Established in 1973, Willow Glen Neighborhood Association has a long history on advocating on behalf of the neighborhood, as we've engaged member residents, property owners, and the people who live and work in Willow Glen for over 45 years. Over the several years we have come to advocate and organize activities in the neighborhood based on the following core areas, whereas some of our projects, programs and events combine these interests.
Click on the title of each advocacy area or topic to see its dedicated web page here on WGNA.net; or, otherwise, see our social media links below each parapgraph for current happenings, discussions, sharing, etc.
Click on the tags at the bottom of this page, or on the individual topic pages, in order to see news posts of past meetings, papers, and events that are in these interests.
Seasonal Events, & Public Participation
Improve community participation, and help in the planning and organizing of events, meetings, and community initiatives. Examples might include electoral candidate forums; public policy forums; Willow Glen Founders Day Parade; partnerships with Downtown Willow Glen (a.k.a., Willow Glen Business Association), the Holiday Lights Tour, National Night Out, Safe Routes to School days, and any other events shared by the community.
— See our Seasons in the Glen social media page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SeasonsWGNA/
Community Safety & Care
Improve issues relating to public safety, police, fire, welfare, nutrition, and other care matters in our community. Support and improvement to San Jose Fire Stations 6, 30, 33 and 37. We often address emergency services response times (fire, police, EMS, etc); San Jose Airport; emergency preparedness and disaster response.
— See our Willow Glen Cares social media page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WGNACares/
Urban Ecology
Addressing the matters of relating to the ecology, like parks, trails, watershed, blighted area cleanups, etc. WGNA organizes its own "Blight to Bright" cleanup projects, as well as partners with other groups to clean the local streams, trails, and so on. Our public trails and bike routes are a vital connection to our local ecology.
— See our Urban Ecology WGNA social media page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UrbanEcologyWGNA/
Heritage & Preservation
Help us do the research on local history, creates stories of community interest and heritage, organize tours, & work on heritage or preservation projects. Promote and share WGNA's history book "Touring Historic Willow Glen: Ten Walking Loops". Organize bicycle and walking tours on points of historic and heritage interest. Partner with other non-profits and groups in the cause.
— See our Urban Ecology WGNA social media page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WillowGlenHeritageWGNA/
Urban Design & Vision
Address issues and participate in urban planning and land use, proposed developments, street improvements, transportation, public works, and the design and vision of the city. Be involved in the feedback on road diet improvements, crosswalks, bikeways, traffic calming devices, etc. Make the connections between California High-Speed Rail, Caltrain, county VTA, and public trails. Discuss multi-modal transportation options for automobiles, public transportation, commercial freight delivery, bikeways, and the bridges, transfer points, and safe crossings between all these areas urban life.
— See our Urban Ecology WGNA social media page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UrbanDesignWGNA/
Foodways/Eat Here
Promote the traditional, historic, and contemporary foodways of our community, including its cultural, social, and economic development, plus consumer options, and its appreciation. Consider the choices among our local restaurants and foodservice, grocery, farmers markets, home vegetable and fruit gardens, local honey, etc. Encourage good eating, nutrition, hospitality, and vitality. Organize block parties, potlucks, nourishing environments, and events. Address hunger, access to healthy and diverse foods, etc.
— See our Eat social media page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EatHereWG/
Neighborhood & Inner-turf areas
Research the mapping, and identification of greater Willow Glen, including its central and historic areas, to its inner-turf or block areas, therein defining its history, plus the current issues, developments, and needs. Create ad-hoc committees and help do the fieldwork and canvassing among the residents. Consider the areas where you live, such as Downtown Willow Glen, the Willow Street-Bramhall Park area, Palm Haven, Northern Cross, or the Greater Gardner, etc. Organize residents and organizations block by block.
— See our web pages, here on this website, on Neighborhood, Planning Maps, and neighborhood committees: http://www.wgna.net/neighborhood
Media & Communications
Help WGNA improve its media communications, such as its website, social media, public outreach, letters, and other matters like editing, page monitoring, media applications, tech devices, etc.
— Contact the WGNA media editor/administrator by email at [email protected]; or use this website's contact page to send an email message; or send a message from any one of WGNA's Facebook pages on which you have interest (see the above). Also, see our membership and volunteer pages on the website.
Suggest a New Adhoc
If you have a new project, cause, or issue which you would like to propose to the WGNA Board and its membership, then please share it with us. We suggest visiting our open house monthly meetings, or use this website's contact page to send an email message that's addressed to the President of the Board; or send a message from WGNA's main Facebook page, here. Also, see our membership and volunteer pages on the website.