Japanese Friendship Garden representatives oppose plans to build playground near the garden
PHOENIX - The Japanese Friendship Garden is known for being a place of tranquility in Downtown Phoenix, but that may soon change.
There are plans to build a children's play area near the garden, which is located at Margaret T. Hance Park. People at the Japanese Cultural Center say this new addition to their neighboring park may soon disturb what they stand for.
"We really are big believers in the fact that our garden here can be a positive influence in peoples lives, in terms of healing," said Norio Tsuchiya, Vice President of the Garden. Tsuchiya says the garden's essence is what keeps their Japanese culture alive in Downtown Phoenix. The proposed children's playground area is planned to be placed about 75 feet to 100 feet from the garden's nearest walkway.
"The concern we have is that we have is that if it starts to get too noisy by having a children's playground area too close to our garden, it might be a negative effect towards that goal of providing that sort of space," said Tsuchiya.
The playground would have water features, a climbing wall and more, which Tsuchiya says could hinder the garden's opportunities to work alongside national and local programs that aim at helping people heal. That, he says, takes away from the garden's purpose.
"So, the Japanese Friendship Garden of Phoenix, we are trying to provide an authentic Japanese garden experience of serenity, beautifully manicured garden," said Tsuchiya.
Although representatives of the Japanese Friendship Garden is against the playground's location, they're still supporting it to be built, just somewhere else. They say a playground like this could revitalize the city.
"We love the fact that they're actually doing going through this campaign to really revamp the whole park\," said Tsuchiya. "The intention is that we come up with a rational direction that makes sense from the parks standpoint. The schedule as well as maintaining the serenity of the garden."
The City of Phoenix sent out a statement regarding the new play area, saying, in part: