The Hawaii County Parks and Recreation and Public Works departments are collaborating on a project on the corner of Ponahawai Street and Kilauea Avenue in downtown Hilo.
The Hawaii County Parks and Recreation and Public Works departments are collaborating on a project on the corner of Ponahawai Street and Kilauea Avenue in downtown Hilo.
New fencing has popped up around the grassy area next to the end of Hilo Bayfront Trails, located across the parking lot of Ben Franklin Crafts and behind the Hele gas station off of Kamehameha Avenue.
Beginning this week, the fenced-off spot will begin serving as a staging area for equipment and materials needed for the upcoming road construction on Keawe Street and Kilauea Avenue.
The two-year long project will rehabilitate Kilauea Avenue and Keawe Street between Ponahawai Street and Waianuenue Avenue and is set to begin after the Merrie Monarch Festival ends on Saturday, April 15.
“This grassy area is not used for recreation and has more or less become a homeless encampment,” said Parks and Recreation Director Maurice Messina. “This project has been talked about for years, and we can finally get it done by partnering with Public Works.”
After the Public Works project is complete, the area next to Bayfront Trails will be turned into a parking lot for downtown Hilo.
“This is an area where no one recreates in, because it has been a spot where needles and drug paraphernalia have been discarded. We’ve also had many homeless occupy the area, which is a struggle,” Messina said. “More availability for public parking will be a greater benefit to Hilo than keeping it as is.”
The fencing is part of the $12.3 million Kilauea rehabilitation project, while the price tag for turning the area into a parking lot is as yet undetermined.
Members of the public are invited to attend a meeting regarding the Kilauea rehabilitation project today from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the county’s Aupuni Center Conference Room.
Email Kelsey Walling at kwalling@hawaiitribune-herald.com
