September 2, 2005

San Jose’s largest park opens Sept. 10

By City Councilmember
Ken Yeager
Special to the Times

“A park for many reasons … a park for all seasons” is the theme for the grand-opening celebration of the Guadalupe River Park & Gardens on Saturday, Sept. 10. This new central park for San Jose offers miles of trails, flood protection for downtown San Jose and surrounding neighborhoods, playgrounds, gardens, public art and places for quiet reflection.

The celebration on Sept. 10 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. is something you won’t want to miss. There will be six main venues located throughout the park with free entertainment and activities. A Habitat Hunt contest will encourage people to explore the entire park. Major entertainers will include Trout Fishing in America, Jose Luis Orozco and the Makaha Sons from Hawaii. Joe Sharino will perform in front of the Center for Performing Arts at 4 p.m.

Guadalupe River Park stretches 2.6 miles along the curved banks of the Guadalupe River, from Highway 280 to Highway 880. The $340-million project is unique in its combination of flood protection, recreation, open space and preservation of a sensitive environmental area that is home to fish, birds and other wildlife.

Celebration participants will receive free commemorative backpacks, a 2006 calendar showcasing the natural beauty of Guadalupe River Park and other special souvenirs. Free shuttles will help to move visitors among activity areas in the park.

Guadalupe River Park was created in conjunction with an innovative flood protection project constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that uses underground tunnels to carry floodwaters away from homes and businesses. The river periodically overflowed, most recently in 1995 when downtown streets were flooded with 15 feet of water.

Community leaders worked with the Corps and the Santa Clara Valley Water District for more than 20 years to design a project that combined the flood control work with environmental protection and a design creating a beautiful “ribbon of blue and ribbon of green” open space in the heart of downtown San Jose.

In 2006, additional trails will be completed along the lower Guadalupe River from the park to Alviso. Future plans include an Upper Guadalupe River project that will continue the trails south to Almaden Valley and completion of the Los Gatos Creek Trail, which merges with the Guadalupe River at Confluence Point near Santa Clara Street.

It has been my pleasure to serve on the board of directors of the Friends of the Guadalupe River Park & Gardens for seven years. Part of the reason for my involvement is to make sure the concerns of walkers, joggers and cyclists are considered. After being elected to the City Council, I was pleased to be appointed co-chair of the city’s Guadalupe River Park Task Force with Vice-Mayor Cindy Chavez.

For me, serving on the board has been a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It has allowed me to participate in the planning of the largest park in San Jose. Staff members from the Redevelopment Agency and the city have been phenomenal in carrying out the vision of the citizens and urban park planners alike.

The Friends of Guadalupe River Park & Gardens are organizing the Sept. 10 event. I encourage you to visit their Web site at www.grpg.org for a complete schedule and other details, including information on public transportation and parking options. They can also be reached at (408) 277-5998.

As always, if you have any questions regarding any city issue of concern to you, please contact me at (408) 535-4906, or ken.yeager@sanjoseca.gov.

See you on the trails.