LIHU’E — County Councilman Mel Rapozo finds it disgraceful that there are no county gymnasiums in the island’s two largest towns, Lihu’e and Kapa’a.
“It is unbelievable we don’t have a gym in the two most busy communities on the island,” Rapozo said.
Rapozo said he would like to see the construction of a 5,000-seat gymnasium for sporting events, theatrical and musical events.
He got some support from fellow council members Thursday, and now they want to work with Mayor Bryan J. Baptiste’s administration to build a gymnasium by Vidinha Stadium here to provide recreational benefits for island residents.
Council members made that promise during a council meeting at the historic County Building Thursday.
Council Chair Kaipo Asing said state funds are tight, and that they aren’t going to be easy to come by.
Asing also said that not only should government agencies join forces, they must form partnerships with residents, groups, organizations and businesses to lobby the state Legislature for funds.
Rapozo voiced similar sentiments, adding that when the partnerships are established, “the community has to get going.”
While funds have been spent on recreation plans for Vidinha Stadium, “we need a good plan before we go forward,” said council vice-chair James Tokioka.
He said the county officials are in an awkward situation here, because while it may have plans to build a gym and other improvements by Vidinha Stadium, securing state funds may be difficult due to budget constraints.
Building the gymnasium may require raising taxes, something residents may not want to see, Tokioka said.
“It takes the political will to make it happen, and may mean raising taxes,” Tokioka said. “We have to remind ourselves that these things are not free.”
Peggy “Tutu” Fields, who ran unsuccessfully for a council seat in 2002, said funds for the gym should come from real estate agents who have made big profits from the sale of high-priced homes on Kaua’i.
She said funds are “sitting out there in Princeville, for goodness sake.”
Rapozo, who coaches youth sports teams, expressed his amazement that no large, multi-purpose gymnasiums can be found in either Kapa’a and Lihu’e, the two largest population centers on the island.
The proposal for a gym and a sports complex by Vidinha Stadium was envisioned by Maxine Correa in the late 1980s when she served on the council, including one term as council chairwoman.
Councilwoman JoAnn Yukimura said building the gymnasium is a good idea, but county officials should be concerned as well about maintenance costs and ongoing costs of such a facility.
In recommending a study be done to look at costs for the facility, Yukimura also voiced a need to “steward resources and maximize resources.”
She also recommended a workshop be held to look at the best approach to building and maintaining the gymnasium, when and if it is built.
Staff Writer Lester Chang may be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 225) or mailto:lchang@pulitzer.net.
