Laserfiche WebLink
II <br /> ®ilNtYeoc hk I <br /> COUNTY OF IIAWAI`I STATE OF HAWAII <br /> BILL NO. 98 <br /> ORDINANCE NO. <br /> AN ORDINANCE NAMING THE RODEO ARENA GNDSTAN AT THE <br /> PANA`EA EQUESTRIAN CENTER THE "ALVIN `AL' CABRAL RODEO ARENA <br /> GRANDSTAND" IN HONOR OF ALVIN "AL" CABRAL AND AMENDING CHAPTER <br /> 15, ARTICLE 8, SECTION 15-68.1, OF THE HAWAII COUNTY CODE 1983 (2016 <br /> EDITION, AS AMENDED), BY AMENDING THE PARKS AND RECREATIONAL <br /> FACILITY SCHEDULE TO REFLECT THIS ACTION. <br /> E IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE COUNTY OF HAWAII: <br /> SECTION 1. The purpose of this ordinance is to name a rodeo arena grandstand located <br /> within the Pana`ewa Equestrian Center at the Pana`ewa Recreational Complex, situated in Hilo, <br /> District of South Hilo, Island and County of Hawaii, State of Hawaii, in honor of Alvin"Al" <br /> Cabral. <br /> Alvin"Al"Paul Cabral was born on June 15, 1947, in `Ola`a. He resided at 591 <br /> Alawaena Road in Hilo, Hawaii until he passed away on September 8, 2020. He previously <br /> served in the Hawaii Army National Guard and retired as an electrical engineer from Hawaii <br /> Electric Light Company after a career that spanned 27 years. As a charter member and long-time <br /> president of the Hawaii Horse Owners Association, Al spent the last 27 years of his <br /> extraordinary life maintaining a safe space and coordinating events for Hilo's equestrian <br /> community. <br /> Planning for Hilo's first rodeo grew out of a desire to revive the equestrian sporting scene <br /> that was once popular during the Monarchy era. Originally hosted at the former Ho`olulu <br /> Racetrack and Grandstand, currently the Ho`olulu Recreational Complex, all equestrian activities <br /> were moved to Pana`ewa after a land exchange by the County in 1973, thus creating the <br /> Pana`ewa Equestrian Center. Though frequently used by the community, it was not until the <br /> formation of the Hawaii Horse Owners Association in 1993 that the center began to live up to <br /> its potential. By undertaking the kuleana of transforming and maintaining the site, Al and the <br /> association aimed to make it a safe and operational place that could host a variety of functions. <br /> The early years of the association featured rodeos, chariot races, and horse races. For their first <br /> horse race, held in conjunction with the Merrie Monarch Festival in 1995, Al worked diligently <br /> with local haulers and constructors who donated their time to improve the area's infrastructure. <br /> Their combined efforts ultimately resulted in an event that attracted upwards of 5,000 spectators. <br /> As the popularity of the sport increased, the Hawaii Horse Owners Association directed <br /> their efforts towards planning the annual Pana`ewa Stampede Rodeo, with Al serving as a <br /> director. As a director, he continued to develop connections with private/public entities and <br /> community volunteers to generate support to continue to improve the arena. A few of his many <br /> achievements include acquiring and assembling light poles within a single day, securing ADA- <br /> compliant bleachers to accommodate growing crowds, and providing a pavilion to shade <br /> audiences. <br />