Petiton started to bring the ‘town' back to SLC's Japantown
This petition follows the recent announcement that Salt Lake County approved the sale of 6.5 acres of the Salt Palace for a new entertainment district, as well as Delta Center Renovations.
The petition says its purpose is to activate 100 South Japantown Street with 'Japanese businesses, restaurants, and artist space within the Sports, Entertainment, Culture and Convention District, especially for any commercial space facing Japan Town Street.'
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'The whole thing that I have been focusing on is trying to reinvigorate the commercial aspect on that street, especially because the Smith Entertainment Group has mentioned that they will activate first south, and there's not that many specifics,' Clarissa Park, who started the petition, said. 'But to me, I just hope that they would activate it with commercial space and that they would prioritize Japanese businesses on Japantown Street.'
Over two thousand people lived in Japantown before it was destroyed in the late 1960s when the Salt Palace Convention Center was built. It spanned across 100 South in Salt Lake City. Now, only a smart part of it remains, west of the Salt Palace, with the honor title 'Japantown Street.' The Salt Lake Buddhist Temple and the Japanese Church of Christ exist as landmarks that reflect the town's history. Yearly, Nihon Matsuri and the Obon Festival are celebrated in Japantown, focusing on Japanese culture and beliefs.
Park wrote another petition about Japantown last year, focusing on , known as the Capital City Revitalization Zone, and asking that the Japanese American community be involved in the Participation Agreement between Smith Entertainment Group and the Salt Lake City Council. This petition received over 5,000 signatures. Park hopes the new one can reach the same amount.
Park said that she lived half her life in L.A., and half in Utah, and was inspired by the celebration of cultural diversity she saw there.
'When I moved back, I saw that they had named 100 South between 2nd and 3rd West Japantown Street. I was like, 'Oh, that's so cool,'' she said. 'But where's the 'town' in Japantown? All that's left are the two churches. Coming from L.A., which is so culturally and ethnically diverse, it just made me really want to try to bring elements of what I experienced there back to Salt Lake because I know how ethnically rich Salt Lake is, too.'
Park writes in the new petition that it remains imperative that the Salt Lake Buddhist Temple, Japanese Christian Church, and Japanese Garden remain protected and preserved as historical beacons and remaining pieces of Japantown, along with additions to celebrate the local Japanese community.
'I would love a place for me and my family to go to just on a whim. We don't have to be dependent on there being a festival happening or anything else,' she said. 'I just really saw this as an opportunity to get involved in the community again and hopefully raise awareness.'
Park is grateful for all the support the petitions have received, and is asking people to continue spreading the word. Tonight, May 9, there will be an opportunity to sign the petition in person at Sugarhouse Coffee during the Sugarhouse Art Walk from 6 – 9 p.m.
To learn more, visit the SLC Japantown Instagram.
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Petiton started to bring the 'town' back to SLC's Japantown
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