November 6, 2007

County Report

County issues healthy trails challenge To encourage outdoor exercise

By County Supervisor Ken Yeager
Special to the Times

Santa Clara County residents have been issued a challenge: Hit the trails. The County Parks and Recreation Department kicked off the Healthy Trails Challenge on Oct. 16 to encourage residents to hike, bike, run or ride a horse along at least five of the 21 trails winding through thousands of acres of parkland.

The challenge, in partnership with Kaiser Permanente San Jose and the County Public Health Department, began last month with the declaration of “Healthy Trails Day.” I have accepted the challenge to experience all 21 of the trails throughout the county.

Whether running along the Los Gatos Creek Trail or hiking in Joseph D. Grant County Park, I love using Santa Clara County’s trails for exercise and exploring nature. This program can give residents the extra push to explore the green space their community has to offer.

People of all ages and skills can sign up for the challenge and receive a motivational gift to get them started. Participants also receive a trail guidebook detailing each of the county’s easy, moderate and strenuous trails with colorful maps and descriptions of amenities.

Residents might be surprised about all the different ways they can use the county’s trails. For example, the 15-mile-long Coyote Creek Trail is suited not only for walkers and runners, but also bicyclists, individuals on rollerblades or skateboards, children’s strollers and individuals with special needs such as wheelchair ramps.

Over a 12-month period, participants can use the guidebook to log their progress toward completing the five-trail fitness challenge. Once the challenge is complete, participants can turn in the log for a prize.

Residents can take advantage of the Healthy Trails Challenge by visiting www.parkhere.org and clicking on the “Healthy Trails” icon or by contacting the County Parks and Recreation Department at (408) 355-2200.

I am proud of the County Parks and Recreation Department’s work to increase usage of the trails and parks. When I took office in January, I set out to visit every one of the county’s more than 28 parks and facilities. It took six months, but I was able to meet my goal.

I can tell you firsthand that each park is unique. I hope the Healthy Trails Challenge encourages residents to experience nature while getting exercise at the same time.

New span of Los Gatos Creek Trail
On Oct. 20, Santa Clara County and San Jose unveiled a brand-new span of the Los Gatos Creek Trail. The new section fills a gap in the trail near San Jose’s Willow Glen neighborhood and allows residents to walk, jog or bike from downtown San Jose all the way to Vasona Lake in Los Gatos.

The span of trail begins near the intersection of Auzerais Avenue and Hannah Street in San Jose and follows the Los Gatos Creek bed to Lonus Street. Although the section is only a little more than half a mile, it gives residents in the area an opportunity to get some exercise right in their backyards. This trail also helps connect neighborhoods so residents can easily walk to different areas of San Jose without crossing busy intersections.

As a San Jose city council member prior my election as county supervisor, I worked to make trails a feature in every community. I am glad to see that the efforts of so many elected officials, city and county staff members, Santa Clara Valley Water District staff and community members and groups has paid off.

Turkey Trot in downtown San Jose
The Applied Materials Silicon Valley Turkey Trot is expected to draw thousands for its annual Thanksgiving Day fund-raising run this year.

Money from entry fees and donations will benefit the Second Harvest Food Bank, the Santa Clara Family Health Foundation and the Housing Trust of Santa Clara County.

The 5K walk/run and 10K run is open to anyone, with special runs for elite athletes, teams from local businesses and kids. For more information or to register, visit www.svlg.org.

As always, please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns. You can call me at (408) 299-5040 or e-mail me at Ken.Yeager@bos.sccgov.org.