On Sat, July 10th., sixteen volunteers from the Santa Clara County Association of Realtors* came out in the 90°+ heat to refresh the Jeffrey Fontana Memorial Garden. We were joined by Johnny Khamis, the past City Council member and now the Public Relations Consultant for SCCAOR, and a couple of Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services staffers, Eddie and Lalo. All worked diligently to pull weeds, cut prune tree suckers, gently deadhead the roses, and feed each rose bush in the block long garden.
Chris Chen & Linda Wilson
Signing up
30 bags of mulch
Tools provided by Adopt-a-Park
Photo by Johnny Khamis
The work party was organized by the Martin-Fontana Parks Association working with San Jose’s Adopt-a-Park volunteer unit and PRNS maintenance workers from our District One Maintenance Dept. Funding from MFPA member donations provided the rose feed, and 30 bags of mulch that were spread to preserve the sprinkler water during the summer. Thanks to Johnny Khamis and PRNS staffers Eddie and Lalo who provided extra help and support.
Thanks also to MFPA member Dave Gonzalez (wearing the white shirt) who signed in the volunteers and provided energy snacks! And thanks to our MFPA photographer, Wayne Opp for all the photos.
This Saturday volunteers from the Santa Clara County Association of Realtors will be meeting at the Jeffrey Fontana Memorial Rose Garden to spruce up the area and feed the roses. We would love to see you join them Saturday, July 10 at 8:15 am to pitch in and lend a hand!
Linda Wilson and Kelly Shepherd will be signing in the volunteers, and Lalo from Parks, Recreation and Neighbor Services (PRNS) will have all the tools, gloves, and other necessary equipment on hand. Ice cold water and healthy snacks will be provided. A canopy will be set up to provide some shade for anyone who wants to take a break.
Volunteers from the Santa Clara County Association of Realtors meet twice yearly to work in the memorial garden and have helped the Martin-Fontana Parks Association keep this area as a fitting memorial for Officer Jeffrey Fontana who was killed in a nearby neighborhood nearly 20 years ago.
A proposal to fund the remaining portion of a project to restore and make usable a .05 acre patch of grass located in tront of the Jeffrey Fontana Dog Park was submitted by Councilmember Matt Mahan’s office to San Jose City’s mayor Sam Liccardo. The proposal is to repair the turf in front of the dog park at Jeffrey Fontana Park with new sod and gopher wire.
Martin-Fontana Parks Association has saved $15,000 to contribute to the project along with Councilmember Matt Mahan’s office contributing $7,000.
Thanks to the folks who came out to help water the oak saplings and to our own Parks, Recreation, and Neighborhood Services Supervisor Jesse, his son, and Boy Scout Troop 250 for paving the way to smooth trails ahead.
Four intrepid volunteers have formed a watering team for the newly planted natural Coast Live Oak tree planted in the Heritage Grove. Rich Grialou, Brandon Koehne, Dave Gonzalez and Dave Poeschel make up the team who will water weekly and try to revive the tree.
Heritage Tree placque
The grove of multi-trunked Coast Live Oak trees was designated a Heritage Tree site by the City of San Jose in 2011. Two years ago, PG&E removed two diseased trunks of one of the oaks and the City Arborist recommended planting a replacement tree. Martin-Fontana Parks Association helped pay for the tree with the agreement that Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services would plant it. Late in February, park staff planted the Coast Live Oak. Planting was a big job because the tree was in a 24″ box, bigger than anything we had ever planted before. Although the tree has completely browned out, the branches are still alive, so our MFPA team will be working diligently to bring the tree back to life!
Following the new County and State orders and guidance, the City of San José’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services is taking a phased approach to reopening over 290 playgrounds and exercise equipment beginning on Friday, October 23.
Those who choose to use the newly opened amenities must follow all posted signage as well as County Public Health Orders. Guidelines for use include washing or sanitizing your hands before and after using playground/exercise equipment; wearing face coverings at all times; keeping a six-foot distance from those outside of your household; staying home if anyone in the household is ill; not sharing personal items or toys; and sanitizing equipment before and after use with EPA approved disinfectants as the equipment is not sanitized.
Parents and caretakers are responsible for ensuring that their children are playing safe and following all of the rules. Do your part to protect your family and others against COVID-19 by following these guidelines. The City of San José will continue to monitor our parks and facilities to ensure the safety and wellness of our community.
Jeffrey Fontana Dog Park
Dog Parks
San Jose’s 13 dog parks will open on Tuesday, June 9. Residents and their four-legged friends who choose to use the reopened dog parks must follow all posted signage and abide by all Santa Clara County Public Health Orders and conditions. This includes staying home if you or your pet are sick, and not entering a dog park if you can’t stay six feet away from others.
Dog park visitors must stay out of closed areas and not share recreational equipment with others. A face covering is required unless you meet the exemptions in the County Health Officer’s Critical Guidance on Face Coverings. Water fountains remain closed until further notice, please bring your own water.
T J Martin Park neighbors, with back yards adjacent to the park from Burchell Avenue to Weimar Avenue, woke up to the sounds of chain saws, trucks and heavy equipment at 8:30 am the morning of Thursday, Oct. 8.
After years of allowing the growth of weeds, volunteer tree sprouts, and dense brush build-up, the fence line area was in for a good grooming! A strike team from Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services (PRNS) brought workers and equipment to clear out the large area that had become a dumping ground for litter, and a nocturnal meeting place for partying.
Dead limbs
Dead trees
Mulch pile removed
Tree trimmed
Trimming by the fence
The large mountain of mulch, deposited three years ago, was moved to the Fleet St. rose garden where MFPA member, Larry Sasscer, spread it among the roses and native plants to deter weed growth and hold in moisture. Tree canopies were lifted to provide an easy sight line down the fence line while shrubs were pruned or removed to enhance the area.
The PRNS team worked from 8:30 am to noon clearing out and cleaning up the former nuisance area which had been left to grow wild for the last ten years. Martin-Fontana Parks Association brought the blighted area to the attention of PRNS, and thanks them for their hard work and effort they made to clean it up. Now it is once again an area of TJ Martin Park where walkers can enjoy the variety of birds and native plants along the fence line.
*Thanks to our MFPA President, Linda Wilson, for the story and photos
The City of San José Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services Department is hiring a full-time gardener to plan and execute landscaping operations and maintain our outdoors spaces healthy and beautiful. To apply, please complete an application by visiting bit.ly/sjgardenerjob. The application deadline is Tuesday, October 13. If you have questions, please email dominique.voelker@sanjoseca.gov
The City of San José Department of Parks and Recreation and Neighborhood Services is temporarily closing several park locations due to poor air quality for the health and safety of park guests and staff. As an employer, the health and safety of our parks staff is our top priority, and all outdoor activities are being reduced as much as possible.
Closures include the following regional parks:
Almaden Lake
Alum Rock Park
Edenvale Gardens Regional Park
Emma Prusch Farm Park
Japanese Friendship Garden
Guadalupe Oak Grove
Lake Cunningham Park
Municipal Rose Garden
Overfelt Gardens
These locations will reopen as air quality improves and staff is allowed to return to outdoor work. Neighborhood parks remain accessible to the public with the exception of Lincoln Glen, which is under construction. Per AQI – Sensitive groups, such as people with heart or lung disease, older adults, and children should avoid all physical activity outdoors. Everyone else is advised to avoid prolonged or heavy exertion outdoors.
Post Date:09/11/2020 2:00 PM
For updates and details on reopened facilities and amenities, please visit bit.ly/prnsreopens.
MARTIN-FONTANA PARKS ASSOCIATION 