The Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority conserves the natural environment, supports agriculture, and connects people to nature, by protecting open spaces, natural areas, and working farms and ranches for future generations. Visit openspaceauthority.org or call 408-224-7476.

6980 Santa Teresa Blvd. Suite 100, San Jose CA 95119 Tel: 408-224-7476 www.openspaceauthority.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Patty Eaton, peaton@openspaceauthority.org, 408-224-7476 or 408-712-4041 (Cell)

Open Space Authority Grants Funds to City of Santa Clara

For Urban Open Space and Community Garden near San Tomas Aquinas Creek Trail

San Jose, CA – June 21, 2016: The Open Space Authority Board of Directors has approved allocation of $425,000 from its 20% Funding Program to the City of Santa Clara towards development of a 3-acre city park on land adjacent to the trailhead for the San Tomas Aquino Creek Trail. The park will serve as a buffer between the busy San Tomas Expressway corridor and the trailhead, as well as enhance outdoor education and recreation opportunities in this park poor, heavily urbanized area.

“We are excited to partner with the City of Santa Clara on this project, and to create an opportunity for the public to enjoy hands-on outdoor education and recreation through the park’s community garden, open space and native California vegetation,” said Matt Freeman, Assistant General Manager for the Authority.

Funds contributed by the Open Space Authority will be used to build a community garden, benches, a picnic area, and to plant native California plant species, on up to 1-acre of the park. The City will build restrooms, a parking area, playground and outdoor gathering space on 2-acres. The City of Santa Clara estimates the cost for the entire project at $3,086,000 and construction will take place from February 2017 through June 2017.

“This project accomplishes numerous important goals, including providing parks and open space facilities that are readily accessible and provide connections to multiple destinations,” said James Teixeira, Santa Clara’s Director of Parks and Recreation. “In addition, we want to continue increasing the parks to people ratio in the City of Santa Clara.”

In 2000, the Open Space Authority allocated $55,000 to the City of Santa Clara for the first phase of the San Tomas Aquino/Saratoga Creek Trail, through its 20% Funding Program. The 7.6-mile trail offers hiking, jogging and cycling opportunities and provides an alternate transportation route for residents and workers.

Since 1998, the Authority has granted $8.05 million through its 20% Funding Program to the cities of San Jose, Santa Clara, Milpitas, Campbell, Morgan Hill and unincorporated Santa Clara County. The program provides people living in dense, urban environments with the many health and other benefits of open space land and trails.

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SAN TOMAS & MONROE PARK AND COMMUNITY GARDEN SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIAPREFERRED PLAN

MAY, 2016

0 10 20 40ft

INDIVIDUAL GARDEN PLOTS(4’ X 12’)

8’H GARDEN FENCE AROUND COMMUNITY GARDEN

GROUP GARDEN PLOTS(4’ X 48’)

GARDEN ENTRY GATE

AREA FOR COMPOST OR MULCH

ORCHARD

VEHICULAR ENTRY TO COMMUNITY GARDEN

RESTROOM & STORAGEFACILITY

PLAY AREA

BOCCE COURTS WITH SEATING AND SHADE TREESNATIVE/BUTTERFLY GARDEN

STORMWATER TREATMENT ZONE

SIGN

ENTRY PORTAL W/ PEDESTRIAN CONNECTION TO PARK

NEW PARKING

(20 SPACES)

EXISTING PARKING LOT(25 SPACES)

ACCESS FROM SAN TOMAS AQUINO CREEK TRAIL

MO

NRO

E ST

REET

SAN TOMAS EXPRESSWAY

ENTRY PLAZA WITH COMPASS PAVING, SEATWALLS AND BENCHES

EXISTING SIDEWALK

VEGETATED BERM WITH SHADE TREES

GROUP PICNIC /BBQ AREA

EXISTING TRAIL

BIKE RACK

RELOCATED (E) DRINKING FOUNTAIN

EXISTING LANDSCAPE

SHADE STRUCTURE WITH SEATING

GREENHOUSE COVEREDOUTDOOR CLASSROOM

MULTI-PURPOSE LAWN

MASTER GARDENER

COMPOST, ORGANIC WASTE AND GREEN BINS

HERB GARDEN

4’H FENCE

(4) ADARAISED PLOTS

BOULDERS

(4) CHILDREN’S PLOTS

(C)

(C)

(C)

(C)

TOT LOT

EXHIBIT C