A public blessing and dedication ceremony were held Friday for the new children’s playground built next to Mountain View Park and A.J. Watt Gym in Mountain View. This is the seventh playground opened since Mayor Billy Kenoi took office in 2008, representing an investment of more than $1 million in playgrounds for children islandwide.
A public blessing and dedication ceremony were held Friday for the new children’s playground built next to Mountain View Park and A.J. Watt Gym in Mountain View. This is the seventh playground opened since Mayor Billy Kenoi took office in 2008, representing an investment of more than $1 million in playgrounds for children islandwide.
Kenoi was joined by Puna Councilman Zendo Kern in welcoming the public to the new playground, which is open daily.
“Regardless of the project, you always hear the same things — people caring, people stepping up, no finger pointing, no excuses, no blame. Just people saying there’s a need, it’s important, it’s for our families,” Kenoi told the dozens of children, families and project supporters who attended the ceremony. “Every one of these investments for our children, for our community, is an investment worth making.”
Councilmember Kern gave special thanks to the Friends of Mountain View Gym and Park, and said he was glad to have the opportunity to take the community vision for a playground and run with it. Kern said that until now, Mountain View has been a community with its own ZIP code, but no playground.
The blessing was delivered by Father Carmelito Redondo of St. Theresa’s Catholic Church in Mountain View. Members of the Na Wai Ola Public Charter School, located next to the playground, assisted with the ceremony, while Friends of Mountain View Gym and Park held drawings for donated prizes. Isemoto Contracting Co. Ltd. built the 2,300-square-foot playground, which features two modular-design play areas designed for children between the ages of 5 and 12 years old. Features include a climbing wall, seats, three slides, climbing rings and a unique safety surface that resembles natural grass.