LIHU’E — Nearly $5 million in funding was released for capital improvement projects across Kaua’i in recent months, the majority of which was dedicated to upgrading and renovating sports facilities on the island, the Office of Gov. David Ige announced last month.
Funding was also provided for improvements at three Kaua’i medical facilities and for agricultural and forestry projects.
The Sept. 22 release announced that a total sum of $601,940,684 in funding across the state from April through August 2021. A total of $4,918,024 went to nine Kaua‘i-specific projects.
Sports facilities
A total of $3.18 million in funding — nearly two-thirds awarded to the county — was dedicated to improving the facilities at Hanapepe Stadium and Kilauea Gymnasium, as well as the construction of a new sports complex in Anahola.
The development of the Anahola Sports Complex garnered $500,000 for the future site of a gymnasium and baseball fields along with a regulation-size rodeo arena and horse stable.
The largest sum of money dedicated to a capital improvement project on Kaua‘i came in the form of $1.68 million in funds to finance wind strength capacity upgrades at Kilauea Stadium, which is expected to cost a total of $2.1 million.
Kim Tamaoka, a county public information officer, said that the “hurricane hardening” work was taking place at the Kilauea Gym because it is used as a shelter during high wind events on the North Shore. She also noted that the facility will need to be closed at times for construction, the completion of which is anticipated for December 2024.
A total of $1 million was released to pay for the construction of a new ticket booth, food booth and bathrooms at Hanapepe Stadium, according to Tamaoka. That project is expected to receive a total of $1.5 million from the state and completion is projected for December 2022.
Medical upgrades
Medical facilities on Kaua’i garnered $1,088,024 in total funding across four projects, two of which are taking place at Samual Mahelona Memorial Hospital in Kapa’a.
SMMH received $400,000 to relocate and renovate the hospital’s x-ray room and $83,159 toward the $2.7 million dollar cost to purchase and install a CT machine. Kaua’i Veterans Memorial Hospital also received $104,865 in funding toward the purchase and installation of a CT machine. That project also carries a total price tag of $2.7 million.
Lance Segawa, regional CEO with the Hawai‘i Health Systems Corporation, which operates both hospitals, said that bidding is currently underway for the installation of the machines and they should be operational sometime next year.
“Summer of ‘22 we will have scanners,” Segawa said.
The largest chunk of funding for medical facilities went to the Kaua’i Adult Day Health Center, which received $500,000 for the installation of a fire sprinkler system.
Environmental projects
Two additional projects on Kaua’i received funding. The first was the East Kaua’i Irrigation System, which received $500,000 to “finance a facilities assessment plan.”
Management of the irrigation system, which provides water to around 1,000 acres of land between Lihu’e and Kapa’a, was turned over to the Department of Land and Natural Resources, which is not believed to be able to sustainably manage the system, in 2019. A bill in the state legislature that would have given control of the system to the Department of Agriculture stalled during the last legislative session and did not pass.
Another $150,000 was allocated for the renovation of nurseries in Lihue’e and Koke’e managed by the Division of Forestry and Wildlife. Those projects are scheduled to be completed in December 2022.
County officials noted that this latest release accounted for only a portion of state funding Kaua’i County expects to receive for capital improvement projects in 2021.
Statewide projects such as the Coastal Highway Program and improvements for public libraries across Hawai‘i took in $239,860,262.
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Kaleb Lay, general assignment reporter, can be reached at 647-0329 or klay@thegardenisland.com.
Only $5 million dollars in CIP funds going to Kaua’i from the state. Very much lousy. Broke city and Kaua’i will have nothing to work with. I wonder what these politicians are doing. It doesn’t appear they have any income going for them. So it must be that they are doing something. Just not getting any money for it.
“A total of $1 million was released to pay for the construction of a new ticket booth, food booth and bathrooms at Hanapepe Stadium, according to Tamaoka. That project is expected to receive a total of $1.5 million from the state and completion is projected for December 2022.” WOW!!! I can’t wait to see these new facilities that are going to made out of pure gold! I hope the person(s) awarding this contract and those who received the contract own suspenders to hold up their pants after all of the new pocket lining they are going to receive.
Why should they give money to Kawakami, Decosta, Kouchi, Chock, or some other guy like them for this project built? Their politics doesn’t make sense.
Give the local carpenters, electricians and plumbers a couple hundred grand and they’ll build it themselves.