Landscaper transformed roadways

By Mike Leidemann
Advertiser Columnist

Some people think the state Highways Division is full of men and machines ready to mow down everything in their path and pave it over with concrete.

Those people never met George Tonaki.

Tonaki helped put the scenic back into Hawai'i's scenic roadways. He tried to put plants back into the roadside plantings. His goal was to make our blacktops green.

"He wanted to create a softer image for the Department of Transportation," said Martin Okabe, head of the Highways Division. "And he did."

Tonaki was a landscape architect. Born in Honolulu, he grew up in local schools before heading off to Ohio University. He came home to start his career as a draftsman under famed Honolulu landscape architect Richard Tongg. Tonaki's early work included the development of the Oriental Garden at Honolulu International Airport.

Later he moved to Southern California, where he raised his family and started his own landscaping business. About 10 years ago he returned home and contributed to making the Islands better, his daughter, Joi Winters, said.

Tonaki took his passion for plants and landscaping to an unusual place — the state Department of Transportation, which seemed to prefer paving over planting back then. He became the department's first landscape architect.

"He really changed everybody," Okabe said. "Wherever he went, he took his passion for landscaping and planted little seeds of knowledge with all of us."

One of Tonaki's first assignments was to develop a set of landscaping guidelines for state roadways. Today those guidelines are used to encourage the use of more trees, shrubs and groundcover whenever a new highway is built or an old one needs repair. Just about every time you see a bit of greenery from your car window, you can think of, and thank, Tonaki.

One of his greatest challenges was Nimitz Highway, that industrial-strength piece of road between the airport and downtown. Tonaki was assigned to work with volunteers from Scenic Hawai'i and the Nimitz Beautification Committee to help line the roadway with greenery. Whenever you see a new tree, green shrub or flash of color along Nimitz, it's a safe bet Tonaki was there to help.

"He liked to pretend he was a tough, gruff guy but he always had this big grin on his face and always was ready to help," said Chuck Ehrhorn, chairman of the Nimitz committee.

Along the H-1 Freeway, out Hawai'i Kai way, along the Leeward Coast highway, across the Pali — everywhere you see new little bits of greenery these days, that's Tonaki's legacy.

Tonaki died earlier this year at age 65. Last week, some of his family and friends got together to plant a new shower tree in his memory. They put it right next to Nimitz Highway, of course.

Mike Leidemann's columns appear Thursdays and Saturdays. Reach him at 525-5460 or mleidemann@honoluluadvertiser.com