Don't destroy Yoyogi Park!

Tokyo has few parks compared to other world cities. More trees, not more concrete, is what everyone wants. Well, perhaps not everyone? Terrie Loyd's article about the possibility of a plan to destroy Yoyogi Park raises some good points and even includes suggestions what you can do to protest:

"... it was with some shock that we read on Oct 29 in the Yomiuri Shimbun of a 1 trillion yen Tokyo government plan to possibly raze the park and build an Olympic stadium, should Tokyo win the right to host the 2016 Olympics. The plan, which was leaked by the Yomiuri and seemingly by no one else, appears to involve "redeveloping" 71.4 hectares of land that includes Yoyogi Park, and 35 hectares of the Outer Gardens of Meiji Shrine. In other words, pretty much every piece of greenery and most of the trees that form this oasis in Shibuya Ward."

Meanwhile, Reuters reports that Pat Schmitt, chairman of the IOC Sport and Environment Commission, said environmental issues are paramount in the bidding process and cities hoping to host Games must prove their competence in dealing with the environment. I hope Tokyo understands that it will not be able to destroy Yoyogi Park if the city is serious about hosting the Olympics.