July 1, 2004

William H. Cilker Park dedication celebrates local heritage

William H. Cilker Park, a linear 1.8-acre respite of green along Winfield Boulevard near Chynoweth Avenue, was officially dedicated June 26 during a short program and ribbon-cutting ceremony featuring William “Bill” Cilker (in hat, holding scissors), son of the park’s namesake, along with his wife, children and siblings. San Jose Vice Mayor Pat Dando (third from right) and City Councilmember Judy Chirco (fourth from left, in dark top), in whose District 9 jurisdiction the park is located, also participated in the event.

The Cilker family has owned agricultural and orchard property in the Santa Clara Valley, mainly in the Los Gatos and San Jose areas, since the 1860s, when Bill Cilker’s grandfather came to the area with profits from the California Gold Rush. The land that became William H. Cilker Park was among the acreage owned by the family.

The park, whose landscaping includes deciduous and evergreen trees, ornamental grasses, flowering plants, lawns and several benches, is a convenient Blossom Valley gateway to the Guadalupe River Trail, which leads into Almaden Valley and a connection with the Los Alamitos Creek Trail.


—Photographs by Shari Kaplan