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I no longer take the flight up there due to the place being totally ruined.... KEEP COUNTRY COUNTRY.
Right -- keep everything "country". Well, except for the airport. And the highway to the airport. And the Walmart, because someone has to subsidize the "country lifestyle".
a lot of you came here to get away from something, don't create that something here.
"A lot of you" can't exist in a vacuum, we have to shop, work, eat... so really, the problem is that people are moving here, and some of them are having children. The only way to stop development is to close the island so nobody else can move in.
the influential people of this island decided that the only major towns would be Hilo and Kona
Ah, so bumper-to-bumper traffic on the only roads to these towns is "country living", and a shopping center anywhere else is automatically "sprawl development". Got it.
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I think a lot of you came here to get away from something, don't create that something here. Seems like common sense, but I guess it's not.
When I moved to Maui in 1987 I met someone on his way to Australia because Maui he felt, had become too commercialized. Not as good as it used to be in the '70's when you could throw down a mat and camp under the kiawe trees at Big Beach. I'm sure you could find people in 2015 who would say the same thing about Maui now as compared to 25 years ago.
There's a great discussion in the movie Almost Famous, set in 1973:
It's just a shame you missed out on rock 'n' roll. It's over.
Over?
It's over. You got here just in time for the death rattle. Last gasp. Last grope.
At least I'm here for that.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4Y5OojxyEw
"I'm at that stage in life where I stay out of discussions. Even if you say 1+1=5, you're right - have fun." - Keanu Reeves
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I had hoped that the new (intended) park in Pahoa would include a couple acres for a professional campground.
That's a great idea. Even an amateur campground for the time being while the county waits to see if they'll proceed with the park. How much can a lawn, some showers, and port-o-potties cost? Charge $5 or $10 a night to cover expenses. Put Mr. Lee in charge of the project and he'd have backpackers singing Kumbayah around the campfire in a week.
"I'm at that stage in life where I stay out of discussions. Even if you say 1+1=5, you're right - have fun." - Keanu Reeves
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Just be careful for what you wish for.
Born&Raised Hawai'i Island
Some good ideas here, love that idea of yours Rob. Personally I would like to see a very nice camping area set up across from lava tree park. The area is nicely located out of town a bit and close to most of the ocean activities. Maybe some raised platforms for some sights or views of the ocean, some nature trails for biking, jogging,and walking. Aqua fishing farms, a visitors center with interesting bits of area history, maybe a small food court with mostly Hawaiian treats or foods grown and made locally. Anyway this is highly unlikely on that section of paradise because geothermal sits there currently. Maybe geothermal could build and power the visitor center while sharing details of Hawaiian energy put to community use. Seeing some of those pictures of Iceland's geothermal with tourist swimming and enjoying themselves in some of the cleanest waters is hard to forget.
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HOTPE, if only you knew how good it was back in the good ol days. And if it has changed this much in 30 years I'm guessing we got about 30 more before we look just like Southern California/o'ahu.
Born&Raised Hawai'i Island
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Just be careful for what you wish for.
As far as wishing for more or less development, I don't have an opinion because, honestly, I'm not in a position to affect it one way or the other.
As far as my mainland background goes, this is what I posted previously in another topic:
The place I moved away from had no big box stores. You could buy a house at the time I left for under $20,000. Gas is now $1.50 a gallon cheaper there than it is in Hilo. I didn't lock my house doors, or car doors. When on rare occasion there was a robbery, we talked about it for a week or longer, in disbelief.
That's the mainland too.
"I'm at that stage in life where I stay out of discussions. Even if you say 1+1=5, you're right - have fun." - Keanu Reeves
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So we are on the last grope. Lol . Just wish it would never end, but what is the saying? All good things MUST come to an end.
Born&Raised Hawai'i Island
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Why did you leave??! Sounds like the only reason would be for weather? I've been to Wisconsin in winter so I have an understanding of why people would want to get away from it. Brrrrrrrr
Born&Raised Hawai'i Island
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Brrrrrrrr
Exactly right. The last winter I lived there we had a weekend with a foot of snow and two days at -35 degrees. The papers called it the storm of the century. Then one week later, another foot of snow and another day at -35 F.
If a camel could have survived in those conditions, it would have been the straw that broke it's back.
"I'm at that stage in life where I stay out of discussions. Even if you say 1+1=5, you're right - have fun." - Keanu Reeves
