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Mooheau Park rededication open to public Thursday (Jan 3)

MEDIA RELEASE

A public rededication ceremony highlighting the recently renovated Mo‘oheau Park will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, January 3, at the downtown Hilo facility.

Mayor Billy Kenoi and County of Hawai‘i Parks Director Clayton Honma will be among the distinguished guests welcoming people back to the popular park. Pastor Sheldon Lacsina of New Hope Hilo will perform a blessing.

Restrooms, concrete walkways and other park features now meet federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards. As part of its $664,000 contract, Site Engineering Inc. also replaced the bus terminal’s roof, windows, doors, and cabinets, while completely renovating the restrooms, painting the building and adding skylights.

Construction started August 13 and was completed December 24. Work was done in phases so the park could be reopened to accommodate special events like the KWXX Downtown Ho‘olaule‘a, the Alzheimer’s Association Memory Walk and the Salvation Army Christmas Festival. Portable bathrooms with wash basins, a temporary office for the Hilo Downtown Improvement Association, canopy shelters for Hele-On bus passengers and other provisions were made to aid the park’s many users.

The Department of Parks and Recreation thanks park users, Hele-On bus riders and the general public for their patience and understanding while Mo‘oheau Park was closed for renovation.

Following the rededication ceremony, live musicians and hula dancers will entertain the audience from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. The Hilo Downtown Improvement Association sponsors the free Hilo Hula Days performances to welcome cruise ship passengers to Hilo.

Thursday also is “Make a Snowflake Day” at Mo‘oheau Park, part of a nationwide effort to support the victims, families and teachers of last month’s Sandy Hook Elementary tragedy. From 10 a.m. until 1 p.m., the public is invited to gather at the bandstand to make paper snowflakes that will be sent to Connecticut to welcome students back to school. That effort is being coordinated by the Connections Public Charter School PTSO.

For more information about the rededication ceremony, please contact Jason Armstrong, Public Information Officer, at 345-9105, or jarmstrong@co.hawaii.hi.us.

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