HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0840.001 2008-2010 August 2, 2010
Hawaii County Council — Planning Committee
Communication #
EnVision Downtown Hilo 2025: 5 -Year Action Plan Update
Testimony of Lauren Miyata
Good afternoon Chairman Ikeda and Members of the Council Planning Committee:
My name is Lauren Miyata. I am currently a college student at Washington University in St.
Louis, Missouri studying Architecture and interning with the County Planning Department this
summer. I've been helping out, primarily, with the EnVision Downtown Hilo 2025 project. I am
also a 2009 graduate of Hilo High School.
I was first involved with EnVision Downtown Hilo 2025 last year as a member of the Hilo High
School Key Club. Other members of the club and I were asked to voice our opinions about
Downtown Hilo. Seeing our opinions as youths heard and taken into consideration amidst a
group of older and wiser adults felt like such a great accomplishment; like we could really make
a difference in Downtown Hilo.
When I returned to Hilo a year later, I realized that participating was more than just a way of
making our opinions heard. EDH 2025 affects all of us since Downtown Hilo is our town and is
representative of what Hilo is in its entirety. It takes hard work, many hands, and input from the
entire community to successfully preserve its character. This mindset also mirrors the
architectural education I've received so far. It's important to involve the wider community in
planning for and creating our future. Why? Because the project will ultimately impact the
community and the way people interact with each other. Community involvement in the planning
process can add to or detract from the value of the final outcome. Working over this past summer
showed me that there are many, many partners within the community, including community
groups and government agencies, that are committed to the actions within the EDH 2025 Action
Plan. Today Hilo High School Key Club is a Lead Solution Partner in the Plan, which helps to
prove that we have the strength to mold Downtown Hilo into a thriving and special place that
many people hold dear in their hearts.
Thank you for allowing me to speak.
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Ab d 2 2010