Softball field finally sees the lights

By Timothy Hurley
Advertiser Maui County Bureau

LAHAINA, Maui — It took extra innings, but the lights are finally going on at the Lahaina Recreation Center softball field.

The first night game is scheduled tonight following a series of legal disputes and bureaucratic red tape that prevented power from reaching a field built with lights and a scoreboard and dedicated in October 2002.

"Incredible," said Mike Young of Lahaina, who has been eager to play on the field. "It went on and on for a bunch of months and then it went on and on for a bunch of years."

Maui County, Amfac Hawai'i, Maui Electric Co. and Verizon Hawai'i had been at odds over the easements needed to run electrical power from one section of the recreation center to the softball field, said Don Couch, executive assistant to Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa.

Couch said the lighting issue was one of the first problems Arakawa faced when he took office at the beginning of 2003.

"Bringing all parties to the table we found that everyone was willing to address the issue for the sake of the children," he said.

Still, Couch likened the experience to "herding cats" because he had to keep calling lawyers from the various entities to push the issue forward.

County lawyers also put obstacles in the way when they insisted on new legal documents that required a survey in order to lay the power lines, Couch said.

Young said he's ecstatic now because his Da Gang team in the county adult slow-pitch softball league will finally be able to play on the field.

"I guess I'll just have to find something else to complain about," he said.

Reach Timothy Hurley at thurley@honoluluadvertiser.com or (808) 244-4880.