Archive for January, 2012

28 Jan

Thanks to our Army of Volunteers, we did it!

Posted by Martin-Fontana Parks Association in Adopt-a-Park, City of San Jose, Events, Jeffrey Fontana Park, MFPA. Tagged: , , , .

Click on collage for a bigger view

On Saturday the 28th of January,  MFPA, Adopt-a-Park, Cub Scout Pack 282, Boy Scout Troop 262, AAP high school students from Presentation, Lynbrook, and other schools along with other community volunteers worked with the City of San Jose Parks Dept. (PRNS) to spread large mounds of mulch throughout Jeffrey Fontana Park East of McAbee Road.  About 50 to 60 volunteers met at the Adopt-a-Park trailer Saturday morning and contributed one to  three hours getting the mulch spread and doing some planting too.

Dave Poeschel demonstrates the proper planting method

All the necessary tools such as rakes, wheel barrows, shovels and gloves were provided by Adopt-a-Park.  In addition, the Parks Dept. provided a skid steer loader with driver to help move around some of bigger piles of mulch.

The wheel barrel brigade

In a controlled experiment the Parks Dept. volunteers were provided  cardboard for the skin area southeast of the pedestrian bridge. This will be a testing site to see if cardboard under the mulch will be an effective weed control method for weed abatement.  If this works out they will be able to cut down the use of chemical weed control.

Lots of thanks to our many hard-working volunteers for getting the mulch spread! Many hands made light work.

Mom’s little helper

Little man big man

28 Jan

Army of Volunteers Part II

Posted by Martin-Fontana Parks Association in Adopt-a-Park, City of San Jose, Events, Jeffrey Fontana Park, MFPA. Tagged: , , , , .

Click on any photo for a larger version.

21 Jan

Results of the annual MFPA General Membership meeting

Posted by Martin-Fontana Parks Association in City of San Jose, Events, Jeffrey Fontana Park, MFPA, TJ Martin Park, Tree Data. Tagged: , , , , .

All present & accounted for, the Board. From left to right: Dick Stevens, Mike Kalashian, Bob Heldt, Pat Wagstaff, Larry Sasscer, Linda Wilson, Vince Piazzisi, and Pier Maggiani

The minutes of the Jan. 21, 2012 General Membership meeting are now available.

The following subjects are covered:

  • 2011 Year End Financial Report
  • 2012 Negotiations Update with PG&E
  • 2011 Accomplishments
  • 2012 Project plans
  • Future park enhancement ideas from public input
  • 2012-13 Board Elections
Stay informed about your Association. The Martin-Fontana Parks Association Board of Directors

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21 Jan

Come out for the 2nd annual General Membership meeting this Sat, Jan. 21.

Posted by Martin-Fontana Parks Association in Events, Jeffrey Fontana Park, MFPA, PG&E, TJ Martin Park, Tree Data. Tagged: , , .

Here are the details:

  • Location: Villas’ Clubhouse on Meridian Ave. at north boundary of Jeffrey Fontana Park – A Board member will be at the kiosk to open the gate and give simple directions to the clubhouse. Parking is available, but carpooling or walking is helpful.
  • Time: Call to order at 10:00 am. Adjournment between 11:00 am and 11:30 am.
  • Agenda: Intro of current Board.
  • Financial report for 2011.
  • Brief update of 2012 negotiations with PG&E on tree removal.
  • MFPA Activity overview in the parks for 2011.
  • Planned projects for 2012, including Tree #13 project.
  • Election of 4 Board members for 2012-13 terms.

We welcome your comments and questions and look forward to meeting you at this event. Refreshments will be available – hope to see you there!

2 Jan

Happy New Year MFPA Friends and Members

Posted by Martin-Fontana Parks Association in Events, Jeffrey Fontana Park, MFPA, PG&E, TJ Martin Park, Tree Data. Tagged: , , , .

Happy New Year MFPA Friends and Members,

MFPA President Linda Wilson

Working in 2012 to improve our parks!  This Saturday, January 7, join our Board of Directors and Restoration Team as we walk through TJ Martin and Jeffrey Fontana Parks.  We want to hear your ideas about what you think needs to be done to “spruce up” and improved our park environments.

We will begin our tour at 9:00 am at the far west side of TJ Martin Park, near Fleet Street and Weimar Ave.  Our first walk will take us east through the park, crossing Burchell and ending at Meridian Ave.  If TJ Martin Park is your main area of concern, join us and give us your ideas for possible projects for this area.

At 10:00 we will cross Meridian to Jeffrey Fontana Park and repeat the process .  If the Fontana Park area where the most tree loss from PG&E has occurred is your area of concern, join us as we walk through to McAbee, across McAbee and through the Golf Creek area to Almaden Expressway.  This is a larger area and will probably take more than an hour.

We want to know what is important to you, share some projects already in our Master Plan, and get ideas to help us set priorities for the 2012 project year based on our budget projections.

Hope you can join us!  We are looking forward to hearing your ideas and concerns.

Sincerely,
Linda Wilson, the MFPA Board of Directors, and the Community Restoration Team