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Frequently Asked Questions

Group Picnic Area

Q.  Can the group picnic area or other picnic areas be reserved for a party or other event?
A.  No.  While certain regional parks in the city have picnic areas that can be reserved, the picnic areas in the neighborhood parks are all available on a first-come, first served basis.  The city will be placing signage in the area to clarify this.

Air Jumpers or Jumpy Houses

Q.  Are air jumpers allowed in Fowler Creek Park?
A.  At this time, jumpers are not permitted for use in Fowler Creek Park.  Permit applications for jumpers in Fowler Creek Park will be denied.  Jumpers currently being used in the park are illegal.  However, the City of San Jose PRNS intends to go through the process of recommending and obtaining approvals for allowing one jumper set-up site in Fowler Creek Park and this process will take a few months.  Until then....no jumpers are allowed in Fowler Creek Park.  Please contact park.concerns@sanjoseca.gov with any questions about this policy.

Q.  What should someone do if he/she is considering using a jumper in other city parks (those specific parks that allow jumpers)?
A.  In general, for those parks in which the city allows jumpers, specific guidelines must be followed and a permit must be obtained.  For example, gasoline generators are not permitted; only diesel is allowed.  The jumper vendor must be pre-approved by the city.  A permit must be obtained. 

For jumpers in other city parks, please  read this first.   For information and city permit, please call (408) 277-2757.  Click here for the city parks air jumper guidelines.  This is the permit application.  Jumpers are not allowed in Fowler Creek Park.  Call the city about use of jumpers in other city parks.

Graffiti and Vandalism

Q.  What is the most effective way for residents to notify the city about graffiti or vandalism and get response for clean-up or repair?
A.  Graffiti and vandalism should be called into the Parks Concerns line at (408) 793-5510.  The Parks Concerns line is automated with messages picked-up twice each day and appropriate actions taken on calls (notification of area supervisor, initiation of work orders, etc.).  The city runs a separate graffiti hotline which is for response to graffiti on private property and buildings.

Skateboarding & Scooters

Q.  Is skateboarding allowed in the park on the sidewalks and paved walking areas?
A.  With the exception of certain areas of downtown San Jose and specific park areas, skateboarding is allowed.  Skateboarding is not allowed on the tennis court area of the park.  Skateboard users are asked to use caution in sharing pathways.  In addition, grinding on park furniture or features is not allowed as it damages them and is considered vandalism.

Q.  Are scooters allowed?
A.  Non-powered scooters must follow the same rules as skateboarders.   Powered scooters or skateboards are not allowed.

Tennis Courts

Q.  Can the tennis courts be reserved for play at specific times?
A.  No.  All features in the park are available on a first-come, first served basis.  However, there is signage around the tennis courts that specify rules and time limits that should be adhered to while others are waiting.

Q.  What are the official open hours for the tennis courts?
A.  The park is open at 8:00am to one hour after sunset.  The City of San Jose makes some allowance for specialized areas such as tennis courts.  The courts are technically open at 8:00am and close at 10:00pm.  Park ordinances allow for 1/2 hour leeway so technically play should stop at 10:00pm with all people off the site by 10:30pm. 

Q.  What can be done to prevent people from being able to turn on the lights during the official closed hours?
A.  The lights have been programmed to remain off after 10:00pm.  However, the timing mechanism was vandalized, allowing for it to be bypassed.  The city has repaired it recently, but it was vandalized again.  In addition to the second repair, the city will be installing a protective bracket around the control panel as added protection against future vandalism.

Water Play Area

Q.  What are the hours when the water feature is activated?
A.  The water feature is currently activated from 10:00am to 7:00pm.

Q.  Will there be different hours in different seasons? 
A.  The City of San Jose shuts down all of its interactive water play features from approximately November to April.

Q.  Is the water in the play area fresh tap water (potable water) or is it recycled irrigation-quality water?
A.  The water in the park is currently fed through both recycled and potable water.  The turf and plant areas requiring irrigation use recycled water.  The water play feature is and will remain potable.

