Emily Jackson of Vancouver walks her 1-year-old golden retriever, Ranger, at Nikkei Park. Vancouver Parks and Recreation will host a celebration in honor of the park's renaming at 7 p.m. July 15. Nikkei Park left behind its placeholder, North Image, for a title with deeper meaning and roots to the community, which was officially adopted in September 2021. (Taylor Balkom/The Columbian)Photo Gallery
A Vancouver park received a new title nearly a year ago to honor past generations and their resiliency through hardship.
Now, the community can celebrate in an official capacity.
Nikkei Park in northeast Vancouver is a 5-acre green space that contains all the necessary amenities to make it a worthwhile place to spend the day — a gazebo, benches, restrooms and a dinosaur-themed playset. The area, at Northeast 52nd Street and Northeast 137th Avenue, serves as an open, lively space for aspiring archaeologists and dog walkers alike.
Apart from its colorful exterior, the park holds a deeper history beneath the surface that is now portrayed through its name. Although it isn’t a tale as old as dinosaurs, it’s one of great value to historically underrepresented groups in the community.
“Nikkei,” a term for Japanese emigrants and their descendants, pays homage to the local Japanese American truck farmers who grew their crops in the early 20th century and were mistreated during World War II. Vancouver Parks and Recreation and a park naming committee comprised of city residents oversaw the park’s renaming process. They hope the pilot project can transform the way parks reflect the community, said committee member Holly Williams.
“Part of the effort was to try to bring to light stories that are not told usually,” she said.
Vancouver Parks and Recreation is hosting an event at 7 p.m. July 15 at Nikkei Park to celebrate its renaming, which the Vancouver City Council officially adopted in September 2021. Alton Takiyama-Chung will share traditional Japanese tales and local groups will perform.
A park’s title is typically a default of what its neighboring developments are. Nikkei Park’s previous placeholder name, North Image, was derived from North Image Elementary, which was loosely named after Lewis and Clark, Williams said.
The duo’s record is well-documented and inescapable in the region — a story that doesn’t need further retelling. Renaming the park to acknowledge the unjust incarceration of its past residents seemed more valuable, she said.
Todd Yuzuriha, a committee member and third-generation Japanese American, said it’s vital for a community to remember the past — even if it is painful.
“People from every cultural background can be thankful for the hard work and sacrifices made by previous generations to make our lives better,” he said. “I am thankful for the previous generations of my family.”
Yuzuriha’s grandparents immigrated from Japan more than 100 years ago. His paternal grandparents were forced from their home in Portland and imprisoned at Minidoka, an internment camp in Idaho, and his mother’s side of the family was moved from their farm in Wapato to Heart Mountain, Wyo. However, it wasn’t until Yuzuriha was older that he learned about what his grandparents faced at the encampments.
“(My grandparents) definitely did not want to talk about it,” he added. “They just wanted to put that behind them.”
The small farms dedicated to harvesting strawberries, cabbages, and other produce were scattered around the area. Goods were sold in corner stores and markets throughout the county, making the farms central to the community’s food source. By 1930, 47 percent of Clark County truck farmers were Japanese American, a population that was upended during World War II, according to city staff.
Following attacks on Pearl Harbor, President Franklin Roosevelt issued an executive order in 1942 to move West Coast residents who were perceived as security threats to internment camps. Internees were allowed to return home in 1945, with the last being released in 1946.
Clark County was not exempt from the nationwide forcible removal of Japanese American residents. They were required to abide by curfews and travel restrictions, had their homes raided and were placed in internment camps. There were 19 recorded Japanese American households in Clark County in 1940. Only one family returned after being released from their imprisonment.
Nikkei Park’s name is meant to remember those who succumbed to this discrimination while honoring their legacy and impact in the region.
