Ed Solis - Viva CalleSJ Visionary

No one in City Hall is more excitied about his or her job than Ed Solis. He has been with Parks Recreation & Neighborhood Services (PRNS) for a few decades. Ed attended a workshop in Mexico several years ago, led by international Open Streets Movement Leader, Gil Peñalosa. Representatives from 26 cities attended, but only Ed Solis returned to hiome to create an "Open Streets" event - Viva CalleSJ.

Viva CalleSJ is now the largest civic event in San Jose and one of the largest in Northern California, embracing the idea of streets being for people, not cars, for at least several hours a few times a year. After being shut down by COVID, Ed Solis led two events in 2021 – in September and November. The response was an outpouring of families filling the streets, creating a "huge park" for several hours and allowing people to enjoy their community without cars interrupting them. He did it with essentially an entirely new team, proving that his leadership skills are truly exceptional. Look for two more Viva CalleSJ events in 2022.  

Note: Click on photos for Viva CalleSJ video extras.