Open the park
I am disappointed that Hawaii Volcanoes National Park remains altogether closed and that HVNP doesn’t have alternative visitor sites where the public can visit and learn about Hawaii volcanoes. I don’t question the closure for public safety, as that should always be our priority.
HVNP draws 2 million visitors annually to the Big Island, and it is forecasted that every day the park is closed we lose $455,000 a day in visitor spending.
Surely, people have not lost their appetite for Hawaii’s volcanoes. Pele is synonymous with Hawaii, its culture and its people. HVNP is too important to the county, the state and to the National Park Service to be based solely around Kilauea caldera. We need to rethink HVNP having additional sites in the future, even if only temporarily and to get the word out that park is open.
Currently, HVNP encompasses about 333,000 acres from the summit of Mauna Loa to the sea. Surely there are safe locations where temporary visitor buildings could be erected.
In addition, the National Park Service, which runs HVNP, also runs Pu‘uhonua Honaunau National Historical Park, Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park, Pu‘ukohola heiau, and Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument within the county — the latter being where some HVNP employees were reassigned.
HVNP land near South Point could be one alternative or even within Pu‘uhonua Honaunau National Historical Park. Wherever they decide, they need to get the park reopened and spare our island economy.
Alan Rudo
Keaau
Aloha from Canada
It was with heavy hearts that we watched the loss of so many homes on Hawaii Island recently, and we want to extended our aloha to you, as you have to us when we have visited Kapoho and the area.
You are in our prayers and daily thoughts as you face the future.
Please know you are not alone at this time, and you have ohana from around the world supporting you.
May God bless you all, and may you hold on to wonderful memories of a special place on Earth. Hold it dear in your hearts, for you were chosen to experience it before it was given back.
Scott and Carmen Schneider
British Columbia, Canada