Q.  Is there a recycling system built into the play area?
A.  No, the water flowing through this feature is not recycled through the system.  To do so would have required significant additional infrastructure, filtering and sterilization systems to be put in place (such as was recently required at Plaza De Caesar Chavez).  Parents should still remain vigilant regarding soiled diapers and take time for restroom breaks as needed.

Bocce Ball Courts

Q.  When are the bocce ball courts expected to be completed and opened?
A.  The bocce ball courts are now open!

Hillside Slide

Q.  When is the hillside slide expected to open?
A.  The hillside slide is expected to open for use in mid to late January.   The original manufacturer could not meet the specifications needed to pass a playground safety audit, so a new manufacturer is now involved (Playworld).  This is a custom design for them, so the city is working with them to assess their structural calculations, footing requirements, etc.  Recent challenges in ensuring the footings will match with new equipment have slowed our progress.  Once resolved,   fabrication can occur and finally installation.  This work also includes some minor landscaping that has been held off until the major slide equipment installation is completed.

Surrounding Parking Strips

Q.  There are crushed gravel and sandy parking strips between the park and the homes on the west boundary.  Will these be planted with sod eventually?
A.  This material is decomposed granite or DG for short.  There are no current plans to improve these areas further at this time.

Park Restrooms

Q.  How often are the restrooms cleaned?   What is the cleaning schedule?
A.  The park maintenance, including the cleaning of the restrooms was handled by a contractual service, which was negotiated as part of the park construction award for a couple months.  It is now handled by city staff.  The restrooms are cleaned and stocked once per day.

Q.  What are the open hours of the restrooms?
A.  Approximately 8:00am to one hour after sunset.  However, city staff has some modest leeway in both opening and closing, say, an hour either direction.

Q.  Are the restroom doors supposed to be locked up at night?
A.  Yes, city staff provides the cleaning and the lockdown service for this park and many other San Jose parks.

General Park Maintenance

Q.  What types of regular maintenance and cleanings are scheduled for the park?  What do the crews do?
A.  Park maintenance including the servicing of the restrooms has been handed off from a contractor to the city.  This park is considered an "A" facility and so will receive restroom service and lockdown daily.  It will receive horticultural and general park service 5 days per week.  Parks maintenance staff provide and or coordinate a wide variety of services, some of which are need driven, but in general, the community can expect the following: 

ITEM (and frequency)
Mowing (weekly/ bi-Weekly - seasonal)
Sweeping Turf (as needed)
Coring/Plugging (annually)
Watering (as needed)
Irrigation Inspection (monthly)
Irrigation Repair (as needed)
Fertilizing (annually)
Edging (monthly)
Play Equipment Inspection (daily, 5/week)
Play Equipment Repair (as needed)
Turf Rehabilitation (as needed)
Litter Pick-up (daily, 5/week)
Trash Removal (as needed)
Graffiti Removal (as needed)
Restroom Service/Lockdown (daily)

Q.  How can the community help with the maintenance effort?
A.  One of the major ways for the community to help is through the adopt-a-park program. The coordinator position has recently been vacated, however, our district parks manager is willing to work with interested parties directly to get them signed up. The program can be tailored so volunteers turn the time into social outings (meet at the park to pull weeds for an hour, or walk the perimeter and pick up litter - talking as you go!). The program is very flexible.  Participants can adopt areas of the park of interest to them visited regularly or establish annual or semi-annual work days, etc.  Other than health and safety work, much of the horticultural maintenance efforts are driven by time availability. One of the biggest time hogs is litter pick up. Another is graffiti removal. While not glamorous or exciting for volunteers, it is non-technical and has an immediate benefit - every minute that parks staff is not picking up litter translates into time they can spend on other tasks that make a difference in our park.

Acknowledgement

Friends of Fowler Creek Park sincerely thanks Mr. Brian Hartsell, City of San Jose district parks operations manager, for his time and efforts in responding in great detail to all of the questions that we have received from the community.

Last updated November 19, 2007.

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