COM 0013.002 1996-1998 - Laserfiche WebLink

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1~1 ~~a ~ NO. 240 HILO. HAWAII, SUNDAY, OCTOBER 8. 1896 7 SECTIONS ~2 PAGES CENTER: Town to finally get new rec center From Page 1 Aina, a county recreation direr- ally. doing that. the question of the financing to tor, said she had been (rosnated in School children play in and On Friday, a community design us." attemprs to gain initial seed money around the hall daily, athletic workshop is being planned from 4 Yamashiro said the fundin¢ of 55,000 from the county adman- teams hold practice within its to 10 p.m. at Ne hall. The work- question is "resolvable" once the istration for plans. walls, [oumamenLt ate played in shop will help identify the comma- community determines where the She's also watched the decaying the ballticlds surtounding the hall pity's desires and requimmenrs for new hall should be lonced. i building deteriorate further during and social events arc held inside. anew recreation center. He said the community should the pazt three years because other Prior to 1946, the original hall On Saturday, proceeds from a not worry too much about design at facilities have had priority, she was located at the prcsem site of makahiki at the park adjacent to this point but should resolve the ~ said. the sewer treatment plant on Kola- the hall will go coward funding the location question first. ~ Aina said the plumbing and nianaole Avenue. constronion of a new hall. Yamazhiro said he doesn't agree klectrical systems are cares 1946, The April 1, 1946, tsunami Aina said in tht past, she hasn't with Aina that Kawananakoa has 'j - Tats live beneath the hall and bath- knocked the hall off its foundation, had any commitment from the been rteglened az the coumy haz ' ' 'rooms arc so outdated [haI it has but it was rebuilt at its present tounry administration on a funding maintained two full-time recre- becomedangerous for children and location on Hawaiian Home lands mechanism to build a new hall. anon directors at the facility. adults to use. on Baker Avenue. But that apparently changed And money may not be going ' "I Ceel for same reason Kcauka- Discussions o[ rebuilding the Thursday when she and another into maiotenantt because plans are ' ha has been neglMed," she said. hall date back to 1978. The follow- Hawauan leader me[ with Mayor in the works fm a new facility, he For example, the door to the ing year the legislature appropria[- Steve Yamashiro. said bathroom is an older model that ed 5881,000 for planning and too- "There's support for a Cacility in Aina said Councilman Elroy can lock a person inside. stmction, but the money wu the arcs," Yamashiro said. "I think Osorio haz used money from his "I was locked in when I first diverted to other projects, accord- they need a new facility." disanionary funds for upgrading came back," she said. "1 drove in ing to a written proposal by orga- He said the first priority is to handicap access to the hall and nth- ' one Saturday and my cousin was niters. determine the location of the new er programs. locked in." Aina said she had been told in hall and whether the surrounding Aioa said she w~az planning to Aina said that Kawananakoa the past that it's up to the comma- ba0fields need to be relocated. rcrirc from her job a couple of j{all is the coos[ used community oily to take tht lead is planning Onx that's determined, "then years ago but she wants to stay to recreational facility in the county and fundin¢ the new hall. we can work on tht financial see the projen through. with 124.00(1 people using it aorta- Aina said the community is aspects." Yamashiro said. "leave "It's my mission now," she said. Keaukaha to get - f- - - new $2.4 million ' ~ recreation center Y...: - 8y Cryatel Kua Tribune-Mereld Luella Aina has worked at county reveazion- al fatalities in different parts of Eazt 11aw~aii for _ 31 years. - Btu it broke her heari when she was assigned in 1993 In Kawanmtakoa Hall in her hometown of K<aukaha. She found aging electrical and plumbing svs- ttms, rat infestation, termite-cmen wood and other problems -all within what she says is the most used community recreational facility m [hc county. "The place is unhcabhy and unsafe:'.4ina said. "When 1 came home, my heart cried for the people down here:' Plans arc now under way to build a new hall at an estimated cost c[ newly 53.4 million. FN p/tote ey WNrbm r^0 See CENTEfl, From left, CaItW N/rtson, Kalena Heili, Daven Feary and Kainoa Crum play outside Page 6 Kawananakoa Hall in Keatdraha