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RECREATIONAL <br />By MEREL S..SAGER, Park Planner, Natiolial Park. Service <br />Hilo has 'considerable beauty, perhaps not so much <br />of this area so that it will become more beautiful and <br />because of " any planning but because of existing hat- <br />receive a greater recreational use. - It is entirely in <br />ural, features such as its crescent bay, Cocoanut Island, <br />adequate as to size for a golf course although a prac- <br />views of Mauna Kea, Wailuku River and Waiakea River. <br />tice driving green' would be appreciated and receive <br />It:..0.0 'seem that Hilo has come to the place where <br />much use: because,; of its accessibility and ,because... <br />it must:. decide. whether the City is to just grow or <br />there usually is Iess: rain. here than at Kaumana Golf <br />whether there is to be regard for the <br />Club. The conditions seem: to be ideal for canoeing, . <br />.a .controlling <br />esthetic factors in this growth.: <br />picnicking, fishing and also swimming. <br />Barring nappy accidents, a town will never be more <br />Esthetically here.: is an unusually fine.. opportunity <br />beautiful:thaninterested citizens want it to. be.. Putting <br />to develop a placid lake or lagoon type of naturalistic <br />it another way, a,tdwn will have the degree of ugli- <br />park so much loved in many of the states but rare in <br />Hess ;that citizens. will tolerate.: <br />the Territory of Hawaii. <br />Residents. of Hilo are not: uranindful of esthetic con= <br />WAILUKU. RIVER. PARKS. _ The Wailuku. River' With.. <br />siderations as evidenced by''the concern they have ' <br />its fall s and picturesque gorge is a distinct seen ic :asset <br />shown in "beautifying then residential' grounds. 'There- <br />to Hilo. It possesses greater possibilities for recrea -. <br />fore, it "would "seam that'.if and.in, planting .trees and <br />tion'::than is "appreciated locally. Substan- . <br />ornamental shrubs. along approach highways the com- <br />.generally, <br />tial. portions of both Sections 1 and.2 of Wailuku River <br />muiity is made familiar viwith a recreational area plan <br />Park: have been diverted "from park use ;arid. p0t <br />sh "owing the future esthetic opportunities the. various......:.. <br />.into. <br />cane by ::the Hilo Siigaz Company. ". With so., . <br />clubs arid.orgariizations would wholeheartedly'sponsor <br />,;sugar <br />hand in +sugar and so little land dedicated to recreation, <br />the wisdom " o f sueh :action: is questionable. So [ long <br />The plan itself:. is not `sufficient. There . must be <br />as large sections of :this land originally set aside for <br />entliusiasrrA and a determination on the .part of Ieadisig <br />park ;.rise are ":;;cultivated, ;:there is no;: opportunity to <br />citizens to carry it out, <br />... <br />create 'a Beautiful naturalistic park by planting of or= .. <br />WATER".FRONT:PARK... Hilo has.made.th e same mis- " <br />narxxental "":shrubs: "and "trees:: The = Wailuku River de- <br />sympathetic,. landscape treatment. It ' <br />take :that practically every': city with a water .front has <br />"great <br />.serves ;careful' <br />should again be put :to the 'use for which it is most <br />made It" lies failed" to realize .';that a "portion <br />valuable, recreational use <br />of.":.. the : Wdter ""front ..constitutes the ; front .door:: of .the <br />City.: <br />OMER RECREATIONAL ARRAS =Other recreational <br />From the standpoint of long -term esthetic planning <br />"water <br />areas such as cocoanut Island; Liliuokalam.P'arlq Kauai - <br />there' is no question but ;that the entire" front <br />kea0di pat-k; Waiakea Kai Keahu 'Beach Park, <br />from the" month of the.. Wailuku River, tothe area. oppo.= <br />"Cocoanut <br />„Park,: <br />pzhikai park, and Port Leleiwi 'ark should forever be <br />site Island should" be set aside as a" park for <br />"Substantial <br />retained n- d when possible =they shouldbe enlarged. .r <br />the recreational use of all ;the people . por,- <br />tions "o f this'; area :are- already. public: park, " other "por- <br />Bmikai'i' ark" which is used almost excluszveIy by Japa- <br />- " <br />bons :' are "open unused " "lots. . Of the.. "structures " "uppon <br />"of <br />nese is sufferixg from ;over use Hilo is especially lack- <br />ing. in play areas "such as. 