March 11, 2005

Evergreen Community Center expansion provides haven for tots

About 80 families celebrated the “Kids Korner” Open House at the Evergreen Community Center (ECC) on Feb. 26.
Mayor Ron Gonzales, Vice Mayor Cindy Chavez and District 8 Councilmember Dave Cortese joined the festivities, along with the San Jose Police Department’s Mounted Unit and Child Fingerprinting Services and Fire Station 11. Children’s activities and tours of the new facilities were held throughout the event.

Children attending the Kids Korner Open House kept busy finger painting, doing spin art or making flowers. They also had plenty of time to pet the horses, get fingerprinted and check out the new digs.

“As Evergreen continues to grow, it is important that our facilities grow too,” said Cortese, adding, “these two new beautiful preschool classrooms truly emphasize the commitment to quality for Evergreen youth.”

“This is fantastic! This expansion is great for the kids, as well as the community,” said Liz Gill, Evergreen community member.

Evergreen resident JoAnn Broderick agreed. “It was wonderful event. It was great having the fire department and mounted police, because children got to climb on the fire engines and pet the horses. And all of my kids, ages 2 to 10, enjoyed the arts and crafts.”

She noted that although her kids have all been fingerprinted, it was good to see so many other children getting fingerprinted at the event. She also enjoyed the refreshments generously provided by event sponsors Starbucks, Jamba Juice and Hometown Buffet.

“The new facility is beautiful, and I’m considering sending my toddler there,” added Broderick.

Planning began in 2001
During the Master Plan Amendment process in 2001, the community expressed the need for early childhood recreation programs. The new 2,400-square-foot colorful building consists of two preschool rooms with restrooms and an adjoining sunny secure patio.

Classes offered at “Kids Korner” emphasize early social development with family involvement. “Times for Twos,” for example, allow children to sing and dance and do arts and crafts with peers and their parents.

Classes designed for 2- to 3-year olds help toddlers learn creative art and stir up their imagination, as families have fun together. Parents can enroll their 3- to 4-year olds in classes designed to promote independence, while improving social and movement skills. Activities may include crafts, stories, playtime and simple learning concepts.

Classes for 4- to 5-year olds emphasize age appropriate activities, which include drama, music and games to develop socialization skills, hand/eye coordination and motor skills. Many of these classes help children prepare for pre-school and kindergarten, and many more are offered for children of all ages and abilities.

The “Kids Korner” design philosophy created a building that is sensitive to users while implementing a sustainable design approach. To achieve this goal, the building uses passive solar heating with thermal mass features, clerestory windows, dual glazing, heavy insulation, deciduous trees in the south patio, high fans to draw out warm air, steel framing and radiant floor heating.

Council District 8 Construction and Conveyance Tax Funds and Park Trust Funds made the $1.5 million project possible. Provisions for a future 1,000-square-foot classroom, as described in the 2002 Master Plan Amendment, have also been made a part of this project.

ECC and the Berryessa Community Center are the only two community centers across San Jose offering upwards of 200 classes to children, teens, adults and seniors every season. Class prices range from free to $209 for a 24-week session.

For more information about ECC classes, fees, and programs, pick up a Citywide Activity Guide at the Center, contact Patty Rivera, (408) 277-2845 or visit the Web for an online version at www.sanjoseca.gov/prns. You may also subscribe to get the quarterly activity guide mailed to your home for a nominal fee.

Sponsors of the event included Jamba Juice at 4848 San Felipe Road, Starbucks at 4848 San Felipe Road and Hometown Buffet at 408 North Capitol Avenue.