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Hood River News Editorial
February 10, 2007
Tsuruta Park: the time is right for a
new name for a familiar and scenic park.
Renaming Waucoma Park, at 13th an Oak, would be a timely gesture. This
is the 30th anniversary of Hood River’s Sister City exchange program
with Tsuruta, Japan.
Dedication of the new name would happen during a visit by a Tsuruta
contingent in April — just in time for the park’s copious cherry
blossoms. City Council will consider the name change on Monday.
The park would join the Tsuruta Courts next to the Hood River Aquatic
Center as a place named for the Japan city. But one more such gesture
is fitting, given the deepening relationship between the two
communities.
In the case of the current Waucoma Park, one benefit would be to give
new focus to an underutilized park green space. Located as it is at
one of the city’s busiest intersections, the park is usually vacant,
despite its cooling brook, Mt. Adams view, large lawn, and expanse of
trees including those planted by our friends from Tsuruta one year
ago.
The new park name would be an enduring gift from our community to
theirs. |
