North Willow Glen History Part 14 of 15: The 2000s

The neighborhood continues to improve. It forms its own neighborhood association, the North Willow Glen Neighborhood Association, and gains better representation with the City. Alison England is elected the first NWGNA President. NWGNA is instrumental in getting the City's vacant lots turned into pleasant spaces, at Bird and Fisk (Hummingbird Park) and on Fuller (Fuller Park). The Association wins a "BRICC" award from Community Foundation Silicon Valley in 2003.

Alarmed by the reckless speed of drivers, neighbor activists on Hull and Delmas Avenues get traffic calming measures from the San Jose Streets & Traffic Department. A series of "Neighborhood Improvement Days" led by Dan Erceg builds the distinctive North Willow Glen signature fence at the Atlanta and Delmas gateways. A series of planting days adds around 90 street trees to the North Willow Glen streetscape. In late 2005, the City installs vintage streetlights on the west side of Delmas Avenue, and begin reconstruction of Spencer Avenue. Edit: Throughout the decade, the housing market races ahead at breakneck speed and the bubble bursts in 2008 with a deep recession. SNI Redevelopment Agency funds run dry, halting the city's investment in the area.
Milestones
2000: The North Willow Glen Neighborhood Association (NWGNA) founded.
2003: Hummingbird Park opens.
2003: North Willow Glen holds its first July 4 Block Party - 300 people attend.
2005: Construction begins on Fuller Park.

Leading up to the September 21st Willow Glen Founders Day Parade on Lincoln Avenue, NWGNA is providing readers with history about the evolution of our neighborhood, largely excerpted from Ken Ecklund's North Willow Glen Neighborhood Association Page.

We view this as our history and encourage you to share. Stories and photos of North Willow Glen are very welcome and with your permission and credit we would like to archive this information to improve our understanding of life in our neighborhood throughout the years. Please post here or reach us via e-mail at board@nwgna.org.