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| From Showcase |
The H. U. Lee International Gate and Garden is tacked onto the east end of the Statehouse Convention Center. I have nothing against either gates or gardens, in fact, I enjoy gardens, but this space offered little of the welcoming ambiance one normal associates with greenspace in the middle of a city. It was more about H. U. Lee and martial arts than about nature and plants.
When I returned home and did a little online research, the garden made a lot more sense even if it didn't suddenly become more appealing. According to the Arkansas Times, H. U. Lee founded the American Taekwondo Association, which meets annually in Little Rock. The Lee family and ATA members donated the $1.4 gate to the city. I don't really see how the gate itself could cost $1.4 million – I may be wrong about that, though – so I assume that part of the money went to defray the cost of constructing the garden.
If I understood more about Taekwondo and martial arts in general, perhaps I'd better appreciate the garden, but as I see it, the garden is a just about adulation of Lee and Taekwondo, including a bust of Lee and a large wall listing Taekwondo masters. I wonder if the city of Little Rock would build a tribute garden to me if I donated $1.4 million to the cause? We'll never know.
There are a few more photos taken in and around the Statehouse Convention Center and during set up for Showcase here if anyone wants to have a look.
4 comments:
Hi Marvin,
I bet if you donated even 1 million they would build a tribute garden to you! LOL!
I too enjoy green spaces in cities but I also do not "get" this garden. I have been to Little Rock a few times. Mostly driving through!
Sherry
Sherry: If only a million bucks will do the trick, I'd better start saving right away. ;-)
Marvin if you donate 1.4 million dollars to me I will make sure there is a very tastefully created garden in your honor. The gate to the garden will be much talked about no doubt and you will be remembered for something more than a popcorn eating mantis. ;)
Well, Lisa, for $1.4 million, I really think you ought to be able to incorporate both popcorn and mantises into the gate/garden. A giant, bronze popcorn kernel maybe?
(Note: A bust of Orville Redenbacher would not be acceptable in my garden.)
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