OHA approves Waimea Falls plan
By Vicki Viotti
Advertiser Staff Writer
The Audubon Society last night began work on a much more community-centered Waimea Falls Park after the Office of Hawaiian Affairs agreed to help finance the project.
OHA's board of trustees met last night at BYU-Hawai'i for the final vote on the society's plan to develop a Waimea Valley Audubon center.
About 30 area residents attended the meeting and applauded the program, which would take stock of the remnants of pre-contact Hawaiian life and the valley's cultural history and then educate the public about it.
The plan will allot up to $500,000 over the next two years to begin studies of the archaeological and cultural resources in the valley, one of the richest repositories of pre-contact Hawaiian artifacts on the island, said Diana King, Audubon's project manager.
Under the proposal, Audubon would need to match the money for the second year — about $233,000 — before OHA would release it.
King said she understands that proviso.
"Nobody ever wants to be the only funder and have someone be totally dependent on them," she said.
In addition to the project's financial challenges, there are legal hurdles as well, King said. The city's condemnation of the property has been prolonged in court because of conflicting claims and disputes over land values, she said.
But the allotment from OHA will enable some work to happen immediately, King said. Bids on projects for archaeological and historical studies will be sought, she said.
Training of volunteers is ongoing (for information, call 638-9199) in preparation for community activities, she said. A stream cleanup is scheduled Aug. 23, to be followed by a Sept. 13 stream-exploration event, King said. Other helpers have been trained for botanical tours.
The next step is to hire staff to begin plans for a "cultural learning institute" — a program of classes and supervised hands-on archaeological projects for visitors to the valley, she said.
And there is about $55,000 set aside the first year for community events, such as a makahiki, to help spread the word about the new mission in the valley, she said.
"We want to let the folks on the North Shore know we are committed to making this a cornerstone of the community," she said.
Reach Vicki Viotti at vviotti@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8053.
