Events aim to help Waimanalo
By Eloise Aguiar
Advertiser Windward O'ahu Writer
WAIMANALO — The first in a series of weekend events to boost the Waimanalo economy will begin Saturday with a concert and craft fair, offering hope to merchants hurting from the closure of Kalaniana'ole Highway for more than two weeks.
What: Concert and booths will feature arts, crafts, produce, food, plants and other products Where: Honolulu Polo Club field, Waimanalo When: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday To volunteer: Help with any of the weekend events by calling Joe Ryan at 259-8463.
The community appealed to the city for help after businesses reported revenue drops of 40 to 90 percent after the state began a project to remove loose rocks from the face of the cliffs overlooking Makapu'u Beach.
At a glance
The city Office of Economic Development and the community have lined up entertainment and at least 25 booths offering arts, crafts, produce, food, plants and other products at the Honolulu Polo Club field this weekend, said Joe Ryan, vice president of Envirowatch Inc., a nonprofit environmental watchdog group that petitioned the city for help.
There will be small concerts at the polo field each weekend leading up to the Waimanalo Christmas parade Dec. 14, which will be followed by a culminating ho'olaulea-type of event, said Andrew Jamila Jr., who is in charge of the parade.
Planners are looking at other ways to draw a crowd, including a raffle and providing shuttle buses to agriculture businesses on Waimanalo's back streets during the concerts, a classic car show and a Harley show.
"What we need (now) is people to come to Waimanalo and support our businesses," Ryan said.
Meanwhile, a subcontractor working on the Kalaniana'ole project said it was one of the worst he had encountered and that the work was long overdue.
"It's the most dangerous section of road I ever worked on in terms of rockfall," said Cliff Tillotson, general manager for subcontractor Prometheus Construction. "I've done about 40, and this is the worst."
The project is on schedule, with the first phase expected to conclude this week.
Roads into Waimanalo will be open all weekend, with crews returning Dec. 2 to begin preliminary work to erect the fence.
While the city is pitching in to help revitalize the community, the state has redesigned a program to help Waimanalo businesses with loans of up to $50,000 at 3.25 percent interest, with payment deferred as long as a year.
HELP-3, Hawai'i Emergency Loan Program, is modeled on a program to help businesses affected by 9/11, said Tom Smyth, administrator of the business support division of the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism.
To be eligible, businesses must have sustained a loss of at least 15 percent in revenue, Smyth said, and they must qualify for the loan.
Applications and information are available online, or call Smyth at 586-2591.
Donations are still needed to make the weekend events a success, including generators, a sound and DJ system, raffle prizes and general assistance, Ryan said.
The Dec. 14 raffle will include a free weekend stay at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, said Manuel Menendez, executive director of the Office of Economic Development.
Menendez said the crisis caused by the road project is bringing out the best in people.
"I hate the crisis, but I love getting involved, because everybody is working for the betterment of the community," he said. "It's not an individual effort. It's a team effort and I'm really inspired by it."
