By CAROLYN LUCAS-ZENK
By CAROLYN LUCAS-ZENK
Stephens Media
A “heartless” act has become a rallying cry for Waimea residents.
Since hearing about the vandalism at Anuenue Playground, more than 75 community members gathered Thursday at Waimea Elementary School to learn how they can help replace the seven mature trees that were stripped of their bark and “girdled” — deep cuts encircling each tree’s circumference.
During the Waimea Community Association Town Meeting, Waimea Outdoor Circle announced its fundraiser for the tree replacement and purchasing a survellience camera because the county doesn’t have the funds to do so. Within a week or so, the nonprofit will know how much the effort will cost, said Carol Hendricks, Waimea Outdoor Circle vice president.
Waimea Outdoor Circle planted 64 trees, all donated by families, businesses and community groups, at the playground in 1994 to provide needed shade. The original planting cost roughly $9,600. Of the seven trees damaged during the first weekend in March, two are koa and the others are calliandra, Hendricks said.
No one from the county Department of Parks and Recreation attended the town meeting. However, Thursday afternoon, Bob Fitzgerald commended the Waimea Outdoor Circle for its fundraising effort. He said his department plans to meet with the nonprofit soon to determine what to replace the damaged trees with and their final fate.
“It’s hard to say what should be planted there. It took more than a decade for the trees to reach the height they are now. Some big trees are literally irreplaceable,” he said.
The county could cut down the affected trees, which are not expected to live, as soon as next month, he added.
Police are investigating the vandalism, which caused about $900 worth of damage and likely occurred in the evening. To date, there are no leads or suspects. Anyone caught would likely be charged with criminal property damage, according to the Police Department.
The most disturbing finding of the roguery is the trees at the playground weren’t the only ones in Waimea the vandals destroyed. Also stripped of their bark around the same time were two ohia and one allspice tree near the McDonald’s, as well as four eucalyptus behind the Carter Professional Center, Hendricks said.
Donations may be mailed to Waimea Outdoor Circle, P.O. Box 6144, Kamuela, HI 96743 or call 443-4482 for more information about this effort. Meanwhile, anyone with information about the vandalism should call the Police Department’s nonemergency number at 935-3311. Those who prefer to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 329-8181 in Kona or 961-8300 in Hilo and may be eligible for a reward. Waimea Outdoor Circle has pledged a $500 reward, Hendricks said.
Also during Thursday’s meeting, North Hawaii Community Hospital CEO Ken Wood reiterated no decisions have been made about the future of Waimea Women’s Center and the hospital’s midwifery model. The hospital delivered 660 babies last year, of which about half were births to patients from outside of its service area. Designed to handle 500 to 550 deliveries annually, the hospital is losing about $1.5 million every year on maternal health services because medicare reimbursements don’t cover the full costs, Wood said.
Discussions on how to best address the volume and ensure a safe environment for maternal health patients are continuing, with meetings scheduled over the next three to four weeks. Wood hopes to have some suggestions from a working group on how to address the situation as early as next month.
Wood also announced the hospital will break ground in July for its Emergency Department renovation/expansion project, intended to improve facilities and processes to meet the community’s growing needs and provide patients with a better experience. Construction will take about 18 months. The project is estimated to cost about $9.1 million, of which $7.3 million has been raised, he said.
Other topics discussed during the meeting included emergency preparedness and Community Emergency Response Training; how to get involved with Hamakua Youth Foundation’s hula festival and fundraiser, Waimea’s Relay for Life, and Waimea Food Pantry; and Public Access with Kuleana, a People’s Advocacy for Trails Hawaii project that helps private landowners provide public access to their land for subsistence, cultural practices, recreation or transportation.