The Kaua‘i County Council is looking at the possibility of developing a sports complex, or at least parts of one, around the Vidinha Stadium — an idea first advocated by Maxine Correa of Kalaheo when she sat on the council in the 1980s.
Should sufficient funds be found to develop the project, the sports complex could significantly enhance recreational opportunities for island youth and adults, and could attract professional sporting events that aimed at boosting the island’s economy.
The council’s Parks and Public Works Committee has scheduled a workshop on the issue at 10 a.m. on Thursday, March 11 at the historic County Building. The committee members plan to discuss a master plan for a sports complex by Vidinha Stadium and an expansion of the stadium.
Committee members also are expected to set priorities for projects, to look at construction deadlines, funding and the coordination with other agencies in any upgrading of the stadium.
More recently, councilman Mel Rapozo voiced his frustration over the lack of a centrally-located, multi-faceted gymnasium in East Kaua‘i to accommodate the recreational needs of residents in Lihu‘e and Kapa‘a, which represent the two largest population areas on Kaua‘i.
Correa felt the same way when she sat on the council from 1984 to 1996, and called for the development of the sports complex by the stadium.
The proposal has sat on the shelf now for decades, apparently due to lack of funding and a champion for the project within the c council.
What projects are undertaken will depend on the availability of funding.
The original master plan for Vidinha Stadium was drafted in 1969 by Wilson, Okamoto & Associates, an engineering and architectural firm based on O‘ahu.
The plan called for:
- A football-track stadium with seating for at least 5,000 spectators, provisions for team lockers, public toilets, concessions, radio and a press box and floodlighting. Such a facility now exists.
- A baseball stadium with seating for at least 2,500 spectators and up to 4,000 spectators if needed. Dugouts, a protective fence and night lighting also should be provided, the consultants said at the time.
Like the football bleachers, the bleaches for the baseball stadium should be constructed of concrete and wood.
Today, the baseball facility sits adjacent to the football-track stadium.
- A gymnasium which is to be used primarily for basketball, but can be used for boxing, wrestling and volleyball matches and large group meetings. The gym should be equipped with folding bleachers to allow for more flexible use of the facility.<>
Within the gymnasium should be placed an electric scoreboard, a public address system and provisions for radio broadcasting.
The facility should seat 4,000 people, the consultants said, and should be equipped with lockers and public toilets.
- A 50-meter swimming pool with one-meter and three-meter diving boards and other amenities.
- Six tennis courts with space for portable bleachers for tournaments and matches. Flood lamps also should be installed for nighttime play.
- Parking for about 1,700 vehicles.
The consultants looked at the feasibility of combining the football, track and baseball fields, and decided football and track facilities are compatible.
They noted, however,, football and baseball or track and baseball fields are not compatible due to different configurations of the layout of fields and scheduling conflicts.
If built, the sports complex be a staging area for tournaments and professional sporting events, county officials have said.
Former Mayor Tony T. Kunimura felt the baseball fields at Vidinha Stadium and in Hanapepe could be used in that way.
In 1984, Kunimura asked the leaders of the Yomiuri Giants baseball team in Japan to consider using either baseball field for its spring practice in 1985.
Staff writer Lester Chang can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 225) and mailto:lchang@pulitzer.net
