CNS provides the right tool for the job

Construction employees create stainless steel rake blades to be used at Oak Ridge’s Friendship Bell Pavilion.

When Oak Ridge’s Friendship Bell Pavilion project was initiated, one of the proposed attractions to the site was a karesansui (pronounced car uh san swee) garden. The garden now is located in Oak Ridge at the International Friendship Bell Peace Pavilion in A.K. Bissell Park.

Karesansui gardens, a centuries-old Japanese tradition, feature sand or fine gravel raked in patterns around carefully placed boulders and stones, peaceful sites encouraging viewers to spend time in contemplation.

Pat Postma, co-chair of the International Friendship Bell Citizens Advisory Committee, created the gravel area for the garden, but she needed rakes for the volunteers to use maintaining the garden.

She asked Duane Starr, an Oak Ridge National Laboratory retiree, to design a rake, but his recommendation for the fabrication shouldn’t surprise anyone at Y-12.

“Duane came up with the idea of using stainless steel for the rake blades, thinking about durability and precision,” Postma said. Starr suggested contacting Y-12 to see if someone there could create the blades for the rakes, and Postma said CNS readily agreed.

With some 38 volunteers practiced in the art of Karesansui gardens, Postma said the three rakes provided by CNS are greatly appreciated. A smaller, second garden is being created for anyone from the community to practice raking the garden.