HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0013.004 1996-1998
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KAWANANAKOARECREATIONAL COMPLEX Time____----y/--- BY------------ -
Date-------- ~ -q-Z-------°------
County Council
KEAUKAHA HAWAIIAN HOME LANDS RESIDENTIAL LAND
HUALANIPARK
BORDERED BY PUA AVENUE, TODD AVENUE, BAKER AVENUE AND
KEAUKAHA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ON DESHA AVENUE
THE KAWANANAKOA RECREATIONAL COMPLEX IS A PROJECT THAT IS
URGENTLY NEED. YOU HAVE HEARD MANY VOICES AND OPINIONS
EXPRESSED, AND TODAY, I ADDRESS YOU IN MATTERS THAT ARE OF
HISTORICAL NATURE.
I AM ELEANOR KALAWAI'A AHUNA. AS A KUPUNA, I AM OBLIGED TO
SHARE MY MANA'O WITH YOU ON SEVERAL POINTS.
1. KAWANANAKOA HALL WAS BUILT TO ACCOMMODATE THE NEEDS
OF A VERY SMALL COMMUNITY IN THE 19305 . IT SERVED AS A
GATHERING PLACE FOR MEETINGS, LUAUS, SOCIAL AFFAIRS, PASSIVE
GAMES, AND ALSO SERVED AS A PRESCHOOL KINDERGARTEN WHERE
MANY OF OUR CHILDREN WERE FIRST INTRODUCED TO THEIR ABC's.
KAWANANAKOA HALL WAS LOCATED IN A HOLLOW WHERE THE HILO
SEWER PLANT IS LOCATED ON KALANIANAOLE AVE. I AM SURE YOU
HAVE ALREADY HEARD MANY TIMES ABOUT HOW T'HE 1946 APRIL FOOL'S
DAY TIDAL WAVE LITERALLY PICKLED UP THAT ENTIRE STRUCTURE AND
SET IT UP ON HIGHER GROUND ON THE BREAKWATER ROAD BLOCKING
KALANIANAOLE AVENUE LEAVING ENOUGH ROOM FOR ONLY ONE WAY
TRAFFIC . THE HALL WAS SAVED FOR OUR COMMUNITY. LATER ON, IT
WAS TAKEN TO ITS PRESENT SITE. NOW, THAT'S HISTORY THAT
EVERYBODY KNOW S.
NOW LET'S REHEARSE OUR COMMUNITY HISTORY SINCE THE RISE OF
KEAUKAHA'S REVITALIZATION IN THE EARLY 70'S.
1. EFFORTS WERE MADE TO CREATE A LIGHT INDUSTRY/
COMMERCIAL AREA IN KEAUKAHA CREATING GREAT STRESS ON OUR
COMMUNITY. WERE IT NOT FOR THE CONSCIENTIOUS, PERSEVERING
EFFORTS OF T'HE KEAUKAKA PANAEWA COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION
BOARD MEMBERS AND MY HUSBAND ALBERT K. AHUNA SR., KEAUKAHA
WOULD HAVE BEEN LOST US AS OUR RESIDENTIAL 'HOME' LANDS.
2. WE HAVE SUFFERED AND ENDURED THE STENCH OF THE SEWAGE
SYSTEM HERE IN KEAUKAHA FOR YEARS, AND EVEN WITH OUR MANY,
MANY COMPLAINTS, ONLY ANOTHER INTRUSION ON OUR AINA HAS
ALLEVIATED OUR PROBLEM WHICH WAS TRULY YOURS TO BEGIN WITH.
x0. 13 . o~
l7le xo. FN D
~q, ~~Presented co .,v~,~
int. FEB 7 1997
3. THIS BRINGS ME TO THE MOST DELICATE SITUATION THAT
EVERYONE WANTS TO DANCE AROUND, AND THAT IS THE ISSUE OF
FUNDING TO BUILD A NEW STRUCTURE TO REPLACE OUR DEAR FRIEND,
KAWANANAKOA HALL. I WOULD ADMONISH YOU ALL AS OUR ELECTED
SERVANTS , TO DELVE INTO YOUR ARCHIVES AND SEE NST HOW MUCH
MONEY THE COUNTY OF HAWAII SAVED WHEN IT WAS ALLOWED TO
BUILD THE WASTE WATER EXTENSION SYSTEM, TAKING IT TO THE AREA
WHERE IT IS NOW SITUATED! WITHOUT THIS ,THE COUNTY OF HAWAII
WAS BEING FINED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR ITS
NONCONFORMING TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS LAWS. I
BELIEVE IT WAS AT $1,000.00 A DAY, AND THEN CHECK AND SEE HOW
MUCH MONEY THE COUNTY SAVES BY COMING ON THE HAWAIIAN HOME
LANDS TO LAY THE SEWER LINES TO GO TO ITS PRESENT SITE. YOU
REALLY NEED TO DO A LOT OF HOME WORK ON THIS PROJECT.
THE COUNTY OF HAWAII, PARKS AND RECREATIONAL DEPARTMENT
IS NOW ENTERING INTO THE FINAL MONTHS OF ITS 21 YEARS LICENSE TO
UTILIZE KAWANANAKOA HALL AND HUALANI PARK AS A PART OF ITS
COUNTY PARK SYSTEM, AND REQUESTING AN EXTENSION TO FURTHER
USE IT . IT HAS SERVED US AND OUR COMMUNITY VERY AND WE DO
APPRECIATE ALL THE SERVICES ,HOWEVER, AT THE SAME TIME ,THE
GENERAL HILO COMMUNITY HAS ALSO BEEN A VERY ACTIVE PART OF
KAWANANAKOA'S PAST 21 YEARS AND BEFORE THAT TOO.
THE HAWAII TRIBUNE HERALD REPORTED THAT THIS WOULD BE A
COUNTY OWNED GYM . AND IT ALSO REPORTED THAT HAWAIIAN
AGENCIES SHOULD HELP FUND THE BUILDING. HAVE YOU HAD ANY
OTHER ETHNIC CULTURAL GROUPS OR ORGANIZATIONS HELP FUND THE
BUII,DING OF ANY OTHER COUNTY AREA RECREATIONAL STRUCTURES?
THE HAWAIIAN TRUSTS AND OR AGENCIES ALL HAVE THEIR PURPOSES
FOR BEING. WE IN OUR HAWAIIAN COMMUNITIES THROUGH OUT THE
STATE REACH OUT TO THEM FOR ECONOMIC, SOCIAL EDUCATIONAL ,
ECONOMICAL DEVELOPMENTAL NEEDS AND OTHERS . PLEASE LOOK
INTO YOUR OWN AUTHORITY FOR THE FUNDS NEEDED HERE. THAT'S
YOUR KULEANA. WE, THE PEOPLE HIItED YOU TO DO THIS AND MANY
OTHER JOBS FOR US, AND WE HAVE PUT OUR TRUST INTO YOU TO DO
THESE MIRACLES. WE SHALL PRAY ALONG WITH YOU FOR INCREASED
KNOWLEDGE AND COURAGE IN ALL YOU MUST DO.
WITH KINEST REGARDS AND MUCH ALOHA,
.~s~f~~JR ~~i~~~~~
ELEANO KALAWAI'A AHUNA