Dear Editor,
Before construction began on the Japanese garden next to the post office in Steveston, I expressed some concerns about the approaches that were being used in its design.
Now, every time I walk by the garden, I can see clear evidence that my concerns were entirely justified.
I rarely see anyone sitting in or walking through the garden, there are jarring neon cardboard signs tacked askew on to the Toriii gate and elsewhere, the lawns are unattended and overgrown, the polished stone seats are uncomfortable to sit on, and the back area is woefully under-developed and lacking any aesthetic appeal.
In addition, an attempt should have been made to make the street entrance a more traditional gateway, there is no fountain or running water to soften the environment and symbolically represent the flow of life, there should be an outstanding Yukimi-gate stone lantern near the entrance, a small facsimile of a wooden bridge would greatly enhance the overall character of the garden and satisfy some of the spiritual intentions inherent to the design of Japanese gardens, and a small sheltering pagoda with benches would invite people to linger and relax.
Even the small Japanese garden at Garry Point pays more respect to some of these traditional elements than does the Steveston plot.
If anyone thinks my analysis is without substance, I suggest they do some research into Japanese garden design and schedule a visit to Nitobe Gardens at U.B.C. where they can experience the full realization of all of the most basic values and principles of this mode of garden design at work.
Given how bereft of soul and character the Steveston garden is, I think it would have served the people of this community better to have simply made some minor adjustments and upgrades to the old garden area rather than replace it with something that seems to foster nothing but indifference and neglect.
And given the Japanese heritage of Steveston, the community deserves a more respectful and sensitive design solution than the one we have been given.
This garden could be rescued to a degree with a few appropriate, tradition-sensitive changes and additions but, is anyone interested enough in undertaking the kind of objective design and user-assessment processes that would turn a lost opportunity into a successfully exploited one?
Ray Arnold
Richmond
(Editor’s note: the grass is being reseeded so it's growing long.)
