Milolii improvements completed

Repairs to Milolii landing are completed and a prefinal inspection is scheduled for Thursday morning, said Department of Land and Natural Resources spokeswoman Deborah Ward.

The improvements, costing $88,360, consisted of the reconstruction of a stairway from the upper to lower landing, installation of a handrail, new mooring cleats, and a new jib crane and fish hoist. The upgrades were funded by the Legislature under Act 164, which provided a lump sum for improvements at boating and ocean recreation facilities, Ward said.

State Sen. Gil Kahele (D-Hilo, Puna, Ka‘u) listed the project as one of his 2012 legislative accomplishments and expressed gratitude to the DLNR for making the landing safer to use. He also thanked Guy Kaulukukui, former DLNR deputy director, for “personally looking into the neglected facility and helping advocate that the necessary repairs get done.”

The landing, located north of the beach park, is well-used. Milolii in South Kona is considered the last traditional fishing village in Hawaii. Families there have been fishing there for generations.

Kahele said the popular landing had been in disrepair for at least 25 years. It was in such a poor state that many residents had safety concerns, which they expressed to various state officials. Two hazards, in particular, were the concrete stairway to the lower landing and the fish hoist, he added.

“The project was initially needed to repair the badly deteriorated concrete stairway to the lower landing. The stairway without a handrail posed a safety issue for people accessing the lower level,” Ward said. “The existing jib crane metal frame was badly deteriorated and would pose a safety hazard in the near future if it was left in place. Based on discussions with Chairperson (William) Aila and Sen. Kahele, it was decided that the jib crane and fish hoist needed to be replaced. The hope is to provide the Milolii community with a safe and functional facility.”