Posted on: Saturday, April 21, 2001

Harris wants teams to broaden vision

By Robbie Dingeman
Advertiser City Hall Writer

Mayor Jeremy Harris expects to meet with 1,000 community members attending the third annual vision meeting at the Hawai'i Convention Center today to try to come together on planning the island's future.

Vision team members, Neighborhood Board members and the general public are invited to the meeting, which begins at 9 a.m.

Harris cited the Pearl Harbor Historic Trail as an example of a project that started in the vision meetings as a bike path near the scenic harbor and has been expanded to create a bikeway/walking trail that links the coastline from Pearl Harbor to Wai'anae.

"One of the things I'm going to be proposing is an islandwide electric transportation system. I think that's what we ought to achieve, we ought to strive for," Harris said.

Harris said he's working to get community leaders to broaden their vision from the roads, bus stops and beautification projects they now focus on to a regional approach that lays the groundwork for a better community for all.

In an interview, he said the concept of getting the people who live in the various neighborhoods to determine the spending priorities for at least $2 million of construction budget money for each area has been "very successful."

Harris said the 19 vision groups will continue to meet and is recommending that anyone interested in those areas also gather in seven regional groups every three months to discuss ways to link their neighborhoods.

That way, people consider what's best for "not just Kailua, but the Windward coast, not just Wai'anae, but the Leeward Coast."

Harris said the broader focus will help to plan an island future that is better for everyone, one that goes beyond fixing up the sidewalks and potholes of one neighborhood.

"We need to start thinking what our possibilities are," he said.