I was on a bike ride with my friend the other day and we decided to take the path through the new Guadalupe River Park. We rode our bikes to Coleman and got on the path to ride towards the Arena and on to Willow Glen, but were frustrated by what we encountered. It turns out that we should have brought a compass, night-vision goggles and a periscope, because riding a mere 15 feet without a fork in the road was impossible. The path is broken up by chain-linked fences that either force you to turn back, return you unwillingly back up to the street, or send you through a confusing maze in another direction. On one turn, we ended up taking our bikes over a rickety railway crossing, only to be turned back on the other side, forcing us to go back over the tracks and retrace our steps.
After meandering through another maze and passing the Arena and a beautiful park, we rode towards Adobe, but the frustration continued as we kept coming up against more chain-linked fences. Even so, as I was riding along on the path I was struck by the beauty of the park, as well as the hard work and thoughtful landscaping that went into it. When I see the potential of this place, it makes me think that we will be a real city some day—with our own Central Park.
Once I realized that work on the park was not completed, it explained why no one else was on the path but us. Now I ask you, why would the city hold a GRAND OPENING for something that is not finished? Would you open a store if half the aisles weren’t stocked and there weren’t any registers? Would you have an open house and then block off half your house from visitors? The grand opening was a cheap PR ploy by Ron Gonzales to have something to show for his pathetic term as mayor, and I am surprised more hasn’t been made of this farce.
I hope the next mayor makes it a priority to finish this great park—and not take credit for any other projects until they are actually completed!
SG,
they should have hired a lobbyist to finish the job. That is how you get things through the planning and buildind departments in San Jose.
The park might get completed by the time all of our grand children finish college!
I wonder if his Ronner is going to hold a Grand Opening of the chain link fences and railroad bridge once the project is really completed. He could call that Phase II grand opening.
It’s a shame the grand opening was effectively just a soft opening. The piece between San Fernando and Santa Clara is closed for the Route 87 work, which got started right after the grand opening. And the spot where the trail meets Coleman is missing some pieces—you can’t get between the main trail from the Arena area and the south sidewalk on Coleman, and it appears it was designed that way.
And meanwhile the trail on the other side, near Target, connects perfectly to Coleman but dead-ends at the tracks. And we are instructed not to cross the tracks, even though the train comes only a couple of times per week. At least the east trail has a new path under the trestle.
Even with all this, though, I still really like what’s there anyway.
A “cheap PR ploy by Ron Gonzales”? I’m shocked to learn that such a possibility could exist.
At least each day that passes is one day closer to his permanent exit from City Hall. We can only hope we don’t end up with Gonzo II – The Sequel.
I think the park is awesome (really). I enjoy seeing other locals out there climbing fences and retracing their steps. I am just hoping visitors to our city miss the opportunity – it’s a bit embarassing.
Actually, the park/trail has a nice little following and it is developing a sense of community downtown. Lowry’s Irish Cafe has even turned into a perfect stop along the riverpark path. Add in a TARGET and actual area to shop and downtowners can actually talk to each other (other than in bars). It is funny to see all of the shoppers that are using TARGET as their grocery store.
In regard to San Jose/County parks, I hope the government follows through with the completion and upkeep of the park. We seem to build these great parks and not have an appropriate staff to maintain them. They obviously put enough money into it. FINISH THE JOB!!!
And they wonder why the path is deserted!!!
I often walk along the “park” from the SJ Athletic Club. There are about three guys working on it that make CalTrans workers look like speed demons on Meth.
The design is such that one cannot proceed from one end to the other on the same side of the river. Why this is, I don’t know; except perhaps to serve as backstops for fleeing felons.
The railroad area you speak of between Coleman and Julian can be navigated by staying on the west side from Coleman, ignoring the sign saying trail ends, and walking your bike through the openings in the offset barriers. The direct route on the East side is held up by negotiations with Union Pacific re a safe way for people to cross their little-used right of way.
Can’t anyone get these idiots of their asses and stop fundraising and do something. Keep up the pressure Single Girl maybe it will get done before Gonzo becomes the next Mayor of Alviso.
SG,
As I recall, there was quite a bit of noise made about the fact that the project wasn’t even completed, especially regarding the railroad crossing you mentioned. There were articles and columns in the paper and entries on this blog. Of course, TV news was all fluff and fanfare and didn’t point out that the trail was far from completed.
Is there anything in this town that doesn’t get done half-assed? The only recent accomplishment that comes to mind as an absolute success is the California Theater. And we can thank David Packard for that, because if the City had had its way, this theater’s restoration would have also been half-assed. Having Mr. Packard as a major financial contributor saved that theater from a mediocre, unenlightened, suburban-inspired and ultimately disappointing restoration.
As long as it’s the city-that-doesn’t-know-how in charge of any project (the same city that can’t hold SF’s jock) you can count on being disappointed.
