Near the southwest corner of the large park is a circular rose garden, the roses for which were donated to the city by Mrs. Meryl Matthews. First opened on May 8, 1982, the garden was re-dedicated August 1999 and is now officially
Peter Wing Rotary Rose Garden to honour former Kamloops Mayor
Peter Wing (the first mayor in North America of Chinese descent).
Born May 4, 1914 as the son of a landless Cantonese peasant, Peter passed away on December 27, 2007.
Peter was born in 1914 and went to Stuart Wood School and excelled but eventually left school to work for his father who had started a grocery business, married Kim Kwong of Revelstoke in 1932 and became an active member of the Kamloops Board of Trade in 1934.
Being civic-minded, Peter joined many organizations such as the Rotary Club of Kamloops which he joined in 1942, serving as president in 1976-77. As well, he has been involved with the Chamber of Commerce and Union of BC Municipalities.
In 1958 Peter ran for political office and was elected the first public official of Chinese descent of any major city in North America. Following two more successful aldermanic elections, in 1965 he became mayor, the 28th mayor of Kamloops. Peter won two more terms and retired in 1972.
During his term of office, Peter worked for the amalgamation of North Kamloops and Kamloops (North Shore and South Shore). In 1972 he was made Freeman of the City and a member of the Order of Canada in 1976.
From Heroes of Confederation
A plaque, mounted in 1995, has been placed at the garden to honour Mrs. Matthews and reads as follows:
THIS ROSE COLLECTION HAS BEEN
DONATED TO THE CITY OF KAMLOOPS
BY MRS. MERYL MATTHEWS, A ROSE
ENTHUSIAST AND SUPPORTER OF
BEAUTIFICATION PROJECTS IN
KAMLOOPS.
DUE TO HER ACTIVE COMMUNITY
SERVICE SHE HAS BEEN HONOURED AS
A "FREEMAN OF THE CITY."
APRIL 1995