Canoe halau to honor Pinky Thompson
By Suzanne Roig
Advertiser East Honolulu Writer
HAWAI'I KAI — The city's newest canoe halau, at Maunalua Bay Beach Park, will be named after the late Myron "Pinky" Thompson for his lifelong work with Native Hawaiians and his contributions to paddling.
Bruce Asato • The Honolulu Advertiser
The building, which will be completed in June at a budgeted cost of $666,780, will be used mainly by the Hui Nalu Canoe Club.
Work continues on the canoe halau at Maunalua Bay Beach Park, which is to be named after Myron "Pinky" Thompson, who died in December. Thompson, remembered as a visionary and advocate for Native Hawaiians, led the Polynesian Voyaging Society from 1979-2001.
"We had hopes that the halau would embody all the spirits of past leaders," said Bruce Blankenfeld, Hui Nalu president. "Thompson was a huge part of Hui Nalu. His family is a big part of Hui Nalu."
The canoe halau is one of four the city is building to store club canoes, but would be the first to be named after someone. Seven more canoe houses are planned around the island.
The Maunalua facility will store as many as 24 canoes and kayaks under lock and key to protect them from weather and vandalism.
A resolution for the naming of the halau will be submitted next month to the City Council, said Carol Costa, city spokeswoman.
Thompson died in December after a battle with cancer. He was 77 years old.
He is considered a visionary who helped create the Hawaiian Health Care System, stepped forward to help with the Polynesian Voyaging Society, was a trustee of Kamehameha Schools and helped create Alu Like, a program set up to funnel federal money toward Native Hawaiians in five priority areas: job training, health, housing, education and native rights.
Hawai'i Kai resident Steve Hirano suggested putting Thompson's name on the building. The idea came to him, Hirano said, because of all the contributions Thompson made in canoeing and water sports.
"I had a lot of respect for Myron Thompson," Hirano said. "The Thompson family was partly responsible for moving Hui Nalu to Hawai'i Kai about 30 years ago.
"And he was instrumental in getting outrigger canoe paddling in the high schools."
The move to get a canoe halau at Maunalua Bay began in 1999, Hirano said. Now, three years later, it's finally coming together. When the community heard about the canoe house last year several residents were worried that the 50-feet- square building, with a copper roof patina, rock walls and metal grills, would block the view from Kalaniana'ole Highway. The city agreed to lower the roof to about 21 feet — shorter than most coconut trees, the city says — in deference to the concerns.
The city has other buildings named after people who had a role in Honolulu's history, Costa said.
"It's not often that we name a building after someone," Costa said. "The idea for this came from several people in the community."
Costa said many parks around town are named after people and the Neal Blaisdell Center was named after the former mayor and the Carla Coray Galleria at Blaisdell Center was named after the director of the Department of Auditoriums, Costa said.
"I think it's awesome that people want to do something in honor of my dad," said Lita Blankenfeld, Thompson's daughter. "Pinky Thompson was president of the club off and on with Hui Nalu. He was involved with the architectural design of the building and ensuring it was culturally sensitive."
