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| Known for its cultural events, Eugene is
the home of the Hult Center for the Performing Arts,
renowned for its acoustical
perfection,
where operas, ballets and symphonies are
performed year round. The internationally known
Oregon Bach Festival features more than 40 concerts at
the University's Beall Concert Hall and includes the
music of Bach, Brahms, Mozart, as well the music of 20th
and 21st century artists. The city also has excellent
museums, including the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art.
Coffeehouses, pubs, microbreweries and
eclectic shops dot the city, and small natural foods stores
are common in almost every neighborhood.
Restaurants, from Chinese to vegetarian, are
plentiful. Wine tasting is always fun, and there are
several vineyards and wineries within a short drive of
Eugene. Hinman Vineyards and Secret House Winery are
two of the best and offer daily tastings.
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Eugene is located 60 miles from the coast
and about 60 miles from the Cascade Mountains, providing year
round opportunities for hiking, camping, boating, bird watching,
bicycling and more. Residents also enjoy Kentucky
Falls, 45 miles west of the city, which boasts three
waterfalls. The Rogue River is a great spot for whitewater
rafting, and Willamette Pass Ski Area and Hoodoo Ski Area to the
east are winter favorites. Golfers have eight courses, six open to the public and two that are private, from which to
choose. Sports fans will want to cheer on The University of
Oregon Ducks.
Residents
enjoy three beautiful short seasons and one long rainy winter,
which lasts from November to at least April. There is
little snow, but rainfall can reach 6 to 9 inches per month during
the winter. Overcast skies and constant rain can make
for some dreary months. Temperatures are moderate, however, with average summer temperatures in the high 70s and
mid 80s, and average winter temperatures in the 30s and
40s. Winter humidity averages 80%, which some people may find
uncomfortable.
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Sacred
Heart Medical Center (432 beds) is the primary health care
facility and is the largest hospital between Portland and San
Francisco. It has recently been named a Consumer Choice Award
Winner, as it has been for the last eight years, meaning that
patients rate its doctors and nurses among the best. More
than 3,200 hospitals were studied nationwide for the 234 top
spots; other winners have included the Mayo Clinic, Johns Hopkins
Hospital, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and Massachusetts General
Hospital. Sacred Heart also houses the Gerontology
Institute, a program that specializes in medicine for the more
mature set. For further medical care, a 114-bed medical center is
open in
Springfield, a nearby community.
Eugene
may be a college town, but it has a solid support system for
retirees. The Trude Kaufman Senior Center provides classes and social events and is located in a charming
Victorian home. The Campbell Senior Center offers field trips, meals, social activities, classes, volunteer
opportunities and referrals to other community resources. The
Area Agency on Aging and Disability Services for Lane County
manages the Senior & Disabled Services (S&DS) and offers
senior meals and in-home care. OASIS is an
educational organization that offers a good selection of classes and workshops for
those over age 50.
The
University of Oregon is also a wonderful resource for retirees.
It has a continuing education program and its Osher Lifelong
Learning Institute is targeted to seniors. For a low annual
fee ($75 to $100), seniors attend classes, lectures and events.
Many
regular classes can be audited for no charge. Lane Community
College, considered one of the best in the country, has personal
enrichment classes and a strong business emphasis. Seniors
receive 50% tuition discount.
Eugene is served by a major airport, Amtrak rail
service and major bus lines. The Lane Transit District (LTD)
is the local bus system; everyone age 18 to 64 rides for
$1.50. Those age 65 or better ride for
free.
There
are drawbacks to retirement in Eugene. The air quality is poor,
well below the national average (some of this is due to grass seed farmers
burning their fields for pest control purposes during the summer
and fall). People with allergies or asthma may have a
difficult time here. The
crime rate is higher than the national
norm, but the vast majority most of crimes are related to property.
Transients and the homeless can be seen is some areas of the
city. The amount
of rain may be too much for some people. Retirees in
search of a pretty, liberal city near the coast, though, will will
right at home.
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