The diving tower at the “Sparky” Kawamoto Swim Stadium in Hilo will finally reopen after years of disuse.
While the decades-old high-dive column at the stadium was refurbished several years ago, the spiral staircase leading to the diving platforms has been in a state of disrepair for roughly seven years, leaving the entire tower high and dry, said DJ Freedman, president of nonprofit Hawaii HI-Diving Friends.
But thanks to a collaboration between Freedman’s nonprofit and the Hawaii County Department of Parks and Recreation, that will change this year. Members of the Hawaii County Council’s Finance Committee voted Tuesday in support of a resolution allocating $66,815 in county grant funding to Hawaii HI-Diving Friends to replace the tower’s staircase and render it usable once more.
“It’s a great tower, it’s in great condition, we just need a new staircase,” Freedman said, adding that installation of the new stairs should be complete in about six months.
Parks and Recreation Director Maurice Messina said during Tuesday’s committee meeting that replacing the 50-year-old staircase with something safe to use will allow high-profile diving competitions to resume at the stadium again.
While Freedman said international college- and master-level diving events would be possible from the 10-meter tower, he also jokingly suggested during the meeting that, as a volunteer diving coordinator for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, he could try to bring even bigger competitions to Hilo.
The committee voted unanimously in support of the resolution, which will next go before the full council.
Email Michael Brestovansky at mbrestovansky@hawaiitribune-herald.com.