Anuenue Playground (Photo courtesy of www.bigislandfamily.com )

Aloha All,

The County of Hawaii Parks and Recreation Dept. is looking for manpower, supplies, and tools to refurbish the children’s playground in Waimea.

Currently they are looking for immediate assistance in pressure washing and resealing the woodwork at the playground.

They have just begun working with Pete Hoffman’s office to attempt to arrange a group of volunteers to tackle a larger scale cleanup, and repair project.

While I have been recently asked to assist, and start reaching out to the community, the fact is that Ken Block and David Gomes have been attempting to gain traction on this for over a year now. The playground is in significant disrepair with many of its swings, and apparatuses removed due to damage, age, wear and tear.

I have emailed you folks because you are all my friends, and neighbors, and are local community members, business owners, park users. Many of you are in the trades, and I thought I’d start with you to gauge your ability and willingness to donate some of your precious time and or your resources to such a task.

The overall plan is loose and in its infancy, but the idea would be to conduct a full assessment of the park’s current condition with the assistance of the kit’s manufacturer, and work with the County Dept of Parks and Rec to set a series of weekend workdays for an entire park refurbishment.

We need laborers, carpenters, concrete specialists, painters, small equipment operators (& equipment ie bobcats, and mini excavators) as well as supervisors, planners and coordinators.

We will also need materials donated ranging from pea gravel, to paints and stains, brushes, sprayers, pressure washers, carpentry tools, wood, (chain, tires etc) for swings) trees, concrete etc. and funds to purchase repair parts for the playground from its manufacturer. I also think some sort of street lighting/safety lighting is warranted.

Years ago the playground was donated using local labor and materials from builders and community members, and the playground kit was funded by the Waimea outdoor circle. large signs were posted at the park for a duration recognizing those businesses who supported the park and those volunteers who donated their time. I will be donating, my labor, and equipment.

Please join me. For now if you would, respond to me via email with your support and any services you may be able to offer, labor, skills, equipment, financial assistance etc.

Please also forward this email on to friends and colleagues in the community. With the help of the community association, and the Waimea outdoor circle, we should be able to bring this concept to fruition in a more organized publicized manner for now this is a starting point, a request for community support.

Mahalo, Alex Woodbury
alex@woodburyhawaii.com