In the Pacific Northwest’s damp, dark days of winter, it’s hard to imagine any beckoning outdoors spaces, like say the twinkling age-old Christmas markets of Germany. But we do have a pocket of possibility right in the heart of the city: Kesey Square. Rather than look at its brick shell as some unintended consequence of ad-hoc city planning — where some local developers want to plop a building — we ask you to dream of the possibilities.

EW found inspiration for public spaces in New York City’s Paley Park and the beloved High Line greenway, as well as the casual charm of beer gardens around the world.

Critics often cite Kesey Square’s size as problematic, yet at 4,400 square feet, it’s larger than Paley Park (4,200 square feet), a pocket park considered one of the best urban public spaces in the U.S. And the narrow High Line park was built on a defunct portion of railroad, yet it was masterfully designed to provide comfortable public seating in tight, awkward spaces.

Now it’s your turn: Send your ideas to editor@eugeneweekly.com with “I Dream of Kesey Square” in the subject line.

From top to bottom: Paley Park is nearly identical in size to Kesey square — 4,200 square feet and 4,400 square feet respectively. High Line Greenway. A beer garden in Munich.

I Dream of The Whit

I Dream of North Eugene

I Dream of Glenwood

I Dream of the City

I Dream of Staff Picks

A Note From the Publisher

Dear Readers,

The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.

That’s because of you!

Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.

Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.

We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.

And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.

None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.

As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.

Thank you for standing with us!