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Home My WebLink AboutCOM 0850.001 2002-2004 Page I of 2 Robello, Alfred From: Miwa, Amy Sent: Thursday, January 20, 2005 8:28 AM To: Robello, Alfred Subject: FW: County Council Testimony for Hawaiian Touch Youth Volleyball -----Original Message----- From: KonaDorr247@aol.com [mailto:KonaDorr247@aol.com] Sent: Wednesday, January 19, 2005 10:43 PM To: counciltestimony@co.hawaii.hi./us; Miwa, Amy Subject: Re: County Council Testimony for Hawaiian Touch Youth Volleyball Aloha County Council, Thank you for taking the time to have our topic, accessing the Kona Community Gymnasium, apart of your agenda today. The obvious reasons for us raising the concern is the lack of facilities available to volleyball, or lack of facilities on this side of the Island.. Our program has been active now for 3 years and we have yet to be able to bring the children of our program into the Kona gym on a consistent basis. Currently, we have l day a week from 3 to 6pm devoted to our program and there is free play for volleyball from 6 to 8pm. 3 hours have been afforded to at least 6 age divisions, and a total 61 participants, practicing to compete in upcoming tournaments. Age divisions trying to access the Gym 12 and under girls team 12 and under boys team 14 and under girls team 16 and under girls team 18 and under girls team 18 and under boys team We now have 2 age other age divisions wanting to access the Kona Gym from a different program coming in from the South Kona, Milolii side of Kona. Space and time limited we are coming to you our City Council to resolve this issue. The gym is not currently being used on the weekends both Saturday and Sunday. We are asking the council to get us the use of the gym or provide a staff person at the gym for Saturdays and Sundays. We would like to access on the weekends from 8am to 4pm on both weekend days. I would like to suggest a way for us to sign out the key to the gym for the weekends, similar to what they do in Hilo and Waimea, to allow for us to access the Gym on the weekends. This would avoid any additional staffing concerns. We have tournaments the youth program is participating in both in Hilo, Honokaa, and Kohala to prepare for the upcoming Haili Youth Volleyball Tournament in March. Practice time is very limited and we need to have someone make a decision to open the gym on the weekends, now. The other issue is the lack of quality equipment provided by the Kona Community Gymnasium. Currently, there are 3 delapidated court net systems that no longer attach to the floor properly nor does the gymnasium have proper lines drawn for these 3 courts. Currently, there is only one court (center court) having the proper lines drawn on the floor but this is configured in such a way as to only allow Comm. Np' e Ref. To: 1/20/2005 13 1 - _ JAN Page 2 of 2 us to use one court, and not 3. With this many children practicing providing the proper equipment and upgrading the gym to accommodate volleyball is essential if community programs such as ours are to run successfully. Finally, the Kona Community needs more gymnasium type facilities. Currently, One Gymnasium to serve the entire north and south kona community is unacceptable. This community is too large to have only one gym. With Volleyball becoming ever more popular more and more teams wanting to access this one Gym, there is a serious short fall in available facilities for programs such as ours. Last night alone we had with the two programs, Hawaiian Touch(Hoopa Hawaii) and the South Kona group, approximately 80 to 90 children. These children are not the only participants, we have more divisions wanting access. The community programs such as ours are designed to help children to become better citizens, better individuals in life. Children are exposed to drugs, sex and violence in our community, especially with the current Ice epidemic on this side of the island. What we offer, our volleyball program, is another outlet for children of all ages to become involved in, to channel their energy in positive way. We teach strong values and stress the importance of family and school. Volleyball is very popular here in Hawaii and we are all now seeing the need for more recreational facilities up and running for this sport and others. We are looking for your help to push for new recreational facilities ( Gymnasiums) and to get us access to the Kona Community Gymnasium on the weekends, and to upgrade the Kona Gym to accommodate 3 courts, i.e. 3 new nets and pole systems, court separation nets and new lines. Lets make it happen! Sincerely, Jim Dorr Hoopa Hawaii Hawaiian Touch Youth Volleyball 1/20/2005