Coalition to Save the Legacy Sakura of Oppenheimer Park

To:  the City of Vancouver Council, Vancouver East District Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation

Save the Legacy Sakura, cherry blossom tress of Oppenheimer Park!

BACKGROUND:

As part of the new City of Vancouver Concept Plan to Redevelop Oppenheimer Park, located in the downtown eastside area known as old Japan town, historic legacy sakura (cherry blossom trees) will be destroyed to build a new field house. These memorial sakura trees were planted by First Generation Japanese Canadian Pioneers in the spring of 1977, the 100th anniversary of the arrival of Canada's first recorded Japanese immigrant.

For the Japanese Canadian elders who planted those trees, the Legacy Sakura commemorated the cultural bridge between Canada and Japan, and symbolized their belonging as citizens of Canada. Although the Parks Board supported and participated in the 1977 centennial planting, today neither Vancouver City Council nor Parks Board are demonstrating respect and regard for the tremendous social, cultural and historical significance of these magnificent Legacy Sakura and the ground where each has been planted.

PETITION:

The Japanese Canadian organizations who are members of the Coalition for Saving the Legacy Sakura of Oppenheimer Park, ask you to support our Mission by signing this Petition. The situation is urgent as the Parks Board is now, despite expert assessment to the contrary, insisting the Legacy Sakura have outlived their life span, and Vancouver City Council has already approved the new concept plan.

Please sign the Petition if you agree to the following statement:

We, the undersigned, support the Coalition to Save the Legacy Sakura of Oppenheimer Park and urge the City of Vancouver Council and Parks Board to revise the Oppenheimer Park Redevelopment Concept so that all Oppenheimer Park Legacy Sakura are saved.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned

The Coalition to Save the Legacy Sakura of Oppenheimer Park Petition to the City of Vancouver Council, Vancouver East District Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation was created by Japanese Canadian community and written by Takeo Yamashiro & Judy Hanazawa (legacysakura@yahoo.co.jp).  This petition is hosted here at www.PetitionOnline.com as a public service. There is no endorsement of this petition, express or implied, by Artifice, Inc. or our sponsors. For technical support please use our simple Petition Help form.