WGNA's next Monthly Board & Membership Meeting is scheduled for the second Thursday, 08 June 2017 at the Willow Glen Public Library branch at 7:00 pm. A guest presentation will feature the city of San Jose's Trail Manager, Yves Zsutty, of the department of Parks, Recreation, & Neighborhood Services (PRNS).   He will provide us with a Trails Update for the Willow Glen Planning Area and its connecting areas.   This is a participatory meeting and presentation, and we invite you to attend with all your questions and comments.#WillowGlen #SanJoseCA #SanJose #WGNA #WGNAsj #PRNS#SanJosePRNS #Trails #Parks  #UrbanEcologyWGNA#UrbanEcology #ThreeCreeksTrail #LosGatosCreekTrail#GuadalpeTrail

The Annual General Meeting and Board Election for the 2017-2018 term was rescheduled for Thursday 25 May 2017 from 7:00 to 9:00 pm, but a Nominating Committee Report was made by Ed Rast, Chairperson on the 11 May 2017 monthly meeting.  Below, see an image of the information poster used for public notice of the Annual Board Meeting & Election for the 2017-2018 term; or, click here to view it as a downloadable PDF formatted document. Click here to view the Agenda for the Annual Board Meeting & Election for the 2017-2018 term, which has been expanded from what's seen on the poster. Click here to view to Minutes for the Annual Board Meeting & Election for the 2017-2018 term.  [Note: minutes will be posted when approved by the board and nominating committee].    [EDITOR'S NOTE to the original article: The Annual General Meeting and Board Election for the 2017-2018 term were rescheduled for Thursday 25 May 2017, but a Nominating Committee Report was made by Ed Rast, Chairperson at the 11 May 2017 monthly meeting.  May 11th was the originally scheduled date for the Annual General Meeting, but it was moved to May 25th because a number of board members were away from town, or on sick leave; therefore, the board could not meet a necessary quorum.]

WGNA is currently planning for the annual Bike to School Day, now scheduled for Wednesday 10 - Friday 12 May 2017 (depending on the school).  This is part of the National Safe Routes to School program, which is coordinated locally by Stakeholders for a Safe Green Village with the partnership of Willow Glen Neighborhood Association and other neighborhood sponsors. WGNA has participated in the program since the year 2010 with other groups like Willow Glen Lions Club. Participating schools are to include Willow Glen Elementary School; River Glen School K-8 School; Ernesto Galarza Elementary School; Hammer Montessori Elementary (at Hammer); and possibly other schools.   #BikeToSchool #SafeRoutes  #Bicycle #WillowGlen #SanJose #WalktoSchool #SafeRoutesToSchool  #WGNA #WGNASJ #StakeholdersSGV BicycleWG  #SJUSD #WillowGlenElementary #RiverGlenSchool #ErnestoGalarzaElementary #HammerMontesori

UPDATE to the original article: The Annual General Meeting and Board Election for the 2017-2018 term are being rescheduled for Thursday 25 May 2017, but a Nominating Committee Report was made by Ed Rast, Chairperson at the 11 May 2017 monthly meeting.  The guest presentation by Don Weden had continued as planned.  (Last edited on Thursday 11 May 2017 at 11:37 pm). The next WGNA Board Meeting is scheduled on Thursday 11 May 2017, and this will include the Annual General Meeting and Board Election for the 2017-2018 term. [Edited: see update in the above] Please join us at the Willow Glen branch of the San Jose Public Library, inside the Community Room at 1157 Minnesota Avenue.   Guest speaker Don Weden will make a presentation on the topic of "Change, Growth, & Planning: Envisioning Santa Clara County 3.0." "Santa Clara County is entering a new era in its physical development, driven by major demographic, economic, environmental, and geographic forces. It is becoming a more urban place. Our population is projected to grow by about 300,000 people in just the next 15 years – the equivalent of adding two more Sunnyvales. The vast majority of that growth will be accommodated within existing urban areas, bringing major changes, challenges, and opportunities. In addition, 2/3 of that growth is projected to occur in the 65 and older age group, as the Baby Boomers age. By 2030, 1/4 of our adult population will be 65+ and our county’s population will be the oldest it has ever been. That dramatic aging of our population will bring many challenges, including pressures for changes in our automobile-dependent land use patterns and the need for a wider array of housing and mobility choices. Maintaining our quality of life, while adapting to these major changes will require responsible, visionary local land use planning – and community attitudes that support well-planned, appropriately-located, higher-density new development." More information will be made available at WGNA.net, including the next meeting agenda and Walk to School information. Also, follow us on Facebook and Twitter (see the menu for "Social Networking" on the right side of this page)#WillowGlen #SanJose #UrbanDesign #UrbanPlanning #WGNA #SantaClaraCounty  #WGNASJ

