I have a small dream. The dream is that the Jefferson Park 18-hole golf course now situated in Jefferson Park on Beacon Hill will someday soon be the home of a new Seattle (and regional) treasure: the Jefferson Park Botanical Gardens (another proposed name is the Sone-Locke Gardens to recognize the author of Nisei Daughter--past resident, Monica Sone and our current governor, who also grew up on Beacon Hill, Gary Locke).

During the Phase II neighborhood planning process that the Beacon Hill community is currently involved in, it has become apparent that those interested in this project will need strong support from members of the botanical community to bring this dream to fruition. This will be a long- term project and won't happen overnight--but, I believe together we can create a beautiful garden which can eventually serve Seattle and other Washington State residents (and even tourists!). Seattle needs more open space and the Jefferson Park site is a perfect location for such a garden. A local precedent has already been set for this kind of transition--the Van Dusen Botanical Gardens in nearby Vancouver, B.C. To learn more about this exciting project, please contact me at 206-722-2256 or via e-mail at woza1@aol.com.

--Albert Kaufman