(Photo above: OSU Cascades | Rendering courtesy of OSU Cascades)
Now for Bend, a community coalition comprised of private citizens, businesses and civic organizations, launched a website today with 55 partner supporters and released the results of a new poll showing the public strongly supports building a four-year campus on Bend’s Westside.
“Having a four-year university here is the missing piece when it comes to opportunities for educational and economic advancement. If we don’t establish a campus on the Westside now, we will likely wait 10 to 20 more years. That leaves a generation without options,” said Janie Teater, Now for Bend’s co-coordinator.
Teater believes a local university is critical to addressing these issues and more than 77 percent of those recently polled agree, backing a campus located on Bend’s Westside. More than 55 individuals, businesses and groups have so far joined the Now for Bend coalition, with more joining daily. Community members can go to nowforbend.com to show support, join the coalition and to learn more about the proposed OSU-Cascades Bend campus.
“A key ingredient for a stable economy is a thriving university,” said Amy Tykeson, co-coordinator for Now for Bend. “The healthy, sustainable communities known for livability, innovation and economic development all have a four-year college. Bend has all the elements of a great community, with one glaring exception. This campus turns us toward the future with opportunities for students to advance and businesses to succeed.”
The poll numbers released today, which are attached here in a PDF, show overwhelming support for the cultural and economic benefits that an urban campus will bring to Bend, with 78 percent of those polled believing that these benefits are more important than not building a campus at all.
Other significant data from the recent poll shows:
• 85 percent agree that the largest region in the state without a four-year university is due for one to serve our children, provide a trained workforce for employers and nurture economic innovation
• 77 percent believe the addition of a four-year university in downtown Bend will make positive contributions to the economic, educational and cultural growth of the city
• 64 percent agree Central Oregon has worked for 30 years to get a four-year university and cannot let a handful of critics delay it even longer
For more information on the strong support for OSU-Cascades Westside site, and ways to support the coalition visit nowforbend.com
