Letters 10/21-10/28 | The Source Weekly - Bend, Oregon

Letters 10/21-10/28

LOCATION, CONGESTION, GREED & BAD LOCATION

People move to Bend because of the lifestyle, ambiance, outdoor activities, to get away from congestion, and pollution. However, greed is impacting this.

People who work in Bend are having a hard time finding housing with landlords upping rents drastically. If a homeowner feels they aren't making enough in rent, they turn their homes into Vacation Rentals impacting once beautiful neighborhoods.

Homeownership for Bendites is fast becoming a distant dream. Developers are destroying open areas throwing up houses that most people in Bend cannot afford. It's sad because the reason people move to Bend is for the openness.

Congestion is unreal. Many streets are already parking lots. It's not unusual to have to sit through several cycles to get through some lights. The roads are already filled with potholes and ruts, which will get worse in winter.

The location is all wrong for four-year colleges. Who has ever heard of building a four-year college on ten acres, or building it on a pumice mine? Didn't they learn anything from the field sinking at Summit High School? Who will be paying to repair it when the buildings start sinking? Housing will be difficult and parking will be even worse. I doubt faculty, staff, and students will walk 3.5 miles into downtown Bend. I think a college student would be happier going a couple of hours away to a college where there would be the ambiance of a real campus that has housing, parking, and athletic fields.

People need to see that the quality of life is eroding. Congestion is getting worse every day. At this rate it won't be long before our beautiful blue sky will be a big brown cloud.

—Deedee, a concerned Bendite

IN REPLY TO "LESSONS FROM THE LAND" (10/14)

Outdoor school changed my life. I became a scientist and a teacher because of how outdoor school made the world real to me. Oregon needs aware and capable citizens to prosper and outdoor school is the best means to ensure this happens.

—Rex B.

IN REPLY TO "FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHT TO PARTY" (9/30)

Regarding the riverside market controversy, as an outsider looking at it from a citywide policy perspective, consider that the "market" has operated illegally for several years. And where is our city—should they not have been enforcing our codes? And assessing a penalty for violations? Instead they are recommending a conditional use permit without even requiring a survey to see if legal parking requirements can be met! I guess in Bend it pays to ignore the code and then cozy up to staff when neighbors object to an illegal operation! It is clear this business does not belong in this neighborhood.

—Allan Bruckner

CORRECTION: In last week's letters section, we misidentified the armed veteran and student at Umpqua Community College who declined to use his firearm in response to the fatal shooting. His name is John Parker, Jr. We regret the error.

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