Meeting on UCLA Japanese Garden Announced

The photo on the left shows UCLA students in the Japanese Garden in 1965.

It has been reported to yours truly that there will be a meeting about the proposed sale of the garden next week, possibly including UCLA officials.  Below in italics is the announcement I received:

Tuesday, January 31

5-7 p.m.

Auditorium

Community Magnet School 

11301 Bellagio Road

Los Angeles, CA 90049

Garden lovers, neighbors, and the interested public are invited to a meeting in Bel-Air on Tuesday evening, January 31, to discuss the future of the Hannah Carter Japanese Garden. UCLA has announced plans to sell the garden, and challenged the community to help identify a buyer who will maintain it and keep it open to the public. The Garden Conservancy, a national garden preservation group, has joined the Los Angeles Conservancy, California Preservation Foundation, the California Garden and Landscape History Society, and concerned individuals to gather public interest and support to save the garden.

Kendall Brown, noted authority on Japanese gardens in America, will discuss the history and significance of the garden at this gathering. We have invited UCLA officials to join us and share their perspective. We welcome your ideas and help in saving this garden treasure.

Please RSVP to Paulette DuBey at the Bel-Air Association Telephone 310.474.3527

As noted in prior blogs on this matter, the UCLA Faculty Association has no position on this issue.  However, it seems to have bubbled up from below in the administration without full consideration.  Exactly who would buy the garden, particularly in view of the controversy, is unclear.  And a longstanding issue is the very limited public access that has characterized the garden. Neighborhood and conservancy groups will need to consider the access issue as well as the proposed sale and removal of objects from the garden.