Parks & Recreation Image

Santa Clara County Parks & Recreation Digest



Board of Supervisors Approves Expanded Sanborn Park

03/17/2024

The acquisition of the 103-acre property off Congress Springs Road will allow for the creation of a new publicly accessible trail that will lead to a historic area of the park.

Board of Supervisors Approves Expanded Sanborn Park

03/17/2024

Sanborn expansion
The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors approved the purchase of a plot of land in unincorporated Saratoga that would expand Sanborn County Park.
The acquisition of the 103-acre property off Congress Springs Road will allow for the creation of a new publicly accessible trail that will lead to a historic area of the park, according to a March 11 press release from Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian's office.
“This is an exciting opportunity to expand a beloved park,” Simitian said. “Not only will we be preserving open space, but folks will have a new opportunity to access a piece of our county’s history as well as enjoy the outdoors.”
The action also comes after the board of supervisors voted in late January to restrict parking on Black Road near the entrance to the John Nicholas Trailhead at Sanborn County Park to improve traffic congestion.
Sanborn County Park, which is open to the public for camping, hiking and picnicking, is located just north of Skyline Boulevard.
Local Coca-Cola scholar
Saratoga High School senior Zeyneb Kaya was named a national 2024 Coca-Cola scholar, according to a press release from the Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District.
Kaya will receive a $20,000 scholarship and an invitation to attend the Coca-Cola Scholars Weekend in Atlanta this April. Selected from over 100,000 other applicants, Kaya will join the cohort of 150 Coca-Cola scholars across the country this year who have been recognized and awarded thousands of dollars in scholarship money. Senior Brad Ma was also selected as a finalist for the competition this year.
Kaya was previously named a 2024 Regeneron Science Talent Scholar for an algorithm she designed that sought to improve language processing models for artificial intelligence that could aid in the preservation of endangered languages.

AllTrails CEO Q&A

03/15/2024

An interview with the CEO of the popular outdoor app serving more than 60 million users worldwide.

Cupertino Jollyman Park All-Inclusive Playground Construction to Begin This Year

03/11/2024

After two years of planning, Cupertino is ready to begin the contractor bidding process and then start construction of the $4.8 million project.

San Jose Plans to Reopen Beloved Water Park

02/15/2024

Good news for water park enthusiasts and fans of all things San Jose—Raging Waters could reopen as early as this summer. The iconic waterpark broke hearts when it shuttered indefinitely in 2023.

San Jose Creates ‘No Return Zone’ for Homeless Residents Along River Trail

02/07/2024

The San Jose City Council unanimously approved allocating $200,000 to remove roughly 20 people living by the Guadalupe River Trail and work with community partners to encourage residents to frequent the trail.

California State Parks Recommends $6.7 Million in Grants for Local Recreational Trails

02/06/2024

California State Parks has recommended $6.7 million for seven local nonmotorized trail projects in various cities, including Galt and Gilroy.

Disneyland’s New Vision Includes Up to $2.5-billion Investment and Plan to Take Over City Streets

01/26/2024

Disneyland’s plan to reimagine the theme park into a more “immersive” experience may require up to $2.5 billion and a plan to privatize some Anaheim streets.

City Council Reaches Agreement Following Contentious Dispute With School District

01/26/2024

It only took the Mountain View City Council about 10 minutes to consider and approve a deal with the Mountain View Whisman School District to jointly use and maintain school fields.

Santa Clara County to Buy Hundreds of Acres for Conservation

01/25/2024

Just weeks after a deal fell through to buy the Richmond Ranch for development, county leaders are moving forward with turning the open space into a massive park.

Swim Center Closed ‘Indefinitely’ by Safety, Structural, Equipment Problems

01/17/2024

As training for the summer Olympics is starting, Santa Clara’s International Swim Center is closed “until further notice”—until safety, health and equipment problems are resolved.

Fourth Graders Might Lose Free Access to California State Parks

01/12/2024

California’s projected budget deficit of close to $38 billion likely means some cuts are coming. Among them, Gov. Gavin Newsom has proposed ending the California State Park Adventure Pass, which offers free access to some state parks for fourth graders.

Private Management of San Jose Park Sparks Concerns

12/17/2023

Two businessmen are working to take over management of one of San Jose’s most beloved parks, but concerns are mounting behind the scenes about how the pair will wrangle power over a popular public space.

