Workers from a contractor hired by leaders of the state Department of Land and Natural Resources will begin construction work next week on various improvements to the Russian Fort Elizabeth State Historical Park, in Waimea. Contractor Site Engineering, Inc. workers
Workers from a contractor hired by leaders of the state Department of Land and Natural Resources will begin construction work next week on various improvements to the Russian Fort Elizabeth State Historical Park, in Waimea.
Contractor Site Engineering, Inc. workers will be constructing renovations to comply with the federal Americans with Disability Act, for accessibility purposes, including parking stalls, ramps and walkways from the interpretive display to the comfort station, a drinking fountain, toilets, signage, and related improvements.
The total project cost is $128,648.
“The park will remain open during construction,” said DLNR Chairperson Peter Young.
“We will provide portable toilets and an alternative access to the beach while the comfort station and beach-access road are closed during construction,” he said.
“These improvements are part of the Lingle-Aiona administration’s ongoing efforts to upgrade our state parks, and to ensure the safety and comfort of all residents and visitors who use the parks,” he said.
Construction is expected to be completed approximately by the end of December 2005.
The 17.8-acre park is located on the east bank of the Waimea River, near the mouth of the Waimea River.
The fort was constructed between 1815 and 1817, and is a unique reminder of Russia’s short-lived presence in the Hawaiian islands, Young explained.
Massive stacked stone walls of the fort are a mix of Hawaiian rock-wall construction and Russian fort design.
