Pahoa Community Comes Out in Support of New Community Park

Tuesday night at the Pahoa Community Center, Councilman Fred Blas and members of the Hawaii County Parks Department discussed plans for the proposed 56 Acre Community Park that will be located in Pahoa.

The Pahoa Community Center was packed with community members

Parks official talked about the plans for the 56 acre park that included three multi-use covered tennis courts.

Park officials show the blueprint to the multi-use tennis courts

Folks talked about how the parks gave their children opportunity to expand and how the Pahoa community badly needed the facility.  In this video, community leader Aunty Maave talks about how much this is needed.

I asked County Council Candidate James Weatherford what he thought of the proposal and he said:

Pahoa and the surrounding Puna communities need recreation facilities that offer well-rounded opportunities —  indoor and outdoor activities, sports and arts, for families young and old and in between.

The proposed indoor playcourts and athletic field fulfill part of that need.

The perimeter trail, the arts and cultural center, and the keiki play area identified as community priorities are also part of that need and must be funded sooner rather than later.

Community members listen to the presentation and testimony

It seemed as though all of the speakers were very much in support of the park, although one resident discussed the concerns that there was no plans for restrooms which brought a silence to the crowd.

Community member Rene Siracusa spoke up in favor of the park