March 16, 2025
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Seven koi fish added to Ashland Japanese Garden pond

Mark DiRienzo (center), a volunteer in the garden and a Japanese Garden Committee member, gets ready to release one of the seven koi into the pond. Bob Palermini photo
June 8, 2023

Colorful carp acclimated to water temperature before being released Tuesday

Ashland.news staff report

One of the missing pieces of the new Ashland Japanese Garden in Lithia Park was put in place Tuesday as seven large koi were brought to Ashland by Jeff Mangin. His family gifted more than $1.3 million to create an authentic Japanese garden for the people of Ashland.

Chris Benoit, park tech (left), and Noelle Parks, park tech for the Japanese Garden (center), carry a box containing one of the koi to the pond under the watchful eye of Jeff Mangin. Bob Palermini photo

Mangin picked the koi up in Sacramento earlier in the day and drove them to Ashland. The koi floated in the pond in the plastic bags they traveled in for over 20 minutes to acclimate them to the temperature of the pond.

The reconstructed garden reopened in October after being closed for two years. Toru Tanaka, former director of the Portland Japanese Garden, designed and helped build the space.

Jeff Mangin watches the Koi swim in the pond. Mangin and the family of his late wife, Beatrice, granted $1.3 million dollars toward the construction and operation of the garden. Bob Palermini photo

In Japanese, koi is a homonym for another word that means “affection” or “love,” according to an article about koi on the Portland garden website; koi are therefore symbols of love and friendship in Japan. Koi can live very long lives, but the average lifespan is about 25-30 years-old in most ponds, the article adds.

Email Ashland.news Executive Editor Bert Etling at [email protected] or call or text him at 541-631-1313.

Sulaiman Shelton, Ashland Parks & Recreation Commission Volunteer & Event Coordinator (left) and Sean Sullivan, APRC operations manager (center) get ready to take a koi out of its plastic shipping bag and release it into the pond at the Japanese Garden. Bob Palermini photo
The koi floated in the pond in the plastic bags they traveled in for over 20 minutes to acclimate them to the temperature of the pond. Bob Palermini photo
Once acclimated, the koi were removed from the plastic bags and returned to the pond. Bob Palermini photo
Jeff Mangin (center) released the first Koi into the pond. He picked the Koi up in Sacramento earlier in the day and drove them to Ashland. Bob Palermini photo
A child who was lucky enough to see the koi released into the pond waves as they swim by. Bob Palermini photo
Shortly after its release into the pond, one of the koi explores its new home at the Japanese Garden in Lithia Park. Bob Palermini photo
Picture of Bert Etling

Bert Etling

Bert Etling is the executive editor of Ashland.news. Email him at [email protected].

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