A visitor’s view of Park maintenance facilities (courtesy NPS)

(BIVN) – The National Park Service is asking for the public to provide input on a plan to remove and replace the existing maintenance facilities at Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park.

A news release was shared on Thursday, inviting comments on the plan through either a virtual meeting set for Wednesday, November 9 or at an in-person meeting scheduled for Thursday, November 10.

From National Park Service background on the project:

The existing maintenance facilities were originally built in the 1960’s with the stated intent to be temporary structures. The facilities are inadequate to meet the needs of the Park and their location inappropriately occupies an area known to contain both historic and ancient archaeological resources. The facilities are visually intrusive to the physical and cultural landscape and are located in a coastal area subject to high waves, storm surge, tsunami inundation and anticipated sea level rise.

The purpose of this project is to remove the intrusive temporary facilities from their current location, restore the historic scene of the site and construct replacement facilities in more suitable locations elsewhere in the park. Alternative sites for the replacement facilities are being considered based on their potential effect on park resources, benefit to park operations and their impact on visitors and community experience. New facilities will be located and designed in accordance with NPS’s commitment to fulfil its responsibility as a steward of this special landscape and protect the wahi pana and interconnected cultural and natural resources of the Hōnaunau, Kēōkea, and Kiʻilae ahupuaʻa for the benefit and inspiration of all who may visit this special place. The National Park Service is seeking public input about the project and comments will be reviewed and incorporated in the upcoming Environmental Assessment (EA). Public input is encouraged and welcomed from October 20 to November 18, 2022 online at the National Park Service’s Planning, Environment & Public Comment website.

The National Park Service says input can be submitted using this website (parkplanning.nps.gov) 

The National Park Service provided the following information on the two public meetings set for November:

• Virtual Meeting
  Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2022 via Microsoft Teams at 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. HST.
  Join the meeting here (link provided by NPS news release)
  Meeting ID: 221 886 462 148
  Passcode: KiGNoQ
• In-person Meeting
  Thursday, Nov. 10, 2022 at 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. HST
  Location: Amphitheater next to the Park Visitor Center at Highway 160, Hōnaunau, HI 96726