Nelson’s Jim Sawada awarded provincial medal of good citizenship

Each year, the province awards a Medal of Good Citizenship to residents province-wide. This year’s list of winners includes Nelson’s Jim Sawada, who is being recognized for his work with Nelson’s Izu-Shi Friendship Society. 

According to a media release from the province, 21 people were awarded the medal this year, which recognizes those who demonstrate generosity, service, and acts of selflessness in their local communities. 

“Each one of these medal recipients has made their community a better place,” said Premier David Eby in the release. “They have shown kindness and generosity while making sacrifices for the benefit of others. Their contributions serve as a reminder to all of what we can do in ways large and small to improve life for everyone.” 

Sawada won the award because of his work building the Cottonwood Falls Friendship Garden and establishing Nelson as the sister city of his hometown, Izu-Shi, Japan.  

Sawada has lived in the Kootenays since the 1950s and says although winning the award is an honor, he wants to ensure the community is recognized with him for allowing him to achieve his goals. 

“I never expected to win this, and I’m kind of grateful, but at the same time, it wasn’t just my work. Hundreds of people in the town helped me to do this. So I’d like to share this with all the people that have helped me on this project.” 

Sawada was born in Vancouver but moved back to Japan just before World War Two. Shortly after the war ended, Sawada and his mother moved to the Kootenays to be with his father, who had been sent to a Japanese internment camp in the Slocan Valley. 

In 1986, Sawada explained that he helped establish Nelson as the official sister city of his hometown, Izu-Shi, Japan. In 2003, when the city proposed a garden project at Cottonwood Falls Park, Sawada had just retired and decided to get involved to pass his time. 

“It was my retirement project; I thought it would be just perfect for my pastime rather than completely retiring. So when the council decided to get a garden project going and selected Cottonwood, I organized the Garden Committee, and we went in to develop that,” he said.  

“I’m retired now, but I’m watching, and I think our future looks really good with new ideas and young energy. I’m pretty happy with what’s going on right now.” 

Sawada feels grateful to the community for all the opportunities he and his family have been given since they moved here and says that his involvement in the community was the least he could do to give back. 

“This town has been pretty good to me and my family. I have three children; they all received a good education and went on to post-secondary, and they’re all public servants now. So, I think it’s kind of my payback to this city for being good to me for the last many, many years.” 

Nelson’s Izu-Shi Friendship Society says it’s planning on hosting a medal presentation ceremony for Sawada in the coming months.