  The next WGNA Board Meeting is scheduled on Thursday 13 April 2017 PUBLIC SAFETY & CARE SERVICES will be the topic of our guest speakers and panel discussion at the next WGNA Board Meeting, scheduled on Thursday 13 April 2017. PANEL DISCUSSION will include Eddie Garcia, Police Chief, SJPD; Curtis Jacobson, Fire Chief, SJFD; the San Jose Neighborhood Commission, and others. Members of the panel will make a presentation and discuss items such as the Evans Lane Housing Project; Planned Fire Station #37; Emergency Response Times, and other quality of life issues. Please join us at the Willow Glen branch of the San Jose Public Library, inside the Community Room, at 1157 Minnesota Avenue. #WillowGlen #SanJose #SJPD #SJFD #Police #Fire #Homeless #Emergency911 #EmergencyResponse #WGNA #WillowGlenCares #PublicSafety #EvansLane Please join us at the Willow Glen branch of the San Jose Public Library, inside the Community Room, at 1157 Minnesota Avenue. More information will be made available at WGNA.net, including the next meeting agenda and Walk to School information. Also, follow us on Facebook and Twitter (see the menu for "Social Networking" on the right side of this page)

SLIDE PRESENTATION FROM THE LAST WGNA BOARD & MEMBERSHIP MEETING NOW ONLINE See the tab for "Meetings" atop this home page and pull down to select "Presentations".  You will then see the presentation for Thursday 09 March 2017 in addition to several others. The last meeting featured guest speakers from Kim Walesh's office, Deputy City Manager & Director of Economic Development for the City of San Jose, as presented by Nanci Klein, Assistant Director.The presentation and discussion provided an update from the city on topics such as job creation, private investment, revenue generation, and talent attraction and development. (These are the core areas of the department). Also on March 9th, Konstantin Voronin made a presentation on the subject of "Midtown@Meridian and The Ohlone Mixed Use" Towers, plus the Del Monte Park.  Voronin is the Land Development Manager, Republic Family of Companies. Social Media Hashtags (Facebook & Twitter): #WGNASJ  #WillowGlen  #SanJose #EconomicDevelopment  #JobCreation #Cities #SJPL  #KimWalesh #Preservation #UrbanDesign  #UrbanPlanning #RepublicProperties  #RepublicFamilyCompanies #MidtownSJ  #MidtownMeridian #OhloneTowers #DelMontePark  

WGNA BOARD & MEMBERSHIP MEETING FOR  THURSDAY 09 MARCH 2017;WITH GUEST SPEAKER, SAN JOSE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT The next meeting includes guest speakers from Kim Walesh's office, Deputy City Manager & Director of Economic Development for the City of San Jose, including Nanci Klein, Assistant Director.The presentation and discussion will include an update from the city on topics such as job creation, private investment, revenue generation, and talent attraction and development. (These are the core areas of the department). Please return to our website for more information about the presentation and discussion as we continue planning. Please join us at the Willow Glen branch of the San Jose Public Library, inside the Community Room, at 1157 Minnesota Avenue.More information will be made available at WGNA.net, including the meeting agenda. Also, follow us on Facebook and Twitter #WGNASJ  #WillowGlen  #SanJose #EconomicDevelopment  #JobCreation #Cities #SJPL  #KimWalesh #Preservation #UrbanDesign  #UrbanPlanning 

  UPCOMING WGNA BOARD & MEMBERSHIP MEETING: NEXT SCHEDULED DATE IS THURSDAY 09 FEBRUARY 2017 The next meeting includes guest speaker Dave Cortese, President, County of Santa Clara, California. The presentation and discussion will be on the topic of the Santa Clara County National Heritage Area Project. Please join us at the Willow Glen branch of the San Jose Public Library, inside the Community Room, at 1157 Minnesota Avenue. The meeting agenda is available on a separate page, here. Also follow us on Facebook and Twitter#WillowGlen #SanJose #NationalHeritage #NationalHeritageArea #NHA#California #WillowStreetPark #SJPL #WillowGlenHeritageWGNA#WillowGlenHeritage  #WGNASJ #DaveCortese #SantaClaraCounty#Preservation #UrbanDesign

THURSDAY 12 JANUARY 2017 with GUEST SPEAKER, SPUR-SAN JOSE Join us at 7:00 pm at the Willow Glen Public Library with a guest speaker appearance by Laura Tolkoff of SPUR talking on the topic of "Shaping the Region's Growth".San Jose's new District 6 Councilmember Dev Davis will also be appearing at the later segment of the meeting. "SPUR is a member-supported, nonprofit organization that promotes good planning and good government in the San Francisco Bay Area. In a region dominated by single-interest politics, SPUR plays the crucial role of uniting citizens to jointly craft solutions to our common problems. Headquartered in San Francisco with an office in San Jose, SPUR provides a common ground for citizens to come together in fruitful, forward-thinking conversation." See their website at http://www.spur.org/SPUR is formally known as the San Francisco Bay Area Planning and Urban Research Association.    

