Consul-General and Sakura Committee Chair Koichi Kawakami (right) along with Toronto Deputy Mayor Joe Pantalone (left) and TEDCO President Jeffrey Steiner plant a Sakura sapling on Cherry Street in Toronto's waterfront area.
Consul-General of Japan in Toronto Koichi Kawakami made his debut as the newest Chair of the Sakura Committee at the July 14 planting ceremony on Cherry Street marking the donation of 45 trees to the City of Toronto. "Because Sakura refers to Japanese flowering cherry trees, as you can imagine, we have been looking forward for some time to making our mark here at this location," Mr. Kawakami said in his speech at the event. "I am especially pleased that a planting at a site with such an auspicious name will mark the start of my time at the helm of this project."
The ceremony was attended by about 35 people, including Toronto Deputy Mayor Joe Pantalone and Jeffrey Steiner, President and CEO of TEDCO (Toronto Economic Development Corporation), a self-financing, arm's length, special purpose body of the City of Toronto that organized the donation to this particular location. Some members of the Sakura Committee were also present.
"Considering the importance of the waterfront's redevelopment to the future of Toronto, we are also very pleased to contribute in our small way toward enhancing this area," said Mr. Kawakami.
Mr. Pantalone and Mr. Steiner expressed their appreciation for the tree donation in their respective speeces, and afterwards, along with Mr. Kawakami unveiled the plaque marking the donation.
