Friends of Liliuokalani Gardens will begin cleaning Waihonu, the pond at the heart of Hilo’s well-known and highly used cultural landscape, from 8 a.m.-noon Saturday.
Friends of Liliuokalani Gardens will begin cleaning Waihonu, the pond at the heart of Hilo’s well-known and highly used cultural landscape, from 8 a.m.-noon Saturday.
Volunteers will gather at 8 a.m. near the tea house for instructions, schedule and protective gear. Refreshments and lunch will be available.
Construction began on Liliuokalani Gardens in the fall of 1917. The public park has been inundated several times by tsunami, including during construction in 1918 and in 1923, a few years after the gardens opened to the public.
The tsunamis of 1946 and 1960 were much more destructive. The 1946 tsunami destroyed the original red bridge and tumbled lanterns and metal cranes off their original locations. The 1960 tsunami dumped tons of mud into the ponds along with whole sections of the nearby road and pieces of demolished buildings.
After each tsunami, the gardens were rebuilt.
During more recent reconstruction and the addition of ADA pathways in 1999-2000 under the late Mayor Stephen Yamashiro, a small section of the pond was dredged. Friends of Liliuokalani Gardens says a great deal of work remains to be done and the project will continue as volunteers and trucks are available.
For more information and to volunteer, contact Friends of Liliuokalani Gardens vice president Harvey Tajiri at 960-6289 or friends member Alton Okinana at 932-7117.