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On November, 17 - there will be a tentative call for HPP's Board of Directors to vote on turning over 20 acres to Hawaii County for a public park. Part of the county's initial position is that the donated land would be for "park purposes only" and "work" on the park has to occur within two years of the land transfer or the land reverts back to HPP. HPP seeks specifics, amongst others, on "park purposes" and "work." Part of Kenoi's $56 million non-project specific bond proposal; HPP's park has a projected price tag of a little over $8 million, including bond interest. A host of related issues (who does what?) to be considered, including: maintenance, security, traffic, water and a not small public park in a private subdivision. It seems the board is ambivalent, cautious and prepared to nix the deal unless specifics are addressed and adhered to; while the county wants the land, the park and, initially, a no-contract enforced flexibility. I live in HPP and very close to the proposed park's location. I would love to hear other's views regarding the park, but especially those who live in HPP - and even more, those also in close proximity to the proposed site. Thanks! Mike in HPP
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there are a few other threads on this. The general consensus seams to be Yes to a Park - No to letting the county have any thing to do with it
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Well, if the Trojans had looked into that Greek gift horse's mouth, they might have been better off. A lot of the reluctance on the part of HPP board members and residents comes from the County's history. They already own some land in HPP that they have chosen to do nothing with, and they received 50+ acres above the pool in Pahoa a number of years ago which remain undeveloped with no start date even proposed. Add to that the fact that the proposal came during an election campaign and that the money, assuming the bonds are passed, is not guaranteed to be spent on a park, and you get a lot of doubts.
My own board member is a skeptic and will push for ironclad, legally enforceable guarantees that something will be done in an specified amount of time or a reversion to HPP will result. There are also concerns about road maintenance issues coming about as a result of locating an attractive destination inside our network of private roads.
There were a number of people on this forum (including myself) who recently discussed the feasibility of HPP building its own park using volunteers. This would necessarily be much less elaborate than the playing fields, three-court covered indoor play area, and other features promised by the mayor, but it might prove to be more practical and less illusory.
Call me a cynic, but I am among those who want a more defined and accountable process in place before we turn over a huge community asset to the County of Hawaii. Even then, it might not be the best idea, but at least the promises would have something behind them.
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How about the county builds a park on the land they were already given by hpp , or give it back
I'm with ya Jerry,
Have tools, will travel.
Can we add a skatepark : )
aloha,
pog
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We don't need no stinkin' park -- "Park" is part of our name. The whole place is a park. The lots are all one acre, except for those poor people down by the coast with those skinny half acres. What we need is a small commercial center with a little bakery/coffee place, a fruit stand, a convenience store that is NOT flourescent lit, preferably run by a guy whose last name is Takashimi, and gas station, also run by this fictional guy, Takashimi. I design it. It will look like it has been there 70 years.
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Glenn
I agree and on the ocean side of that darn hiway!
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I'd like to see a horseback riding stables with a couple of acres and covered arena in HPP where we could rent horses and ride around - then afterwards, eat lunch in a rustic little coffee/lunch cafe and meet our neighbors! A vegetable/fruit stand would be nice too. Oh, and a big field to fly kites in with the kids is really fun.
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What ever ideas there are for a park you need a funding source / system. all of HPPOA's money is tied to road maintenance by court decree, and it is not a 501c3 to be able to take donations.
ENET ( now the community resilience committee ) had tried to set up a 501c3 for community projects but its was beyond our capacity to do the paper work and there are a lot of fee's.
So how ever it can done there has to be something set up. because even if all the labor and materials are donated . people donating would probably like to clam it on there taxs. and i doubt the county will wave the requirements or fees for the grading and building permits required