Addressing the matters of relating to the ecology, like parks, trails, watershed, blighted area cleanups, etc.  WGNA organizes its own "Blight to Bright" cleanup projects, as well as partners with other groups to clean the local streams, trails, and so on.  Our public trails and bike routes are a vital connection to our local ecology.  

— See our Urban Ecology WGNA social media page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UrbanEcologyWGNA/

Seasonally, every year, Bike to School month returns in the spring (usually May), and Walk to School Day returns in the autumn.

Stakeholders for a Safe Green Village sponsors and organizes our annual National Center for Safe Routes to School"Bike to School" activities, the next occurring in May 2019.  Co-sponsors include Willow Glen Neighborhood Association - WGNA and other groups.

Through the year, and as part of the celebrations, students at our elementary schools receive bicycles, helmets, and razor scooters.

This national event is organized locally by Stakeholders for a Safe Green Village in partnership with the National Center for Safe Routes to School.  Our regular co-sponsor is the Willow Glen Neighborhood Association - WGNA.

WHO: PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS for the Willow Glen event include:

Willow Glen Elementary
River Glen School K-8
Ernesto Galarza & Hammer Montessori
Gardner Academy and Washington Elementary

Join children & adults around the world to celebrate the benefits of biking and walking to school:

• Encouraging a child’s next stage of independence
• Physical activity
• Teaching safe pedestrian & bicycling skills to children
• Awareness of how walkable & bikeable community improvements can be made
• Concern for the environment Reducing traffic congestion, pollution & speed near schools
• Sharing time with community leaders, parents & children
• Creating joy and fun!
• Promoting psychological well-being and alertness
• Fostering maturation and responsibility
• Creating habits of activity, empowerment and thinking differently

UPDATE as of  Monday 18 March 2019

The Hope Village Relocation to Willow & Lelong Streets was defeated on Monday 18 March 2019.
In a meeting at Gardner Community Center that evening (7:00 PM), Councilmember Dev Davis and Mayor Liccardo announced that a decision at the Santa Clara Valley Water District (SCVWD) earlier that afternoon (3:00 PM) would prevent the use of this site for a homeless encampment.  The relocation project had also received tremendous disapproval by area residents and stakeholders.

Subsequent meetings on the topic of the Hope Village Relocation to Willow Glen have since been canceled.

WGNA Issues Position Paper on
Hope Village Relocation to Willow & Lelong Streets

SUBJECT: WGNA Position Paper opposing the Hope Village Relocation Proposal at the site of Willow and Lelong Streets.

TO: Santa Clara Valley Water District (SCVWD)

OUR POSITION: The Willow Glen Neighborhood Association (WGNA) strongly urges the Santa Clara Valley Water District (SCVWD) to deny the requested permit and the use of this site for Hope Village or any similar homeless transitional housing projects.

See the position paper here in PDF document form.

WGNA Issues Position Paper on
Hope Village Relocation to Willow & Lelong Streets

SUBJECT: WGNA Position Paper opposing the Hope Village Relocation Proposal at the site of Willow and Lelong Streets.

TO: Santa Clara Valley Water District (SCVWD)

OUR POSITION: The Willow Glen Neighborhood Association (WGNA) strongly urges the Santa Clara Valley Water District (SCVWD) to deny the requested permit and the use of this site for Hope Village or any similar homeless transitional housing projects.

See the position paper here in PDF document form.

The Willow Glen Neighborhood Association presented a certificate of recognition to Dave Mitchell, a senior Park Planner and Project Manager that has served the City of San Jose's Department of Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services (PRNS) for almost two decades.  

The certificate was presented on the event of National Night Out in Willow Glen on Tuesday 07 August 2018, in honor of Mitchell's "commitment to serving the community and encouraging neighborhood camaraderie".  With thanks and appreciation from the Willow Glen Neighborhood Association (WGNA), it was issued by Elizabeth Estenson, WGNA Board President.

The Certificate was introduced and handed to Dave Mitchell by David Zappelli, a member of WGNA's committee on Willow Street-Frank Bramhall Park.

National Night Out's venue was the Willow Glen Creamery, at the Willow Glen Town Square on the corner of Lincoln Avenue and Willow Street.   National Night Out is a national program (trademarked) by the National Association of Town Watch (NATW).  It occurs annually on the first Tuesday of August.  NATW describes the event as "an annual community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make our neighborhoods safer, more caring places to live."  

That same night, Willow Glen Neighborhood Association was given a Certificate of Recognition from California State Senator Jim Beall.  The certificate from the Senator in the 15 District recognized the association "For efforts in unifying the community and standing up to crime, it is your dedication and commitment to the public that is making our community a safe place."  

NATIONAL SAFE ROUTES “WALK TO SCHOOL DAY”
on OCTOBER 10, 2018 IN WILLOW GLEN

Seasonally, every year, Walk to School Dayreturns in the autumn, and Bike to School Day in the spring.

This national event is organized locally by Stakeholders for a Safe Green Villagein partnership with the National Center for Safe Routes to School.  Willow Glen Neighborhood Association - WGNA is a regular co-sponsor

WHO: PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS for the Willow Glen event include:
Willow Glen Elementary; River Glen School K-8; Ernesto Galarza Elementary; Hammer Montessori Elementary; Gardner Academy; and Washington Elementary.