Willow Glen Neighborhood Association invites you to join fellow neighborhood seniors on an escorted bus tour and walkthrough of Christmas in the Park in downtown San Jose; a bus tour through the Fantasy of Lights at Vasona Park; plus, a coffee, tea & cake social afterward. Participants include residents from The Village of Willow Glen, Summercrest, and Sienna senior living facilities.  Seniors will be escorted by docents. Charter buses depart at 4:30pm from the Village of Willow Glen, 465 Willow Glen Way, San Jose, CA 95125.  Activities should finish by 8:00pm.

The next  WGNA Board & Membership Meeting will be open to the public on Thursday 10 November 2016 at the community room of the Willow Glen Library.  Aside from the regular business of the Board of Directors, guest speakers will include Nancy Pyle and Betty Ramirez on the topic of the San Jose Youth Commission.  Afterward, Dave Mitchell from San Jose's department of Parks, Recreation, & Neighborhood Services (PRNS) will be speaking on topics relating to changes in Willow Street-Frank Bramhall Park.  Finally, the electee of San Jose's 2016 campaign race for Council District 6 has been invited to speak.  The meeting agenda will be posted on the website, here.   Please note, there's typically no monthly meeting for the month of December.

The WGNA Board & Membership Meeting was open to the public on Thursday 13 October 2016 at the community room of the Willow Glen Library.  The following meeting will be scheduled for 10 November, and there's typically no monthly meeting for the month of December.The last guest speaker for October was Ben Tripousis, Northern California Regional Director for the California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA). Rod Diridon, Sr. also appeared as a special guest. There was a discussion regarding alternate plans for California High-Speed Rail to enter Willow Glen "above grade", or, in other words, above the CalTrain tracks with sound walls. Following, there also included a brief talk from the Election 2016 candidates for San Jose Unified Board of Trustees. Pam Foley and Olivia Navarro will address residents and members (15 min each). See http://www.wgna.net/meetings for all our meeting updates and related materials.  

WGNA's monthly Board & Membership Meeting occurs Thursday 22 September at 7pm at the Willow Glen Public Library. Hear our guest speakers on issues pertaining to Urban Ecology. Dorsey Moore represents Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority, and Steve Holmes is from South Bay Clean Creeks Coalition. Members of the San Jose Police Department and San José Police Officers' Association will answer questions about police patrolling, suspicious activities, curfews, and other public safety issues in and around Willow Street Frank Bramhall Park; that's in addition to general care and safety issues in the greater neighborhood, such as Evans Lane, Boccardo Center, neighborhood watch, etc. WGNA began working with Stakeholders for a Safe Green Village (Stakeholders for Willow Street Park) on Bramhall Park earlier this summer, namely with the June 2016 presentation; whereas top issues there (as expressed by residents and membership) have been the ecological greenprint and the police patrolling of the park. Lastly, District 6 candidate Devora "Dev" Davis will be making a brief talk that's followed by questions. Her opponent, Helen Chapman, spoke during the last August meeting. #WillowGlen #SanJose #UrbanEcologyWGNA #UrbanEcology#OpenSpace #SCVOSA #SouthBayCleancreeks #SBCCC #FLGC  

ASSYRIAN FOOD FESTIVAL THIS WEEKEND, AUG 20-21 The 24th Annual Festival is happening this Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st, from 11am to 9pm. Enjoy traditional Assyrian foods with exotic teas, coffee, pastries, and a wine bar. There will be live music, dancing, and entertainment. Visit history exhibits, vendors from around the world. There will also be a fun filled kid's zone. You can also win a raffle with a grand prize of $10,000! The event occurs at the Assyrian Church of the East - Mar Yosip Parish, located at 680 Minnesota Avenue, near Hwy 87 and Alma Avenue. FREE admission, shuttle, and parking. Visit AssyrianFestival.com for more info! Social media hashtags: #‎WillowGlen #‎SanJose #‎AssyrianFoodFestival #‎SeasonsInTheGlen#‎MarYosipParish #‎EatHereWG

AUGUST 25, 2016, 7pm at the Willow Glen Public Library - Community Room. IMPORTANT TOPICS:The theme of this meeting is "Public Safety", including issues:1) San Jose Fire Department update, emergency response times, improvements.2) San Jose Police Department, emergency response times.3) Evans Lane, update, covering neighborhood concerns, from June meeting. Canoas Gardens.