Park Concerns

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

---

---

My name is Linda Wilson, former president of the Martin-Fontana Parks Association and current project manager of park enhancements provided by our nonprofit park adoption group.

TJ Martin and Jeffrey Fontana Parks comprise roughly 33 acres of city park land running east/west under PG&E high tension power lines in Almaden Valley. 

The parks neighborhoods have two main concerns:  the construction of the pilot turf projects in Jeffrey Fontana Park near the dog parks, and the turf/weed conditions in both TJ Martin and Jeffrey Fontana Parks. We formed in 2010 to stop PG&E’s removal of nearly 140 mature trees in our parks and were successful. Since then we have spent thousands of dollars planting native plants and trees, placing benches, and enhancing the bare skin areas of the parks that used to be weed filled eyesores. We have witnessed the severe deterioration of both parks over the last few months, and do not believe it can be blamed on our Parks Facilities Supervisor or his assistant.

In Jeffrey Fontana Park we donated $15,000 to a project begun in early 2022 using gopher wire as a base for two turf areas to see if they will remain gopher free. The areas were fenced off in November of 2021, and work was begun, removing existing turf, placing gopher wire, and bringing in good soil as a base for the turf.  It is still fenced in, squirrels have invaded one space, and weeds are growing prolifically.  Our park facilities manager and assistant manager are out of the information loop on the project and neighbors want to know when it will finally be completed.  This is not the fault of either Brian Schultz, or Melody Goodwin, who are not informed of the status of the work in this area.  

Neighbors want to know:  When will this project be completed, and who is the person in PRNS responsible for seeing the project is carried out to completion?

Both TJ Martin and Jeffrey Fontana Park suffer from lack of water, and prolific weed growth.  TJ Martin Park from Meridian Avenue east to Vilmar and Sentinal Streets is about 80% weed growth and 20% sod.  Two days after a letter or complaint was sent to the District 10 Councilperson from concerned park neighbors, the worst area from Meridian to Burchell Ave. was mowed.  I have visited other parks in Almaden Valley and these two parks are far and away in worse condition than other District 10 parks.  Mowers are always broken and weeds have taken over.  We know the parks department is never funded enough, and there is a shortage of park maintenance staff.  However, TJ Martin park is in deplorable shape.  District 10 parks have always been underfunded due to the funding formula set up by the city.

Neighbors want to know:  Will TJ Martin and Jeffrey Fontana parks remain infested with thistles and weeds choking out grasses until they are not more than vacant lots unusable by children and adults for play and exercise?

Will there ever be a completion of the turf project in Fontana?  If so, when?

Will there ever be an attempt to bring grass back and kill the weeds that have taken over TJ Martin park?  If so, when?

Sincerely,

Linda Wilson

Native Garden Islands Refreshed and Ready for Spring

Click this link for the four page newsletter: https://saveourparktrees.files.wordpress.com/2023/03/winter-spring-newsletter-2023.pdf

Jeffrey Fontana Park Memorial Rose Garden Pruning

It was a privilege to witness and be part of the neighborhood initiative of rose garden pruning, weeding, and cleanup at Jeffrey Fontana Park on McAbee Rd & Golden Oak Way. Thanks to the partnership of the Martin-Fontana Parks Association (MFPA), Santa Clara County Association of Realtors (SCCAOR), and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints volunteers, they were able to complete the task beautifully and on time.

As someone who does not garden due to a lack of a green thumb, I was impressed with everyone’s ability to prune rose bushes and lay mulch with enthusiasm to make the park beautiful and ready for spring. As I had a chance to meet and speak with a few of the leaders, Kelly Sheppard and Linda Wilson, I was humbled by their love and passion for their project and their hard work to make their neighborhood beautiful and welcoming.

It was my absolute pleasure to see the neighbors and volunteers coming and working together to beautify our neighborhood-shared park. I am looking forward to many more such events.

Arjun Batra
District 10 Councilmember

*Councilmember Batra is the first Indian-American on the council since Ash Kalra, now a member of the California Assembly. Batra, an engineer, was a manager at Intel and IBM.

No more Gophers ? Say what! Read the latest Newsletter

Jeffrey Fontana Park Beautification Project

Oct 01, 8:30 AM – 11:30 AM

1280-1290 Oakglen Way, San Jose, CA

Help restore the health and beauty of the west end of Jeffrey Fontana park! Tools, water and snacks will be provided. We suggest you bring your own gloves and wear protective shoes, shirts with sleeves, and jeans to cover your legs! STUDENTS UNDER THE AGE OF 18 MUST HAVE WRITTEN PARENT PERMISSION. Community service hours will be provided to students who volunteer.

