With an upgrade and expansion in progress, Waiakea Uka Park could be the new social and recreation hub for the upper Hilo community by the end of the year.
The director of the Hawaii County Department of Parks and Recreation is pleased with the progress of the Waiakea Uka Park Improvement Project, which began in June 2023, and was relieved to see that renovations to the Stanley Costales Gym were completed before the county’s Summer Fun program.
“We had a May 2024 date to have the gym completed for Summer Fun, and I’m happy to say that we met that deadline. We have 60 kids in the program using a portion of the park, and it’s going great,” said Parks and Rec Director Maurice Messina. “We’re really appreciative of Isemoto Contracting and the priority they have put on this project. They went above and beyond to meet our summer deadline and have been great partners.”
The project includes a new community center, walking path, additional on-site parking and a reoriented lower ballfield that has a new dedicated restroom facility, dugouts, concession building and scorekeeper’s booth.
Along with the gym renovations, the new walking path that circles around the lower ballfield, the expanded parking lot mauka of the gym, and the entrance in front have been completed.
The lower ballfield has been realigned to fit the new layout of the park, and construction on the structures is nearly complete. However, a lot of work remains such as grading and grassing, according to Parks and Rec.
Isemoto crews are currently working on a parcel makai of the gym, which will be the location of the approximately 4,400 square-foot community center. Prior to construction, the lot will be paved and striped to accommodate more parking around the building, which was preengineered off island.
“There is still a lot of work to be done to prepare for the community center, but I do believe the preengineered building is ready to be shipped to us when we’re ready,” Messina said. “We will have to completely close down the park again for an all-out effort to finish the entire project.”
While the park will close when the Summer Fun program ends on Friday, July 19, the upper ballfield, its comfort station and everything mauka of the flood control canal will be unaffected and open to the public.
“It will be safer for everyone to close completely, especially with the heavy equipment coming in and out when constructing the community center begins,” Messina said.
The community center will have a capacity of approximately 180 people and will be an important recreation area for senior and keiki programs, community meetings and public gatherings. When needed, it will stand ready to support the community as a temporary public shelter in certain natural disaster situations.
Total cost of the project is $12 million, with $6.6 million from the state and $5.4 million coming from county funds.
According to Isemoto, the Waiakea Uka project is estimated to be complete by the end of 2024.
