A DOWNSIDE TO THE CCC
Although the Cascade Cycling Classic (CCC) may be considered a plus for Bend, I recently experienced the downside of this event. Apparently in signing up to host riders, an inconsiderate neighbor across from me agreed to also host an RV. Their drive is 45 degrees and short so they essentially volunteered the curved street in front of their house—not theirs to offer, but the CCC doesn't check. Our neighborhood in the West Hills is composed of rather narrow, hilly, curbed streets on the SW side of Aubrey Butte. No pulloffs. I awoke the Saturday before the race was to start to find not only a behemoth RV parked on a curve in front of MY house, but it was towing a 15-foot trailer, headed in the wrong direction with a popout window extending into the street. When I asked them to move, I got a mumbled answer that the owner would be back and was soon visited by the host who said she would not ask them to move. A call to the Bend police and coaxing in their callback resulted in them coming to the scene and asking the vehicles to park correctly and retract the popout. During that visit, I was told by the police officer that it is legal to leave an RV on the street for a week. When this news gets out, Bend will become Winnabago heaven—who needs RV parks when you can just park on the street!
The transformer that is the George Hincapie race team soon transformed with a canopy extension in back of the trailer, bike work stations, coolers in the street, another 15-foot van and about three race support cars—all parked along our residential street. During the day, the activity spread across the width of the street with equipment, bikes and the washing of vehicles completely blocking both lanes of travel requiring a wait until they were finished. At night they would block the street by racing radio-controlled cars. In general, they showed no regard for the neighborhood or its residents, but rather did what they wanted—on the street the CCC organization and the Bend police granted them.
So much for the city [and] its residents.
Although I am the recipient of a irresponsible neighbor's action, the CCC and the antiquated Bend traffic code must share the blame. The CCC must inquire whether an RV host can host on their property or not. If not, the CCC does not have the right to allocate Bend streets for parking. I came to Bend from a community where 72 hours was the limit for anything parked on the street. The streets were clear.
A recent article in the New York Times on Mr. Hincape said, "Though racing teams typically don't make money, the Hincappie team's successes have increased visibility for the brand and that spurs sales for Hincappie sportswear." So, the disturbance on my street was for Bend to support increased bicycling sportswear. I suspect there is really very little in the CCC for the citizens of Bend as the participants do not stay in motels/hotels, they do not spend in restaurants and nobody pays anything to see them. Their conduct off the bike is unwelcome. Other than the downtown criterion, who sees the race? Perhaps most telling is a recent picture in the Bulletin of a women's stage finish in which there is one spectator. Let's reexamine how this event is conducted, why we allow such unrestricted city parking, and what we get from it.
—David Parish
RESTRAIN BPRD
We agree passionately with letters in The Source appalled by the play wave construction. Here we are in this incredible natural environment already struggling to survive population growth while Bend Park and Recreation District seems hell-bent on turning our community into a Disney amusement park. Yes, they have done a fine job on our human and dog parks, but it seems they don't know when to stop. If we don't make our voices heard, we may find Mickey and Goofy selling tickets for the Magic Mountain ride in Drake Park.
Destroying our natural environment is not progress, it's simply greed. You do know that "they paved paradise and put in a parking lot" was based on a real event, right? Call BPRD at 541-389-7275 and ask to leave your message for all members of Board of Directors.
—Mac Simon and Vicki Grant
IN REPLY TO "SESSION'S OUT FOR SUMMER" (7/22)
Stay away from the top-tier issues that, in his view, are at a "higher pay grade." Sounds like someone who really needs a lot more experience at governing before running for Governor, a job that actually requires governing on those top-tier issues.
—mickey finn via bendsource.com
IN REPLY TO "OPINION: BULLETIN EDITORIAL IGNORES THE FACTS ABOUT TRANSGENDER YOUTH" (7/17) Great piece. I was going to say "opinion piece," but this isn't opinion: it's fact. You've effectively rebutted all the Bulletin's lies, innuendo, and insinuations and in the process exposed them, again, as the small-minded, insecure, unthinking assholes that they are. Cheers.
—Peter G. via bendsource.com
WATER, WATER...NOT EVERYWHERE!
I love you guys, but was disappointed to find that in your recent water sports issue, there was not a single mention, or more importantly, a counter-article that I could find that addressed or noted the concerning drought cycle and reduced snowpack that directly impacts these reservoirs glorified for recreation. To me, it seems glaringly obvious that these man-made features and our strained water resources will become (ARE) increasingly precious...water that seems to not be viewed as exhaustible as it supports burgeoning development and seemingly unmitigated, shortsighted infrastructure. (Fake Lake, anyone?) Layered on top of the agriculture industry that predated the recreational population boom, Bend and Central Oregon may be outgrowing their arid britches on the east side sooner than we think.
I hope we can learn and apply lessons learned from the big state just south of our border—a place comprised of mainly desert before it was engineered for agriculture—almost entirely reliant on snowpack recharge to its reservoirs to feed the hungry...er..."man" in the name of progress. Now, many of those millions of acres lay parched, Grapes of Wrath style...below bare peaks and reservoirs tens-of-percent below their lowest levels.
We are fortunate to still have water to enjoy, but let's please promote efficiency and conservation alongside our good fortune to benefit from Mother Nature's gift of water.
—Alyce Pearce
