An anonymous donor has extended an offer to establish a beautiful Japanese garden in the city of Vancouver. The city would like to honor Clark College by creating the garden here.

The college agreed to explore the idea and a workgroup was formed to determine where the garden might be located and what the design might look like. The City of Vancouver hired landscape architects Murase Associates to work with college and city staff to explore suitable locations and conceptual designs. 

After consulting with Plant Services, we believe that a location east of the Music Building and the O’Connell Sports Center would be ideal. The Music Building honors artistry and beauty. The location would also place the Japanese Garden near the plaque which honors our magnificent cherry trees -- an earlier gift to the City of Vancouver which was entrusted to the college. 

The conceptual design work has been completed and we have invited the college community to view the designs and offer feedback.

Our cherry trees came to us as a gift during the Earth Day celebration in 1990. Our predecessors had the vision to embrace that gift and we are all the beneficiaries of that legacy. We now have the chance, during our 75th anniversary year, to do the same for the generations that follow us. 

Thank you in advance for your thoughts on this unique opportunity to preserve the past, honor the present and embrace the future.
    

Robert K. Knight
President