Groundbreaking - Pahoa District Park

[james weatherford]

quote:

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Originally posted by csgray

This park got approved and planned during Fred Blas' reign, and is a reflection of his priorities. For him, parks meant ball fields. So an expensive park with a disproportionate amount of the facilities going to a narrow audience is Fred's legacy in Puna.

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Again, Carol tells it like it is.

Remember? County P&R had come to HPPOA and told HPPOA that a 'community park' was on the offing if they would just let the County have 20 acres. County P&R insisted that what they wanted to build (a duplicate of what they were doing in Panaewa) was what was available, no matter that an HPPOA committee had surveyed the HPP community (where 25% of Puna population resides) and found different priorities. When the HPPOA balked at giving away the land without any firm commitments or timelines, Council Member Blas got the money changed to a park in Pahoa, where County P&R proceeded to do what they wanted (and what made $ for the connected builders/unions).

[kalakoa]

HPPOA balked at giving away the land without any firm commitments

Not the least of which was the desire for a "public" road to reach the "public" park...

[ericlp]

quote:

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Originally posted by Rob Tucker

There was a time some years back when, after a series of town meetings were held, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was entered into with Parks & Rec on the 56 acre park parcel. It required zero funding from the county and included a walking riding trail around the perimeter, a professionally run town camp ground and a few acres of a Hawaiian cultural village (off grid).

The camp ground would have required about three acres and was intended to add eco tourism for an economic boost for Pahoa Village.

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That sounds wonderful! Throw government money and crap load of red tape in the mix, and look what we get now?

Sad really. When I picture a park.... I see rolling hills of green and happy people with picnic baskets and blankets ... BBQ pits, Trails with flowers and trees to hang out under. Lot's of benches and tables to relax and contemplate while strolling around the paths enjoying the scenery.

The park that comes to mind is Liliuokalani Park. Hopefully they will put in LED lighting.


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[Guest]

Pahoa or Puna does need a wonderful park like this for many good reasons. We have taken our kids to some of the nicer parks in hilo to have parties or even BBQ. Unfortunately we have a growing homeless population who also tend to sleep, drink alcoholic beverages, use drugs, and spread diseases at these types of places.
What could this $ 54,000,000 dollar park in Pahoa do for our homeless? OR for our keiki to have areas clean and safe from these issues that are bothersome at other parks island wide?. I believe if the county builds this park They will come, just who is they?. It shouldn't matter for that much money the park should have services for all community members including possible shelters for those who may really need them?. It would also be nice to have an area to hold things like car washes for all the fund raising these kids need to do during the year just to be able to play?. Maybe this would be to much to ask for, or to practical for Puna?.

[pahoated]

quote:

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Originally posted by Anxious Messiah

Folks are not taking into account the growth that Puna is experiencing, and will continue to experience in the future. This is where everyone is coming to - from mainland transplants to those who are fed up with Oahu. Unless the flow is enough to make folks pause (doubtful), here is the new future of large population growth in Hawai'i.

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This growth of Puna is largely an urban myth propped up by the growth from the Hawaii island census from 2000 to 2010. Growth has been very slow since then and looks like the population may start shrinking soon.

Myth: Hawaii county and Puna area are fastest growing in the state.
Fact: Kauai led population growth in Hawaii the past year
http://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/news/...ng-to.html
Kauai led Hawaii in population growth, according to the U.S. Census Bureau
Mar 27, 2014

Myth: Hawaii county growth is increasing.
Fact: Hawaii county growth rate is slowing very rapidly.
http://bigislandnow.com/2013/03/14/censu...nts-daily/
Census: Big Island Getting Five New Residents Daily
1% per year
5 new residents per day

The article says 5 new residents per day but other data show about 3 residents leaving for every 5 that arrive. Also, new resident doesn't mean somebody buying a house. There are people getting off the plane and going around town cold-calling for a job, they stay about a month, enough to establish residency, then go back to the mainland.

Census numbers for Hawaii County:
2000 - 148,677
2010 - 185,079
2012 - 189,191
2013 - 190,821
The last number is an estimate from the census bureau.
http://dilemma-x.net/2014/04/15/u-s-cens...tan-areas/
U.S. Census Bureau releases 2013 population estimates for counties and metropolitan areas–Release Date: March 27, 2014

The numbers are going to start to shrink with all the hospital layoffs. Hawaii county is ending up with one specialist doctor in several areas, many with zero requiring a trip to Honolulu. The doctors and nurses that stay will tend to move to Oahu, if they want to stay in Hawaii. As medical services shrink and decrease, many elderly will have to go back to the mainland. This is happening a lot now.

To keep talking about Puna growth is to wallow in nostalgia. North Puna will keep growing but south of the East Rift Zone is going to be very low growth, if at all.

"This island Hawaii on this island Earth"

[ericlp]

dunno about that...... if that is true... Why build a 4 lane highway? Why build another mall? We shall see I guess. It's hard to get any type of reliable data but I just don't buy it seeing some of the progress being made on this side of the island. I can't imagine KTA coming along with other stores if they population won't support it. Most companies have the data and won't risk investing unless the numbers are there.


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[csgray]

http://www.healthtrends.org/demo_pop_growth.aspx

This website has some interesting numbers for both historic and projected population growth in Hawaii County which indicates that the 2010-2019 decade will have close to or exceed the population growth for 2000-2009. Some of the trends are different than I had assumed, but the data is interesting.

Carol

[kalakoa]

The numbers are going to start to shrink with all the hospital layoffs.

And yet ... here's HMSA putting up a new "administrative" building in Keaau, which will have 150-200 staff, despite the inadequate highway capacity.

[Punaperson]

I think Pahoated comes closer to the truth than many want to realize.

ericp: " Why build a 4 lane highway?" - Why stop it at Shower, serving the HPP population that drives to Hilo and pays more in state taxes than the rest of lower Puna, with no firm commitment for the next leg other than paper plans?

" I can't imagine KTA coming along .... if the population won't support it " - from what I hear their commitment to building in Pahoa is contingent on certain factors, and is not a done deal at all.

kalakoa: "HMSA putting up a new 'administravitive' building in Keaau , which will have 150-200 staff, despite the inadequate highway capacity." - How many of the people working there will be driving from Hilo, going against the current traffic logjams ?

The price of vacant lots stabilized early this year, and has started dropping in many areas. The inventory of low priced houses has been reduced, but the median priced housing is not moving as quickly as some real estate agents wish.

[wax]

highway capacity between Hilo and Keaau is adequate and besides, the traffic will be in the opposite direction. Between Volcano and/or Pahoa and Keaau will have no additional impact.