Newsletter: August 2010
Wonderful News

Rotary Club of San Jose will be building a unique all-access children’s garden adjacent to the Visitor Center on Coleman Ave. as part of its 2013-14 centennial celebration year. The project will allow wheelchair-bound and other children with special needs to play along side their able-bodied siblings and friends. Members of the community are encouraged to offer input on the project at a meeting scheduled for Wednesday, August 18 from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. at City Hall, wing room 119. RSVP

 

Graduation in the Gardens
Silicon Valley HealthCorps, an AmeriCorps project coordinated by The Health Trust, held its inaugural graduation ceremony in the Heritage Rose Garden on July 28th. Our quarter-time HealthCorps graduates Terry Fergus and Mary Rank developed science-based curriculum and led dynamic, hands-on field trips.


GRPC Education Coordinator Linda McCabe, SV HealthCorps Member Mary Rank, The Health Trust CEO Fred Ferrer, SV HealthCorps Member Terry Fergus

 

Trail Updates
The detour between Coleman Ave. and Julian St. remains in effect through the fall while the railroad trestle is being replaced. A brief project to extend recycled water to the airport will cause a temporary narrowing – but not closure – of the trail under Hwy. 880.

   

 

Save the Date

Saturday, October 9th - please contact Phil Cornish to learn more about sponsorship opportunities.

 

Family Festa
Speaking of events, the Italian American Heritage Foundation has moved its Festa celebration to the Confluence Point area of Guadalupe River Park on August 28 and 29.

 

 

 

   

Art in the Park
A Floating World, an installation by artists Robin Lasser & Marguerite Perret, is a group of five "tent encampment" sculptures that will be cantilevered off the Guadalupe River Park overpass on the south side of San Fernando Street. The interactive piece will be in place from August to November. More info.

Artists' rendering of A Floating World.

 

Summer Fun

Thanks to the Mercury News Wishbook, children from Silicon Valley Boys and Girls Club were able to participate in our summer camp adventures.

 

CDM Passport
The Guadalupe River Park & Gardens is one of many stops included in the Children Discovery Museum's passport program. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to do 20 Discovery Activities by September 11, 2010. Your participation will qualify you to enter a drawing for all kinds of great prizes. Everyone who enters will win something, and the more activities you take part in, the more chances you will have to win! Click here to learn more!

 

Meet volunteer Bill Gingras
Bill serves on our Master Plan Committee. He joined in 2007 for the opportunity to influence the development of the Guadalupe Gardens area into a stunning urban park.  Originally from New Jersey, he has lived in the Bay Area for 29 years, 19 of them in San Jose. Bill works in high tech, but has been studying landscape architecture in anticipation of a career change. In his spare time he likes to garden, hike, and spend time with his wife. We greatly appreciate Bill’s thoughtful input.

 

Family Updates
Board member Kelly Hattley from Boston Properties gave birth to Pierce Stephen Hattley on July 25th.

Program Manager Phil Cornish welcomed Ava Angelique (photo left) to his family on July 19th.

Upcoming Events

Family Bicycle Ride Along the Guadalupe River Trail
Friday, July 30th
6:30 - 8:00 pm
$8/members, $10/non-members


Bring your kids, bikes and helmets for an exciting way to discover the natural habitats that surround our downtown San Jose area. More>>>

 

What’s Bugging You?
Saturday, July 31st
9:30 to 11:00 pm
$10/members, $15/non-members

Plant pathologist Ann Northrup and Master Gardener Hotline Coordinator Deyanna Leni will walk you through Integrated Pest Management principles in a morning workshop at the Guadalupe River Park Visitor & Education Center. Bring all your questions, damaged plants, and curiosity – we’ll provide answers and a hands-on experiment designed to help you better understand what is bugging you in your garden! More>>>>

 

LAST CHANCE!
Summer Camp

August 2-6, & August 9-13
9:00 am - 1:00 pm
Age: 5 - 7 M, T, W, Th
Age: 7 - 10 Fridays
Price: $40 / child / day

Looking for something different this summer for your child? Do you find it difficult to commit to weeklong camps because of scheduling conflicts or preplanned vacations? Guadalupe River Park Conservancy offers a fun half-day camp with exciting daily topics built around your schedule. Sign up for individual days based on your availability and your child's interests. More>>>

 

Art in the Park
Summer is a great time to test your kid's creativity! Join Guadalupe River Park Conservancy and Art Specialist Charice Mabry for a 2-day workshop to learn artistic concepts while creating a composition incorporating natural materials found in the park. The finished project will be your very own personalized landscape to take home. All materials will be supplied. Sessions in July and August. More>>>

 

Fall Walking Series
Saturday, August 28th - October 16th
8:30 – 9:30am
$40/members, $50on-members
Instructors: Kristin Strellis and Sheri Suomela

For eight weeks, step by step, you'll be healthier as a result of this class that leads you through the paved trails along the Guadalupe River. More>>>

 

Rose Deadheading Blitzes!
Every second Tuesday of the month, 5:00-7:30 pm, until September 14, 2010

Join us at our third Rose Deadheading Blitz on Tuesday, August 10 and get a free ice cream bar as a reward! The Heritage Rose Garden needs volunteers to snip all the dead roses in order to promote more bloom. Volunteers will meet every second Tuesday of the month, 5:00-7:30 pm, starting June 8 until September 14, 2010, with a sweet payoff at the end. No experience necessary. More>>>

 


In the Photo Gallery


GRPG FlickR Group

We’ve been spotting Mallard ducks with babies along the Guadalupe River Trail. Seems like a strange time of year to us, but maybe these ducks are re-nesting because their nest was destroyed, know something about the upcoming winter we don’t know yet, or perhaps they have found a good location and are staying around, not planning on migrating. 

And if you spot a nest, don’t draw attention to it – these ducks have many predators in the park. Skunks and snakes love the eggs, and hawks, owls and feral cats are all predators of the ducklings. Avoid feeding the ducks, as with all wild animals, it increases the negative human/ wildlife interactions and reduces their natural foraging abilities, making them dependent on humans for survival.

     
 

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Guadalupe River Park Conservancy
438 Coleman Avenue
San Jose, CA 95110
(408) 298-7657
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