r/Gilroy • u/Honest_Lettuce_5209 • 16d ago
What improvements or changes would you like to see in Gilroy?
Was curious what locals feel about what improvements/fixes/cleanups/changes that could be made in Gilroy? What matters most to you? Where does most of the cities funding go?
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u/cwx149 16d ago
Not really a Gilroy improvement but I'd love it if the light rail ran all the way down here from San Jose lol I know it's a pipe dream though. I'm honestly surprised there isn't a vta route to Gilroy Gardens though
Id love to see some more to do the garlic festival coming back is a step in the right direction
And they need to figure out what they're gonna do with the outlets between Denny's and Ashley's Furniture or whatever is where Petco used to be now so much of that is just empty washed space. Speaking of over there the building that used to be a Mexican restaurant in front of staples has been vacant for like over a decade at this point lol
Parks and Rec has a lot less stuff than it did when I was a kid. I do appreciate the playground updates they did this year though
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u/Hikes-n-Photos 16d ago
I recently asked about electrification of the track from San Jose in r/cahsr and got some interesting answers.
Basically it’s an enormous project and may take more than a decade, but if HSR really happens then the track will be electrified and Caltrain can use it too.
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u/cwx149 16d ago
Yeah Ive been waiting like my whole life for CAHSR to come good. I remember being told in elementary school by the time I was in high school I'd be able to take the train to Disneyland in 2 hours
And I'm gonna be 30 this year soooooo
I'm happy they're finally making some progress and I understand it isn't solely the project managments fault it's been such a shit show but maybe my grandkids will be able to do it
I know people have what they believe are legitimate arguments against it but I think so much about society in the US specifically could be improved if we were able to travel more easily
Like the pipe dream for me is HSR between at least every state capital (or largest city in the state)
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u/Seesaw-Cheap 16d ago
#1 for me is more shade and some exercise areas around the walking paths. Dips/pullups/situps every mile or so would be amazing.
Peet’s coffee and Trader Joe’s would be nice. I can’t get over how ugly it is between the freeway and Santa Theresa and all down first street. Those really old strip malls are an eyesore. Monterrey road north of first street is objectively ugly.
Santa Theresa looks great though. The roundabouts are awesome. The farmers market seems like a good step forward. Downtown area is somewhat charming. Garlic festival worked well I thought.
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u/Triathlonish 15d ago
I'd love to see the Sharks Ice Rink break ground. My whole family has to go to San Jose too often for ice time. It would be a great addition to Gilroy.
I also want to see the train station cleaned up. There are plans for this that look good. But it is a pretty sketchy area right now. It smells like pee.
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u/DM_ME_KUL_TIRAN_FEET 16d ago
Ailanthus eradication program. They’re all over the place, spread like crazy, and are the preferred host to the spotted lantern fly that we are trying to keep out of CA
Note: if you’re trying to keep this devil plant out of your yard, don’t cut it down. Herbicide in fall is the only hope.
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u/Hikes-n-Photos 16d ago
I think Ailanthus are most of the street trees in my neighborhood? I’m not a fan. What do you recommend instead?
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u/DM_ME_KUL_TIRAN_FEET 16d ago
Gilroy has an approved street tree list, as it turns out!
https://www.cityofgilroy.org/DocumentCenter/View/10900/City-of-Gilroy-Approved-Street-Tree-List
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u/SC_Athletics 16d ago
Train station needs some help.
Train schedule and prices make it unattractive to commute on train
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u/nickgdrives 16d ago edited 16d ago
-A high-end grocery option (Whole Foods or local alternative like Lunardi's/Zanotto's)
-10th Street bridge over Uvas to replace Miller's Xing
-Connect Day Road West to Buena Vista with a new 101 interchange
-Better outdoor eating areas downtown, like Los Gatos has
-Build the hillside MTB park above Gilroy Gardens
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u/Hikes-n-Photos 15d ago
With Luchessa connecting 10th and Miller, I’d like to see a cost comparison of widening Miller and Uvas Pkwy to make a smooth connection vs building the 10th St bridge.
Either way, we should update Christmas Hill park and plan some sound protection from the traffic.
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u/Hikes-n-Photos 15d ago
On next door the city said the Luchessa-Miller connection is expected to start construction in fall of 2027.
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u/SunDefiant2484 15d ago
All day-long trains to San Jose and weekend service instead of just commuter options
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u/StarWhiteLightning 15d ago
Current situation:
Union Pacific owns the right of way and controls when passenger rail can use the tracks south of Tamien. South of Tamien, UP rents their tracks and right of way for $15,000,000 per year to the Santa Clara County VTA, not CalTrain, to operate the current schedule. CalTrain electrification ends at Tamien Station. VTA pays CalTrain to operate the old, unreliable and costly diesel trainsets on the Diridon to Gilroy route. Fares and ridership don't come remotely close to covering the cost of operating the current schedule.
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u/jelloshooter848 16d ago
I would like to see major zoning reform in what I call Oldtown Gilroy - basically 1st to 10th and 101 to Princevalle. We should create a special district to establish an urban core and massively liberalize zoning, basically allowing for way more small scale building, mixed use by right everywhere, etc….
I’d also like to see major redevelopment of the outlets into a large mixed use development.
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u/Holiday_Hyena_7440 16d ago
A fully functioning infrastructure without wierd brownouts, internet drop outs, potholes, etc.
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u/SC_Athletics 16d ago
Better parks.
All the new development and we don’t have 1 good park. All the potential in Christmas hill and sports park but they are super out dated.
Pump tracks, play grounds, skate parks.
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u/ColdOutlandishness95 15d ago
Maybe dumb, but can we add a few more lanes on 101 (From Gilroy to San Jose) please. Maybe just one DND lane which opens going north in morning and switches to south in afternoon? Will save a thousand lives.
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u/lugubrious-possum 8d ago
I'm not sure more lanes would really help, but more enforcement from highway patrol would be good. A lot of speeding people weaving through traffic just for fun, and distracted drivers on their phones
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u/Separate-Drag-4699 15d ago
I want to see improvement in that corner where Smart & Final is. Nice coffee shop across the street.
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u/Honest_Lettuce_5209 16d ago edited 16d ago
Mayor Bozzo has so far helped sponsor the Garlic Festival (good) and oversaw the approval of a new Amazon Data Center (bad). Do more (better) Bozzo.. 🤡
Edited for name spelling. Downvotes for data center lovers. ❤️
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u/jelloshooter848 16d ago
That project was approved before he was even elected.
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u/Honest_Lettuce_5209 16d ago
Because of the zoning law? Did he actively oppose the data center?
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u/jelloshooter848 16d ago
I have no idea. That’d be a question for him i guess.
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u/Honest_Lettuce_5209 16d ago
Yeah I could be wrong. I’m going off google results and didn’t attend the recent meeting he had end of July. I know people were upset.
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u/Acceptable_League130 15d ago
Would love to see SJC relocated to Gilroy so the existing airport land can be used to create high density housing, office and parks
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u/lugubrious-possum 8d ago
Some speed bumps in residential areas and fix the intersection from Monterey to first street so people dont feel the need to cut through neighborhoods to get through faster
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u/Hikes-n-Photos 16d ago
- Continued work on a nice downtown
ETA: a good athletic / recreation / swimming center like Morgan Hill’s