'Lincoln Parr': A survey <br />this land none are: goad, permanent .quality- constiftic- <br />.a, <br />should be made of available land various parts of <br />Lion" with "the exception of the newly constr cted Hilo <br />.ui <br />the City:' which can be.?,developed for"play areas. These <br />Theatre.., "" <br />There, will' be no ?better time to start :'acquiring this <br />need not be Iarge but;they should be' widely distributed <br />SO that children need not ` walk" :more. ":than several <br />property .than now as each, year" the cost. will increase: <br />blocks to reach. them and need riot cross dangerous <br />The retail,stores :in the northwest end of the,.proposed <br />"che.a <br />traffic lanes.::. No' new homestead" "areas should be <br />ark,: are for", most art false. front frame <br />p _ Pa ,. p�..a <br />opened"rwithout sufficient "areas reserved :for recrea <br />buildings , " :Many ;of " the ,structures east of Mocheau <br />tion. <br />Park` ale :of: the barn;like, ware= house,- storage type: <br />Facilities "should be:;proyided at Reeds Bay to make <br />What an unfortunate use for the: area .between Hilo's <br />this attractive cove ideal as a yacht harbor <br />busiest street and <tlie shore"of beautiful:Hilo Bays <br />"planned <br />It shauld be resolved by :officials; arici alert "citizens <br />After acquisition. e area "should be carefully <br />alike that established parks shalii not be fair ?prey <br />b aprofessionaIl trained.landsca e, architect?or <br />y y,; p park <br />vrhenever a Ideation is being for a public ox,gixasi- <br />planner to unsure "tile maximum in use.and beauty and <br />the minimum m"ohanges'and maintenance." " <br />"sought <br />ublic buildin No city" has too man <br />P g} y parks. There - <br />It is: unfortunate :.that .the.:tracks of.'the :Hawaii "Con- .. <br />fore"those in existence" should be diligently retained. <br />soiiclated Railway' " Ltd.; "extend "the length of the- area <br />FUTURE: RECREATIONAL. AREAS: `= The "Master Plan <br />With,the present locationof the railway:: car barn and <br />of Hilo skiould provide additional large areas: for park use, <br />shop. of the east. side of :town and the need for rail- <br />"easy <br />It does :not the "City is in a <br />way service: to the piers 'there ;is no" solution; to <br />.matter'.greatIy;whether, .. <br />position:: to large parks now. However, sit is <br />the problem rof removing :..the tracks from the potential <br />,develop <br />" <br />highly; important that the necessary land be . set a ide <br />water front park although this can be done at consid- <br />expense. However;` file business of the railroad <br />so that lit will be availaBle'" for parr use wlieri the <br />creole <br />proper. time for development: comes': <br />is decreasing. There were ..14,077 fewer .tons of.. freight <br />With.. the aiiundant rainfall in Hilo, and the great. <br />hauled in 1937 than m- 1930 and .passenger .traffic de "- <br />variety" bf vegetation available, most any`area can be <br />creased from 131 476 in ;1930 to ` 25,902: in 1937 U.n- <br />transformed in a short while ;into a -thing of`beauty: <br />doubtedly this decrease . has been. brought about by; <br />Excellent parks" may humble beginnings.: The <br />mcreased truck azid bus :':traffic With' the constant. <br />"have: <br />famous :'Butchart Gardens ,near ;Victoria, B.C., were. <br />-. improvement of the Hainakua Coast Highway ;perhaps <br />ziiade in the unsightly quarry excavated fo.r the menu - ' <br />in time the x.ailway: problem will solve itself. <br />facture of cement, world -famed Golden" Gate Park in <br />The' creation of this .water -front park,'aside"from the <br />San ,Francisco' was .made . on,:what was`. considered . <br />great': re creational value it` would': afford; ".will do more <br />waste land because the constantly 'shifted.,. the <br />to provide Hilo with!. the stamp of:beauty'than anything <br />"sand <br />World's`Fair. Grounds; in New York, which wiii" even- <br />which has been done heretofore :and ;indeed" anything: <br />tixally: be Flusning Paxlc, was built .on" the `city dump: <br />else"that may be done i i the future." No city has ever' <br />Hilo :people 'can be heard" lamenting" the fact:'that <br />had a grander opportunity to distill ish'itself: esthetically <br />i- An „:U. T- T41- :.{41.- 4::..n4,<_4 ..l <br />only a` dribbling of the tourist' crop'comes.to the Island <br />rir____, <br />