San José Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Servi's photostream

In 1930, the first semi-public type of recreation program was launched in San José. Realizing the need for a citywide program, the Junior Chamber of Commerce requested the City Council to appoint a committee to investigate the possibility of City sponsorship of a recreation program.

The City’s first active participation in a recreation program began December 1, 1942 with a budget of $15,000. The City Council passed ordinances creating a five-member recreation commission and the position of Direct of Recreation, Division of the Parks Department. In 1948 tremendous program expansion in recreation facilities and service demonstrated the need for programming.

By 1957, the people of San José passed a bond for further growth and the first community center (Carl J. Leninger) and the Japanese Friendship Garden came online.By 1965, the Department was reorganized to be called the Department of Parks and Recreation. The voters once again approved another bond of $9,621,000 for development of the Coyote River Parkway and improvements at Kelley, Alum Rock and Overfelt parks. The Leininger Community Center (1966), St. James (1968) and Mayfair (1968) Neighborhood center opened for public use.The City’s first golf course was opened in 1968 and Family Camp was opened to the public in June of that year. San José also became the leader with its Senior Education Center and became funded by the state Office on Aging.

Reorganization came about in 1970, when Gene Saalwaechter was appointed, Director of Parks and Recreation. The Department went from a centralized way of operating to a decentralized method giving community centers to develop the program they wanted to produce for the public. As a result the City was divided into separate geographical areas, each supervised by a recreation manager. This structure gave each district more power in deciding what types of programs to offer. The Department grew when the Parks Planning section was added into the Parks and Recreation Department.

The Department had grown from 4 to 33 community centers and added a citywide service for disabled individuals by forming the Therapeutic Recreation section. The Department of Neighborhood Services was created in 1993, combining the positive influences of recreation programs and community services with the neighborhood revitalization efforts of code enforcement, graffiti abatement and block grant. Through the 1990s, PRNS was involved in Special Olympics, Senior Games and won many awards for their anti-graffiti and anti-smoking programs.

The Department now serves the residents with a new Citywide Activity Guide, which provides programs, classes and activities information and provides park and city services contacts.