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Kim Walker Community & Environment

Kim Walker Community & Environment

Category Archives: People

Fujikawa Memorial Garden

20 Wednesday Nov 2019

Posted by kimvwalker in People, Sense of Place

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Engraved Boulder

It’s not unusual for a community development project to take ten years or more.  This project has taken eight… so far.  And I can barely believe it.  Tangible progress at last!

Like many long-term projects, this one began as one small step.  A donation was made by a close family friend to plant a tree in memory of my mom.  The following year, when the last of her siblings passed away, the little tree turned into plans for a small garden in a park that was once my grandparents’ farm.

This is a personal project but it’s also a community project… at least that’s the idea.  A sort of ‘live my work’ approach.  I knew this would be momentous for me on several levels, but I had no idea it would become such an epic.

At the beginning, I tried to suspend work and volunteer activities to focus my time and effort, but somehow other priorities kept taking over.  Fast forward and it’s all come together in the last 3 months:

  • Completion and installment of a custom steel frame/stone/wood bench,
  • An engraved 3’x4’ granite boulder,
  • Rearrangements of seven 2’ (i.e. big) boulders,
  • Two planted beds filled with donations from family and friends (including transplants from their gardens),
  • A third magnolia tree planted to replace two failed ones,
  • The first draft of a storyboard written and distributed for review and feedback, and
  • An updated base map for the garden site.

Each of these features have their own back stories.  But the main storyline for this project is the wonderful support and contributions from local government, community members, friends and family members.  Even pre-schoolers and elementary children got involved by planting the strawberries!  Final steps to garden completion will still take more time.  Yet I could not be more energized or more inspired to keep going.

The Fujikawa Memorial Garden honours my grandparents, aunts, uncles and mother.  It is also a reflection of Silverdale’s multicultural community heritage and a gift for the community of Silverdale.


Background

Tsurukichi (my grandfather) came to Canada from Japan c1900, leaving Riwo (my grandmother) with a young son and another child on the way in the care of relatives.  He went back to Japan for a visit in 1906 and returned to Canada alone, a year later, with a third child on the way.

In 1911, grandpa settled in the rural community of Silverdale, in the Fraser Valley of British Columbia.  Granny joined him in 1912 and together they established a strawberry farm.  Their two daughters arrived in 1918.  Their son visited in 1914 and by the time he moved permanently in 1929, the youngest of the nine Fujikawa children was 7 years old.

Life for the Fujikawa family in the early years was not much different from their neighbours, particularly those of other immigrant newcomers.  They were ordinary people living their lives as best they could.

In 1942, the Fujikawas were among 22,000 Japanese “enemy aliens” evacuated from their homes and interned under The War Measures Act.  Japanese Canadians lost virtually all their properties and possessions to government authorities during the Internment period.  However, the Fujikawa family had managed to protect their farm and belongings from dispossession.

Three generations of Fujikawas occupied their land for close to 80 years.  This was a very rare occurrence for Japanese Canadians in the 20th Century.  The Fujikawas were fortunate to have a place to call ‘home’.

Today, the original farm property has become three private homes with the original Fujikawa houses, the Silverdale Community Hall and ball field; and Silverdale Park with the newly established Fujikawa Memorial Garden.

Remembering a Friend

05 Tuesday Jul 2016

Posted by kimvwalker in People

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SPF

I sent a belated birthday greeting to an old friend of mine this morning by email but when it was returned as no such user I discovered that he died twelve and a half months ago.

I didn’t keep our last email exchanges.  I didn’t see much point.  Now, I wish I had if only to piece together the time from our last contact and his last breath.  I’m sure it was only a few weeks, maybe less.  He had told me he was not long for this world.  And I suppose somehow I knew the truth in his words but there really wasn’t anything more to say or do.  I tried to send him a birthday greeting last year.  I couldn’t find the words.  I also tried to send him a New Year’s greeting but again I found myself mute – and perhaps a little scared to find him no longer on the receiving end.

There comes a time when you have to accept life as it is and death, or imminent death, as well.  SPF was a hopeless romantic.  He was also brilliantly intelligent – a high achiever with a huge heart.  If he truly died in his sleep as his obituary claims, then I will count him among the lucky few.

His obit said he will be remembered for his worldwide environmental work, his generosity and his sense of humour.  He climbed the highest mountains in the world and, through his work, he achieved more than most could ever dream to.  I asked him how I would know if he died and he said he would let me know.  In the end we all die alone but I dearly hope he knew in his heart that he was not unloved, even if he might have thought that to be true.

It’s easy to take inspiration from people who’ve been immortalized by history books and film.  Yet we encounter people every day who, sometimes stumbling along the way, steadfastly make lasting contributions to this world far beyond their home and family.  SPF was one of those people.  His convictions toward environmental and social justice sent him to the far corners of the world and he worked with unending integrity.  His work brought inspiration and focus to my early professional development; and his love and friendship was strong and true.  I will remember SPF with much love and respect – with all of his flaws and all of his gifts, and all of his being.

Can a Community Developer be Over Connected?

30 Tuesday Jun 2015

Posted by kimvwalker in People

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As facilitators and bridge-builders, establishing and maintaining networks is a core function of a community developer. So, why would I question becoming over connected? Social media tools can vastly expand our networks but is it possible to become so connected, so caught up in maintaining or monitoring these connections, that we lose sight of our effectiveness? I do use clouds and sites to share photographs, transfer documents, join webinars, write blogs and correspond — and I have occasionally walked along the edges of, peeked in or explored a few popular social networks.  For the most part though, I avoid those networks and tools that reduce my efforts to one-finger typing, thumb scrolling, and soundbites. Why? I suppose it’s a personal choice. I stay connected personally and professionally by asking myself the following questions:

  • Seattle downspoutWho is important to me?
  • What is the nature of my communication-networking-exchange-sociality-community needs?
  • What do I need from my communication tools?  What don’t I need?
  • How much time do I have for social networking and how can I best use my time?
  • Can I still reach those people I want to stay connected with, even if we’re not in constant contact?
  • Can people still reach me when they need to?
  • Which services and networks help maintain good quality connections?

I have come to know that:

  • Making and maintaining connections is important
  • My circle of friends, relatives, colleagues and clients spans around the world and my life is richer as a result
  • Relationships are not static; some connections will thrive and others will disappear
  • My circle has expanded beyond my capacity to stay actively connected with everyone regularly

I’m not always good at keeping in touch — that does not mean I’ve forgotten or I don’t care. I have emailed colleagues and friends after 10 years and they have responded in kind, rekindling those connections.  It actually happens quite frequently and I am ecstatically happy these connections and friendships still exist.

On that level, this community developer can never be over connected!

p.s. There are 800+ top social networks, apps and digital services available to us according to Craig Smith (expandedramblings.com, June 29, 2015). Wow!

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