The Willow Glen Resident

Creek Trail may soon meander into the Glen

By John Pancharian

The Los Gatos Creek Trail can now creep one step closer to Willow Glen. The Santa Clara Valley Water District's board of directors cleared the way at its July 21 meeting by officially approving a joint-use agreement with the city of San Jose.

The agreement creates an easement for recreational use, allowing the city to extend the pedestrian and bicycle trail over 5.8 acres of riparian land between Leigh and Meridian avenues. Joel Slavit, a city planner assigned to the project, said workers will likely complete the new section by January 1999.

The Los Gatos Creek Trail was begun in the 1970s after a group of Campbell residents applied pressure to get a parcourse built. Rod Diridon, then a county supervisor, found funding for the project and organized the Los Gatos Creek Streamside Park Committee to oversee the trail. Since then, the trail has inched its way from Lexington Reservoir, through Los Gatos, Campbell and into San Jose. Future sections will continue the trail through Willow Glen and downtown San Jose to the San Jose Arena, where it will connect with the Guadalupe Park Trail. Then valley residents will be able to travel from one end of the county to the other along scenic riparian trails, without ever using their cars.

Willow Glen Neighborhood Association president Kris Cunningham said locals welcome the trail expansion.

"Our members have been very supportive of the trail," she said, "In fact, many of them have written a lot of letters to encourage them to continue the trail." Cunningham said people in the neighborhood frequently use the trail for jogging, walking their dogs and biking.

"Completion of the Los Gatos Creek Trail is a high priority for the city," Slavit said. "It will connect right through the heart of Willow Glen and will serve as an alternate transportation route so people won't have to use their cars."

Slavit said the trail will cross Leigh Avenue at Blackford Elementary School, where it currently ends. It will then follow the creek to Meridian Avenue, ending near Liebelt Court. Slavit said the city may put in a traffic light at Curci Drive to allow people using the trail to safely cross Meridian.

Slavit said future sections of the trail will leave Los Gatos Creek and continue toward Willow Glen along Willow Street, running toward Coe Avenue. He added that the trail could extend as far as Auzerais Avenue within five years, the delay due in part to negotiations with a large number of land owners in the area that must take place before that section can be built.

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