A moment of decision is before the people of Bend, and we cannot afford to miss it: Will a fully realized OSU-Cascades be a part of our future or not?

Here’s the truth of it — if we miss this moment, bogged down in the weeds of endless sniping and legal challenges, then critical funding and legislative support for OSU will disappear. The long-held dream of a four-year university in the heart of our community will be lost for a generation. Some people might see that loss as a win. We profoundly disagree with that opinion. Expanding our economic base, creating education and job options for our youth, innovating affordable housing and transit solutions that are needed; in short, growing a more livable Bend, hinges on this moment.

Nearly 10 years ago, the people of Bend came together and said resoundingly, “We welcome a four-year university.” Their voices, articulated in the Bend 2030 vision, identified this possibility as a key element of a better future for all of us. And while nearly 6,000 citizens participated in this dialogue, Bend 2030 went one step further by testing the results in a scientific survey. More than 60 percent of the public agreed — an established university on its own campus was rated highly important.

The vision of our own university is much older than that. For decades, community leaders have argued that a four-year university is Bend’s “missing link” — the one thing that could help us become a complete community. More recently, a community campaign to help fund a new campus raised well over $4 million, demonstrating how important people continue to think this is.

We need a four-year university to accomplish our community’s long-term goals for this special place we call home. It is for this reason that the Bend 2030 board of directors strongly endorses the development of a new, centrally located OSU-Cascades campus. Clearly, finding consensus on where and how to best develop the new campus has been a bumpy road. There are legitimate questions to be answered and solutions to be created that will ensure the best outcomes. However, if we continue squandering our community’s time, energy and resources in waging small battles, we risk losing the war. It is time to move on. Citizens who have supported the dream of our university are being called to action once more. Please don’t let the naysayers decide your future for you. Talk with your neighbors, make a phone call to your legislators, or write a letter to the editor. It’s time to take a stand.

OSU-Cascades will provide many benefits to our community: stabilizing an economy historically linked to boom and bust; expanding academic programs attuned to Bend’s existing economic potential, such as eco-tourism, hospitality, and brewing sciences; developing programs linked to Bend’s emerging industries, including technology, medical research, outdoor apparel and products, and sustainable resource systems; leveraging existing degree and certificate programs at COCC; developing jobs for service industries in food, entertainment, recreation, and health care; creating economic opportunities for local high schools graduates who choose to earn a college degree while staying in Bend; providing an enormous cultural boost in the form of lectures, arts and cultural programs, and athletic events tied to Bend’s outdoor environment; stimulating the development of new affordable housing and more comprehensive public transit.

The bottom line is this: Bend is projected to grow no matter what we do. As stewards of this great community, harnessing that growth to create a Bend that works for all of us is the right thing to do. OSU-Cascades is central to realizing our broadly supported vision for Bend. We must make the most of this remarkable moment. We have far more to gain than we might imagine.

— Vic Martinez is the board chair for Bend 2030. He lives in Bend.