2000-2002
Five Wounds/Brookwood Terrace (FWBT) Neighborhood Action Coalition (part of the City’s Strong Neighborhoods Initiative) designates a rails-to-trails project on the recently-abandoned Union Pacific Railroad (originally Western Pacific) right-of-way as a Top 10 Priority.
2006-2010
CommUniverCity, a partnership of FWBT, San José State University, and the City of San José, conducts multiple community workshops to plan for the area around the proposed BART station on N 28th Street—including the future trail.
2010
At a concluding meeting, the community approves the Five Wounds/Brookwood Terrace BART Station Area Community Concept Plan, including detailed plans for the trail.
2010
Facilitated by CommUniverCity, the Rails-to-Trails Task Force forms to advocate for inclusion of the trail in the city’s General Plan, hosting multiple community meetings.
2010
Facilitated by CommUniverCity, the BART Urban Village Task Force forms to advocate for inclusion of the BART Station Area Community Concept Plan in San José’s Envision 2040 General Plan Update.
2011
The Rails-to-Trails Task Force adopts the name “Five Wounds Trail”, after the iconic Five Wounds Portuguese National Church located alongside the trail near its northern end. The task force becomes the Friends of Five Wounds Trail (FFWT), hosting multiple community meetings.
2013
The City Council officially approves the four newly-developed FWBT Urban Village Plans, derived from the BART Station Area Community Concept Plan, including the trail, as part of the Envision 2040 General Plan Update. The approval was preceded by community meetings to raise community support for the four plans.
2013
VTA, which owns the railroad right-of-way, officially recognizes its future as a trail.
2018
The City, County and Open Space Authority agree with VTA on the purchase of the railroad right-of-way from E William Street to Whitton Avenue after five years of advocacy by FFWT. As of June 2020, the agreement had not been formally finalized.
2019
The City and Franklin-McKinley School District agree to close the “McKinley Gap” by signing over a small portion owned by the school district to the city after five years of advocacy by FFWT.
2011-2020
Over 400 people have attended biannual meetings of FFWT (averaging 30 per meeting).
2020
The City’s Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services Department wins a $4.14 million VTA grant for the environmental, planning and design work needed to advance the trail project.
2021
The City’s Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services Department begins planning the E William Street to Whitton Avenue portion of the trail with public input.