HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0991.027 2016-2018 P/PVPRC.
Omit 'Pt I
From: Mickie S
To: Council Testimony
Cc: Miwa,Amy;Cooper; Richard
Subject: item 991&991.1 Na Hoa Holomoku Sailing on Hilo Bay
Date: Saturday,August 04,2018 7:56:45 PM
Aloha,
My name is Michelle Stava, and I have sailed and helped with sailing on Hilo
Bay for the last 7 years. When we moved to the Island the club was very small,
and hard to find as it was in an awkward spot next to Kamehameha Canoe clat. C)
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The club was moved to the other side of the drainage ditch to give us a bette g
space, and,provide the Canoe club with more space. This was done with the i'
help of County Parks and Rec. Finding this club, allowed me to learn how to sail
small boats, and spend more quality time on the water. I am not a paddler,
I love sailing. My husband and I love it so much, we helped to acquire 8 Toppgs
to share around the island and help teach the youth to sail. This spring and
summer we spent significant effort bringing in a youth sailing instructor to
teach 9 one week sessions. Our response was so over whelming we could not
accommodate all the children. We were also over whelmed by the lack of
support from Parks and Rec. We had to scale back our initial plans due to
concerns of being tossed off the beach, and went from a planned 12 weeks
down to 9 weeks.
While the club emphasis is on Ocean safety, and education, it is also
recreational. This club is cheaper than any program offered through Parks and
Rec. We charge $70/year for a family membership, for those without a
calculator that works out to roughly $5.84/month for an entire family. When I
go to the Senior center I pay more then this for Yoga! I have no idea what other
programs cost, but I would guess it is more then this amount. Without sailing, I
would be fat (not joking), I would have high blood pressure, and I would
probably be a diabetic (runs in the family). When I could not sail this winter due
to frequent thunder storms, I gained 15 lbs. and I was miserable. I am not a
paddler, but I thought the ocean and the bay was for all of us to share.
Parks and Rec, have accused our club of many things. I personally, am shocked,
angered and offended by what I have heard. Our club is a true non-profit. We
operate on a shoe string, and all money is funneled back into the club, be it
Comm. No. aq[i
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Ref. Dote AUG 0 7 2018
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boat maintenance, safety equipment, or fees to DLNR for moorings, and boat
registration. No member of the board, nor anyone helping with the day to day
running of the club is paid a salary, it is all voluntary.
If this club is forced off the beach, or forced to move at the whims of Parks and
Rec. (i.e. "when ever they need to do maintenance") Hilo, and the Big Island
will lose the ONLY Community sailing club on any of the islands. It will be a loss
to the entire community and there will never be anything as special as this on
the Bay again.
My questions are as follows:
1. What have we done that is wrong and who are we harming?
2. Is there no room for anything but Canoe's on the Beach, currently I count
at least 10 Halaus?
3. Why can they not tell us what "maintenance" they plan, or if they are
planning improvements, what they are? Why don't they ask us what our
club or the beach areas need? Picnic Pavilions, fresh water shower,
designated parking so it isn't a swamp....
4. Do the Canoe clubs have to move out while they do "maintenance"?
5. Why don't they return phone calls, or work with us to come to solutions?
6. When did Parks and Rec become a dictatorship? and who is directing
them to remove us?
7. What are they planning on replacing us with? More Canoe clubs? Which
one's need the space, and why is this the only place on the beach they can
go?
8. How does this make the bay front a better place for everyone? Emphasis
on everyone.
I know these questions are loaded, but I hope the County Council will ask them
anyway, on my behalf. I, unfortunately, will not be able to attend this meeting,
as I have a doctors appointment on the mainland, I must attend.
I know it is a long shot, but I am also hoping, the county council will consider a
measure, saying Sailing belongs on the Islands as Hawaiians could not have
come here without sails. I would also like them to set aside a small portion of
the Bay front for a Community Sailing Center. I know This would take time, but I
am hopeful, they will see there is room for all.
I appreciate the time you have taken to read this email, and hope you will share
it at the public meeting. Thank you again.
Sincerely,
Michelle Stava
mstava@hotmail.com
p.s. please feel free to contact me at (408)480-4303 Cell