(Note: in the below, also see separate events and venues for nearby  Gardner Academy and Washington Elementary School).

WHEN & WHERE:
On Thursday 10 October 2018, students, parents, and teachers will meet together at the Bank of America Parking Lot on Lincoln Avenue.  In celebrating "Walk to School Day", we all came together for a morning reception and then go to our respective schools.

Team mascots will appear,including "Q" of San Jose Earthquakes, and others to be confirmed.  Area students and families are invited to participate, along with other area dignitaries.   We will have snacks and giveaways.

Join children & adults around the world to celebrate the benefits of walking:

• Encouraging a child’s next stage of independence
• Physical activity
• Teaching safe pedestrian & bicycling skills to children
• Awareness of how walkable & bikeable community improvements can be made
• Concern for the environment Reducing traffic congestion, pollution & speed near schools
• Sharing time with community leaders, parents & children
• Creating joy and fun!
• Promoting psychological well-being and alertness
• Fostering maturation and responsibility
• Creating habits of activity, empowerment and thinking differently

#WalkToSchool #SafeRoutes #VisionZero #SchoolZone#BackToSchool #StakeholdersSGV #WGNAsj #WGNA #SanJoseCA#SanJose #WillowGlen #LincolnAvenueSJ

Our next board meeting on Thursday, July 12, 2018, will include Willow Glen Planning Area updates on a number of items, and including Bramhall-Willow Street Park, and the Greater Gardner Area.

The Willow Glen Planning Area is one of fifteen large sub-areas in the City of San Jose's "Greenprint".  The Planning Areas are used by the city in a number of ways, including how the Planning Division or the Parks Department monitors the supply and absorption of vacant land and to track and forecast development activity.

The Greenprint, in itself, is "a long-term plan that sets goals and strategies for how San José's parks, trails, and community centers will change over the next 20 years.  City staff and policymakers use the Greenprint as a guide as they explore the ways the parks system can help people in San José be healthier and happier.  The City is working on a major update of its existing Greenprint, which was accepted by City Council in 2009. The new Greenprint Update is expected to be complete in Spring 2018."

The 2009 version of the Willow Glen Planning Area and "Greenprint" is what defines the Willow Glen Neighborhood Association's area of membership and advocacy, as noted in our Bylaws and Policies.  See the "Planning Maps" page of our website, and an annotated 2009 Willow Glen Planning Area here.  

Two years ago, in WGNA's July 28, 2016 Board Meeting, issues relating to Bramhall-Wilow Street Park were presented by Stakeholders for a Safe Green Village, then with a follow-up walk-through of the park happening that August.  By November 2016, Dave Mitchell from San Jose's Department of Parks, Recreation, & Neighborhood Services (PRNS) visited WGNA's Board Meeting for a response and presentation.  This July 2018, we will now review the issues from the last two years, give updates on the progress, and engage feedback on current and future needs in the park.

WGNA's Greater Gardner Committee will give an update on issues since our last Town Hall Meeting on December 14, 2017, with Jim Beall, Jr., California State Senator (15th District).  Recent items have included a sound wall (concrete fence) behind the Gardner Academy; neighborhood traffic calming and street paving initiatives (especially on W. Virginia St.); California High-Speed Rail right-of-ways into the area; playground and other improvements inside Biebrach park; freeway/Caltrans cleanup issues; homelessness; Gregory Street area needs; impacts from the proposed Google-San Jose development; plus, the most recent proposal (application) for a wireless cell phone tower on Prevost Street near Jerome Ave.

Note that WGNA meetings typically occur on the second Thursday of the month.
Our regular meeting location is Willow Glen Library, Community Room, 1157 Minnesota Avenue, from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

See the meeting Agenda here.

In the following August 2018, WGNA will be hosting National Night Out.

#WillowGlen #WGNAsj #SanJoseCA #GreaterGardner #WillowStreetPark. #BramhallPark #StakeholdersSGV #StakeholdersWSP

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Several students at our Willow Glen Neighborhood Schools will receive prize tickets to the soccer game — The San Jose Earthquakes versus Los Angeles FC at the San Jose Avaya Stadium — scheduled for June 9th, 2018 at 7:15 PM.

Participating schools include:

Willow Glen Elementary
River Glen School K-8
Ernesto Galarza & Hammer Montessori
Gardner Academy 

The game tickets are courtesy of Stakeholders for Safe Green Village (SGV), purchased by the co-sponsorship of the Willow Glen Neighborhood Association (WGNA); Willow Glen Business Association (WGBA); and the Table Restaurant.

We also thank the Earthquakes for their free giveaways, school assembly demonstrations, mascot appearances, etc.  Together, we have promoted Safe Routes to School, and community pride.  We invite you to enjoy “Willow Glen Neighborhood Night” with the Earthquakes!  And enjoy your end-of-year summer vacation!

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Willow Glen Neighboroood Association supports a “NO on B” position, referencing San Jose Ballot Measure B, a.k.a. Evergreen Senior Homes.  

The measure is on the ballot for the June 5, 2018, Statewide Direct Primary Election.  As listed by Santa Clara County, referencing the local measures, and per the official ballot entry, the City of San Jose Measure B (Ordinance and General Plan Amendment Majority Vote) reads as follows:

See this position paper in PDF format; as well as go to the list of our other position papers at the page, http://www.wgna.net/position_papers

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