Yosemite Trying New Strategies to Reduce Food Packaging Waste

12/11/2023

An estimated 100,000 pizza boxes have been removed from Yosemite’s waste stream. This is because the famed park now serves pizza on trays and puts to-go portions in compostable bags, part of a move to reduce food-related waste.

Utility Increases Loom for 16 Million California Households

11/30/2023

Utility giant PG&E is set to raise its rates an average of 13% on Jan. 1. That equals an extra $32.50 a month, or $390 for the year.

Mountain View Sends School District ‘Final’ Offer to Keep Agreement on Fields

11/20/2023

The city of Mountain View has given the Mountain View Whisman School District its terms for a new joint use agreement to share operations of school fields, with a year-end deadline to accept the offer.

Santa Clara Salutes Veterans, their Families

11/20/2023

The traditional Veterans Day service unfolded at Santa Clara’s Veterans Memorial in Central Park, and Santa Clara Mayor Lisa Gillmor and City Council members raised the flag.

Natural Resources Agency Launches Plan to Increase Outdoor Access in California

11/15/2023

State and local leaders gathered in Los Angeles to celebrate a new plan that will increase access to the outdoors for all Californians, regardless of who they are or where they live.

How to Visit a California State Park for Free

11/12/2023

A pilot program that allows Californians to visit many state parks for free—after checking out a pass from their local library—is helping increase access for more people of color and lower-income residents, according to research from the California State Parks Foundation.

Beachside Trail Close to Finally Getting Built on Central Coast

11/07/2023

A beachside trail connecting the communities of Morro Bay and Cayucos could finally be built after 20 years. This happened after Chevron decided to sell land needed for the trail to be built.

What a Theme Park Giant Merger Means for California

11/05/2023

Two theme park giants, Six Flags and Cedar Fair, announced they are merging. It could have potential impacts on California theme parks like Six Flags Magic Mountain, Knott’s Berry Farm and Six Flags Discovery Kingdom.

Two Disneyland Voices Are Moving On

10/27/2023

Camille Dixon, the announcer for Disney California Adventure, and her husband, Bill Rogers, the voice of Disneyland, are moving on from this work. They have been at the parks for more than 40 years combined.

Sunnyvale Officials Nix Artificial Turf on Athletic Field

10/27/2023

Residents who live in a historically underserved, low-income community fought to add more green spaces in their neighborhood at the Sunnyvale City Council meeting.

California State Parks and Partners Launch ‘Arts in California Parks’ Program

10/26/2023

Through this new program, artists, culture bearers, and California Native American tribes will be eligible to receive funding to create artwork throughout state and local parks.

New Magical Bridge Playground Opens at El Carmelo Elementary

10/23/2023

A new location for a Magical Bridge Playground, a playground accessible to people of all abilities and ages, opened at El Carmelo Elementary School.

Tennis Players at Hall Memorial Park Fight to Save Courts from Pickleball Conversion

10/20/2023

Milpitas’ Pickleball Pilot Program has been using half of the tennis courts at Hall Park, and a large community of Hall Park tennis players are now fighting to save their tennis courts from being permanently converted.

A Cubberley Breakthrough? Council Looks to Strike a Deal to Spur Redevelopment

10/16/2023

Eager for a breakthrough after a decade of scuttled plans and shattered dreams, the Palo Alto City Council endorsed a proposal to expand the city's control of Cubberley Community Center through a long-term ground lease.

Meet Newest Addition to Barron Park Donkey Project

10/13/2023

The famed Barron Park donkeys got a new member, April, who has joined the company of residents Perry and Buddy.

Midpen Project Aims to Make it Easier for Wildlife to Cross Highway Safely

10/03/2023

Inspired by community concerns about the lack of safe passage for animals crossing Highway 17, Los Altos-based Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District has launched a multi-year project to build a wildlife undercrossing and a recreational trail overcrossing.

Palo Alto Eyes New Sites for Pet Projects

09/29/2023

Dog owners in south Palo Alto have plenty of reasons to get excited as they watch the city add new fenced play areas for their furry companions. But things are different in the north, where supply hasn't kept up with demand.

Mountain View Drafts New Plan for Parks, Open Space, Seeks Community Input

09/26/2023

Mountain View is looking to expand its park system with an ambitious plan that will bring more parks, trails and open spaces to the city, laying the groundwork to create what's called the Parks and Recreation Strategic Plan.

East San Jose Walking Trail Will be Expanded

09/14/2023

Twenty years after East San Jose residents began advocating for more open spaces in their community, city leaders have completed a key step in expanding the neighborhood’s celebrated Five Wounds Trail.

Join Us Today!