Workday volunteers who attend our Heart of the Park event on October 29th will get a free large pumpkin!https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.eventbrite.com/e/jeffrey-fontana-park-beautification-project-tickets-420771297277__;!!Mt_FR42WkD9csi9Y!cfPraezIKqNuzgYJWXAIWf1UGtdK6w8AEIS8ZpUe6bo9omMo7Glvpyl32MPnDbHOqIV5ds1eKkPc5hLZ89-0sn7clRs$

Heart of the Park Event 10/29/22

It’s Spring Cleanup at Jeffrey Fontana Park

Watch out for the Grimlins!s

A big THANKS to Michele LaPlante, our Martin-Fontana Parks Association (MFPA) Volunteer Coordinator, and Michele Dexter, the Community Relations representative from the District 10 City Council office for their coordination on a successful “Spring Cleaning” Saturday May 7th at the Jeffrey Fontana Memorial Rose Garden and the California native plant garden on McAbee Road.

Volunteers from the Santa Clara County Association of REALTORS met for their annual spring clean up of the rose garden, as well as some weeding and pruning on the east side of McAbee at the CA native garden.  They were joined by a large group of volunteers from the Church of the Latter Day Saints.  The volunteers filled a large Parks, Recreation & Neighborhood Services (PRNS) dump truck twice, with green waste from weeding, pruning, and trimming the trees and plants in the gardens. 

Thanks also, to the PRNS Volunteer Unit, who came out Saturday morning with all the tools and wheelbarrows needed for the cleanup effort. 

PRNS Volunteer Coordinator, Sue Bowling, helped with the sign in and MFPA member Chris Reed was there to give guidance in the native garden work area.   Together, all the helping hands put in a morning of great effort to create two garden spaces that all the park community can enjoy.

*Thanks to our new MFPA photographer, Jack Wollenweber, a Bellarmine College Preparatory school student for all the nice photos.

APRIL 2022

Just click here for a .pdf of our latest newsletter.

Finally, a Dream is becoming a Reality

Turf removal has begun

Several years ago, Martin-Fontana Park Association members, Gail and Chuck Haywood,

The Haywoods

had a dream of having a smooth patch of lawn where people and dogs could relax under the trees by the dog park.  They eventually moved out of the area, but before they left, they donated $2000 to MFPA in the hope that someday their dream would become a reality.

Last year the San Jose City Council, with the urging of D-10 Councilman Matt Mahan’s office, set aside park funding for a pilot turf project in Jeffrey Fontana Park in front of the dog park.  A combination of $7000 from the D-10 Council office, $15,000 from Martin-Fontana Parks Association, and $20,000 from the San Jose Neighborhood Parks and Recreation Services Department. NPRS is funding this pilot project in our park as a way to determine if gopher wire can be an effective means of protecting the turf in our parks.

In mid-January of 2022, the work of removing old turf and rocks from the park area began.  When that step Is completed, PRNS will lay gopher wire in the bare space and plant turf over the wire.  The project will eventually expand to the entire turf area in front of the dog park. 

When you visit the park make sure to follow the progress of this pilot endeavor to create a safe turf area for playing, picnicking, and relaxing. 

*Here’s a link from a previous posting with more info: https://martinfontanaparksassociation.blog/2021/09/11/the-chuck-and-gail-haywood-project/.

Come out and smell the roses has been canceled!

Martin-Fontana Parks Association and the San Jose Parks Dept. are sponsoring a

Get the Rose Garden Ready for Spring! event.

This event has been canceled due to COVID

Where:  The rose garden at the west side of McAbee Road and Golden Oak Way.  

When: Saturday, Jan. 22nd from 8:30 am to 12:00 pm.

What:  Join your Park Association to weed, prune and feed the roses and get them ready for a spring bloom!

How:  This is a COVID safe event, so bring a picture ID and proof of vaccination.  Wear a mask, long sleeves, clothing that covers your legs, (thorns are sharp), and closed shoes. No experience necessary, train on the job!  Join the work party as your time allows and help Jeffrey Fontana’s Memorial Rose Garden sparkle.

To sign up and/or get more info, go to Eventbrite.com. You can also sign up at the park on Saturday.