NEWSLETTER: August 2012, Special Edition

Festa!

Look for us at the Italian American Heritage Foundation’s annual Festa, which returns to Confluence East (between Santa Clara and Julian streets) August 25th and 26th. Enjoy wonderful entertainment, amazing food, fabulous activities and vendors, and no entrance fee – that’s amoré! For more information, click here.

Trail Update

Highway 880 to Gold Street - Final surfacing of the trail from Hwy 880 to Hwy 101 will occur on Friday. The trail will be fenced off and inaccessible as the slurry and fog seal applications set and cool. Hardening of the pavement will take 3 days. Please follow the posted detour and do not use the trail between August 24 and August 27. Any damage from trespassing may require that repair or resurfacing work occur, which will delay the projected early September opening.

West Julian Street to Coleman Avenue - Work is under way (see photo above) to extend Autumn Street over the railroad crossing next to the Target store in the first of a multi-phase project that will eventually link Coleman Ave. to Santa Clara St. As part of this first phase, the west trail will finally be connected between Julian and Coleman.

Volunteer Opportunities

The annual trail count is scheduled for September 19th from 7am to 7pm. Past counts have provided data that helped San Jose win grants for projects such as the Lower Guadalupe River Trail, Highway 237 bikeway, and Los Gatos Creek Trail extension. If you can help with a two-hour shift or more, please email volunteers@grpg.org with your preferred time.

Have a free morning or afternoon? Want to help us with phones and projects in the office on an ongoing basis? Please contact volunteers@grpg.org

Pumpkins in the Park is coming up on Saturday, October 13th. We can’t produce this family friendly festival without lots of help from our friends. For more information or to sign up, click here.

Garden Spotlight - Dahlias

Do yourself a favor and come see the John E. Stowell Dahlia Society’s demonstration garden, which is in full summer bloom and will remain so until October. The dahlias are in the Courtyard Garden between Taylor and Seymour streets and are guaranteed to put a smile on your face. Volunteers led by Jeanette and Scott Schnell planted 172 dahlia plants and tubers. Dahlias are a late summer flower so the show is just getting started! Many thanks to the John E. Stowell Dahlia Society for this wonderful garden. Dahlia photos courtesy of Jeanette Schnell.

New Demonstration Area

Stop by to check out the California native grasses on display near the Visitor & Education Center. Stockton-based Delta Bluegrass Company provided and installed the sod, which requires 50 - 70% percent less water than traditional cool season turf and will stay green all year when irrigated. The demonstration area features five varieties - Biofiltration Sod™, Native Preservation Mix™, Delta Grassland Mix™, Native Bentgrass™ and Native Mow-Free™ - that the company developed from native grass seed. For more information, visit their web site. Many thanks to San Jose’s Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services staff for their assistance with this project.