Single Gal,
Your usually sharp observational skills must have been suppressed by the prolonged gloomy weather. That “rickety railway crossing” you encountered on your little adventure is actually the soon-to-be main line of BART – San Jose. I can’t imagine how that realization escaped you.
By the way, now that he has a firm commitment from David Copperfield regarding the train, Mayor Gonzales has scheduled the grand opening of BART – San Jose for next month.
Remember ABC, anyone but cindy
The chain link fences make a lot more sense if you think of them as public art.
McClatchy to sell Mercury News.
While I have sometimes been critical of the Mercury News, they remain one of the best newspapers, with high journalistic integrity.
Now for sale again, less than 24 hours after being sold one must wonder what is to become of news in our area. McClatchy is a reputable news organization, most others are not.
The Mercury News, despite its protestations to the contrary, is the single most powerful institution in the County. In San Jose, that power is expedential.
Would anyone have known or cared about the abuses in the DA’s Office or City Hall if the Mercury News had not covered it? What stupid decisions would have been made—see Herhold article on Santa Clara—if the Mercury, its reporters, columnists and editorial board had not spoken out?
How different would this Valley be without the powerful voice of the local newspaper? In the wrong hands that power can be even more abusive than a District Attorney, Mayor or Corporate criminal.
While we wring our hands over uncompleted parks, transportation systems and perceived political slights of every color, a very real threat is facing our community.
The Mercury News must stay independent and a beacon for most who do not pay attention to government or its decisions.
The Mercury News in the hands of a publisher with a narrow political agenda would be very dangerous for our City and our County.
Before we need a Stadium, BART, City Hall, new mayor, new DA or new ethics rules—we need a newspaper owner with integrity.
It should be the first agenda item on everyones list.
Rich,
I agree with you. Perhaps someone will dedicate a blog to this issue considering it’s been coming up on unrelated blogs ever since the K-R sale was announced.
It should be at the top of everyone’s list, but do you really think the GonzoChavez brigade really want a good local paper that will expose the continued wrongdoing at City Hall and elsewhere?
If we want a local paper that covers local news we’ll have to do it without the help of our elected “leaders.”
Great Googley Moogley! The Merc is on the rocks??!!
iodine, bottled water, check.
plastic sheeting, duct tape, extra ammo, check.
How will we ever make it without the Merc to protect us?
Without the Merc, scandals and under the table deals and lobbyists will run wild at CH, shootings and rioting downtown will break out and …
uh, wait a minute… er
Good grief.
Throughout the week, we all have the opportunity to express our opinions and agree or disagree with each other.
This time Richard, I agree with you. The daily paper and who is at the helm is an important, vital asset and tool for our community. The SJose Merc News has been filling this role for many years. Let’s hope that the present philosphy remains. Let’s hope that the management and staff remain intact.
perry white-
Had no idea elected officials weren’t a fan of the Merc or freedom of the press.
Somehow I’m thinking if lighting struck your house you’d find a way to blame it on those dirty politicians.
As a life long Dem (with a capital D) I’ve been involved in some heart wrenching partisan campaigns. But at the end of the day, I’ve always respect my opponents on the other side of the isle because we’ve all had one over-riding thing in common, a commitment and belief in public service.
When did serving the public servant become such a dirty word? And try not to feed me a trite line about RG . . .Gonzo is arrogant and broke the publics trust and that is unforgivable. I’m ore interested in what comes next for SJ – rather than trying to find new things to blame on RG. What he did was bad enough. How about less whining and a few more solutions?
“When I see the potential of this place, it makes me think that we will be a real city some day—with our own Central Park. ”
Single Girl
SG,
Your not in Kansas anymore, your in San Jose and the way things look, one day someone will probably use that nice park as a future development site for “whatever the developers come to mind” and the city council wants. From Wal-Farts to Grand Prix.
As for us, having our own cool park like Golden Gate Park or Central Park, just click your heels and keep on dreaming.
This is after all San Jose.
Dear SG, I live in the Guadalupe Washington Neighborhood just south of 280 and Vine St. I feel your frustration with the bike path never having been completed. Our neighborhood is the link from downtown to Willow Glen. Unfortunately, the process to complete the bike trials linking downtown to Willow Glen and Los Gatos don’t address our nieghborhood until the final phases of the project (2010-2020) While our neighborhood has been presented many plans and ideas, since 1990, on how wonderful the trails will look once they’re completed, construction projects to the north and to the south of us are started and completed while we sit and wait.
Maybe if the Downtown Association and the Willow Glen Neighborhood Association raised the issue in the next election, the trails could finally get done and our neighborhood will see our portion of the Guadalupe River Project completed.
C’mon guys, where’s your sense of adventure? Do we have to have every path be perfectly paved and manicured? My 8 year old and I biked from guad gardens to alviso al ong the trail sunday, and it was exceptional! We especially liked having to navigate the trimble underpass and all the water in the 237 underpass. This is adventure! I rue the day when it’s all perfect