2016-07-29 BDHRA Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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The last thing I wanted to comment on is I really think we need to involve‒‒I don’t have a problem with the conceptual plan now that I understand what you’re saying, but I think we really need to involve, and start having some brainstorm sessions with the local hālau and cultural organizations. Because I think if they can take ownership of the development of that community cultural, non-profit, coordinated way, then I think we could‒‒that could be viewed as an economic and activity generator. So for example, if the hālau got together and the facility was able to provide a base of support where they could actually have practices, they could have, they could operate activities. The tourists come down‒‒this is totally brainstorming and sometimes it’s dangerous that I verbalize some thoughts, but I’m going to try to do it anyway. So maybe a particular hālau would give ukulele lessons, sell ukuleles in a particular shop, another one could do tapa demonstrations and sell products and, you know, another hālau, maybe they could all pool their money for fundraising aspects of it and then you can actually have a center of activity where it would be exciting for tourists to walk and visit. It would be some type of‒‒like a living cultural practitioner village of some sort. But the only way for that to be explored is for those practitioners and non-profits and hālau to actually think it’s a good idea and take ownership of it. Perhaps that is something down the road and not really for a conceptual plan, but I would be supportive of something like that. Those are some of my comments. Thank you. Anybody else want to say anything else? Barry? TANIGUCHI: Couple questions. Have you, or has discussions begun with the ice house and HELCO in terms of their facilities? What are their plans? KANUHA: No, not that I’m aware of. TANIGUCHI: Shouldn’t we? I mean, I don’t know that HELCO needs their plant there, but I don’t know if the ice house could be moved someplace else. KANUHA: Well, we’ve had interaction with HELCO on their plant, we’ve had interaction with Alan Kimi from Seaside, we’ve also had supportive testimony from the Benda family trust that owns the private parcel that’s over there. Those comments have all been supportive in terms of whether they see themselves going in this plan, but we haven’t had any feedback one way or the other from the ice house. We’re not really sure where that would fit in here. The only comment that we’ve had is from the Lili‘uokalani Park committee and their view is that repurposing the ice house as a focal point for the park in terms of support services for the park, kind of like a visitor center for the park component, that was a thought that was expressed by them. DELIMA: I’d like to comment. When Mayor Yamashiro was mayor, there was some discussion about relocating the ice house because, you know, you need ice for your community. And recently there was some discussion with some council members that I Page 12 of 20 Banyan Drive Hawai‘i Redevelopment Agency July 28, 2016 Minutes