anxiety.
I have several dear friends who are combat veterans, to whom the sounds trigger horrific reactions. They tell me this is their least favorite time of the year. One counsels other combat survivors who really struggle around the explosive jubilation of celebration and told me that if people wanted to thank veterans for their service and bravery, being considerate with fireworks would be a good place to start.
Here are some tips to help veterans make it through the holiday. First be considerate and warn your neighbors about your firework plans. That way they can be prepared and take measures to lessen the shock. Consider using more sparklers, which are festive without the bang. Don’t shoot off fireworks late at night. Think about starting with a few small, low impact, fireworks as a warning while working up to firing off the loud and bright displays. This also helps the pets find shelter before the real action starts and prevents them running off in a panic. Thank you for your consideration!
Cottage Grove is famous for being the set for Buster Keaton’s “The General” and for the parade down Main Street in “Animal House.” But other filmmakers have been drawn here to take advantage of our unique backdrops for their cinematic arts. Locations here in the Grove, that have been immortalized in film, will be joining the Oregon Film Trail. This program is a partnership between Oregon Film, Oregon Made Creative Foundation, and various travel organizations. Besides placing trail markers at iconic filming locations the organization hopes to maintain a forum that documents stories and memories that connect the sites to the films that have put Oregon on the map since 1904.
Locally we will gain five markers. Two will be on City property, three others will be placed along the Row River Bicycle trail. The local partners for this project besides the City are, The Chamber of Commerce, Cottage Grove Historical Society, and the Bureau of Land Management. To find out more about the Film Trail and other Oregon locations check in at its website: historicoregonfilmtrail.com.
***
Pardon our dust but to make the promised “Safe Routes to School” happen some infrastructure relocation had to happen first. Residents along South 4th Street have been the most impacted as crews from NW Natural Gas, Wildish Construction, and City of Cottage Grove have been working to relocate gas and water lines, plan for handling storm runoff water, and to replace sanitary sewer lines. The plan is that since the area has to be redesigned to make it safer for the kiddos to get to school, might as well replace the aging components of the utilities while you are at it. The area around Triangle park saw quite a bit of work as plans for the makeover of the area were put into motion.
I’m not sure how familiar you are with the area but Lincoln Middle School is right in the middle of the activity. Normally home to around 550 students, and nicely situated surrounded by playing fields, Lincoln also is home to the South Lane School District’s transportation department. So all of those yellow greyhounds that fan out to pick up students leave and return to their home base at Lincoln. Besides collecting students from near and far, the buses take part in an amazing dance, rendezvousing at several locations to get students to the right schools.
Additionally there are a number of parents who drop off and pick up students in their personal vehicles. The winding directional flow through the school parking lot is unwieldy and cars line up along 4th Street when school is out, waiting to retrieve their students. Add to the mix students walking, biking, riding razor scooters, and the general exuberance of middle-schoolers, and you have the recipe for an accident waiting to happen.
The sidewalks along this corridor are in terrible shape and missing in sections, the road is a sieve of potholes, and the markings poor. The renovations besides improving all of the aforementioned conditions will include a bike lane, widened right of way, and adding a student dropoff/pickup area that should safely streamline the process. It will be good for the Southlane students when they are allowed to return to school to be able to do so along a much safer corridor.
***
Speaking of students, here is a reminder for all of the area high school 2020 graduates from AKHS, CGHS, ACE Academy, and A Child’s Way: Your banner that flew over Bohemia Park is available for pickup. If you haven’t retrieved yours, get in touch with Molly at (541)767-4129 or [email protected]. It will be a nice memory of a most unorthodox graduation year.
***
Soon to be appearing on Main Street are two new “Streateries.” The City Council approved two restaurants, Jack Sprats and the Axe & Fiddle, to be the first to participate in the pilot study. These two establishments will be adding a deck over a parking spot out in front of their doors effectively adding dining space. This will be a welcome addition for the businesses who have lost tablespace to social distancing requirements.
For patrons and visitors it will be a nice addition to our downtown scene which has taken a hit at the hands of COVID-19.
Once construction, inspections, and the like are finished the two Streateries will be open for public use. If all goes well, there may be others joining these two pioneers.
***
A limited reopening of the Cottage Grove Library started on July 1. The library computers were available for 30-minute shifts on the hour at 9, 10, and 11 a.m. to the first five patrons that were in place at the community center. Masks are required and patrons will be temperature-tested. You have to be under 100.4 degrees F to be allowed in. The computers and surrounding area are sanitized between visits and prepared for the next visitors. As a caution it is advised that the restrooms in the building are not opened so plan accordingly. Plans are underway by the staff to prepare the library for the next stage of reopening. That will include takeout service of library materials. Safely and surely we are heading back to a more normal life.
***
If you would like to help local bowlers you can support the Junior Stars by participating in the Annual Couch Potato Triathlon, Saturday, July 18. You can safely social distance while taking part in three couchy-life sports: golf, bowling, and darts. Besides having fun for a good cause you are in the running for prizes and drawings. Teams of four or enter singly, call 541-767-2695 to reserve your spot or for more information.
***
And lastly, while the Oregon Country Fair is not allowed to take place in person this year, you can’t keep a family of creative people down. Teams of volunteers are planning a couple of virtual events. An interactive map that will connect you to some of your favorite vendors and performers, and the virtual Fair in the Clouds where you can wander in the fairgrounds, meet friends, strangers, and interact, take videos and pictures. If you want to give it a whirl keep your eye on the website and be ready to play this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. There is also commemorative merchandise for sale to raise money for the fair’s many projects and philanthropies. For more information check oregoncountryfair.org.
Please stay safe, wear a mask, wash your hands, and mind your spacing. We have come this far, don’t let enthusiasm and carelessness undermine our painfully bought low virus numbers. Thank you for your consideration!
Write to Dana at [email protected]
