Finding a New Home for Tranquility: Three Proposals for the Yashiro Garden Relocation
The City of Olympia Parks Department presented three proposals for the relocation of the beloved Yashiro Garden at the October meeting of the OKSCA Board of Directors.
The relocation is necessary because the garden's current property has been sold to the Squaxin Tribe. The City is currently leasing the site for 18 months to remove services and is actively salvaging plants and other elements of the garden.
Background and Opportunity
Established in the late 1980s as a tribute to Olympia’s sister city, the original garden was a collaborative effort, with OKSCA and the City of Yashiro providing two-thirds of the funding (approx. $200,000), and the City of Olympia covering the remaining one-third (approx. $100,000). While the City initially paid for dedicated staff, the position was scaled back over the years, and the garden has come to rely heavily on volunteers, especially after a significant reduction in parks staff in 2008.
Despite these changes and challenges—including increased Plum Street traffic and a reduction in visitors following the City Hall move —the City has continuously invested in the garden, rebuilding the pond and creek, replacing the pumphouse, and improving drainage and irrigation.
The goal for the relocation is to find a new site within the current parks system that can maintain the garden’s essential character: quiet, tranquil, and reflective. The Parks Department has conducted feasibility research, including visits to established sites like Kabota Garden and SeatTac Japanese Garden. The current garden size is approximately 26,000 square feet.
The Three Relocation Options
The City presented three distinct locations, each offering different opportunities and drawbacks for the new Yashiro Garden.
1. Burri Park (NW Olympia)
This is a wooded, minimally developed park with an existing trail system, swings, a basketball court, and a playfield.
Size: 31,000 sq ft
Advantages: Gentle slope allows for easy ADA access. Quiet area with plentiful street parking and a bus stop on Division. The site is water-stubbed and would add a new amenity to an underserved area.
Drawbacks: No restroom facility. The site is farther from downtown tourism and is shadier.
2. Squaxin Park (NE Olympia)
This site is located behind the playground where the wading pool used to be.
Size:16,600 sq ft
Advantages: Natural enclosure provided by mature conifers. Close proximity to the Parks maintenance shop. Water access and existing restroom facilities.
Drawbacks: Close to East Bay Drive, making it potentially the loudest option. No bus access. Most sloped site, making ADA access more difficult. The park already has many amenities and can be crowded.
3. Decatur Park (SW Olympia)
This park is in a mixed-income neighborhood and recently added a new sensory garden.
Size: 19,000 sq ft
Advantages: Flat with gentle slope. Existing restrooms and a playground (scheduled for replacement next year). Easy bus access. Paved pathway adjacent to the proposed garden site.
Drawbacks: Least secure site. Limited parking, relying on a shared parking agreement with a nearby church. No maintenance shop on site.