Martin, Fontana parks get a boost
By Julia Baum
jbaum@bayareanewsgroup.com
SAN JOSE — Preserving some of the city’s most prized natural treasures has been an ongoing challenge for the Martin-Fontana Parks Association, which hosts its seventh annual “Heart of the Park” fundraiser and membership drive on Saturday.
This year, the volunteer group is spotlighting its struggle to maintain or upgrade TJ Martin and Jeffrey Fontana parks with dwindling resources.
The group and San Jose’s parks and recreation department want to see new irrigation systems and turf installed in three areas, including the soccer fields. Native plants and mature oak trees thrive in the 33 acres that make up both parks, but non-native assets such as a grove of redwoods have been struggling to survive this past year due to budget cuts, drought and even gophers and squirrels.
MARTIN-FONTANA PARKS ASSOCIATION 