KILAUEA — After three years of planning, a new community facility officially broke ground Thursday afternoon in Kilauea. Phase 1 of the Anaina Hou project, which includes an 18-hole miniature golf course with botanical gardens, a clubhouse and concession stand,
KILAUEA — After three years of planning, a new community facility officially broke ground Thursday afternoon in Kilauea.
Phase 1 of the Anaina Hou project, which includes an 18-hole miniature golf course with botanical gardens, a clubhouse and concession stand, a nursery and a park-and-ride bus stop, is expected to be completed as early as August 2010.
“It’s nice to see the fruits of our labor,” said Michael Kaplan, the facility’s project manager who has worked on creating a gathering place that members of the community would be content with.
William and Joan Porter purchased the land in 2006, and community outreach began shortly thereafter to help determine what residents were seeking as far as a “new gathering” was concerned.
Linda Akana Sproat of Kilauea said the neighborhood was initially worried about the property’s purchase, but is pleased with the creative efforts that have ensued.
“It was the community input that will make this a success,” Kaplan said.
More than 10 years ago, a shopping center was slated to be constructed at Anaina Hou’s location.
“This is a lot more in tune with agriculture,” said neighboring business owner Joe Halasey of Banana Joe’s Fruit Stand.
In full support of the endeavor, he said Anaina Hou will be beneficial to the community and will likely attract more customers to the area in support of local businesses such as his.
“They’ve just done a marvelous job putting this together,” William Porter said during the ceremony.
Because he and wife Joan have been “lucky in life,” Porter said Anaiana Hou is their way of “giving back to the society.”
The next phase of the project will involve downzoning the bottom half of the property from industrial back to agriculture, Kaplan said.
Phase 2 will encompass building a multi-purpose amphitheater — an outdoor seating area with a covered stage for public events such as concerts, as well as an indoor theater for plays and movies — and a certified kitchen.
“When we get everyone together like this, it brings out our true purpose,” said Anaina Hou’s Karen Tang during her closing remarks to attendees Thursday. “This is really what an anaina hou means.”
For more information, visit www.anainahou.com.
