HILO — Mayor Harry Kim says he continues to find receptive audiences for his vision of a Mauna Kea park more than six months after he promoted the concept during his inauguration.
But it’s not clear if the stars will align for the idea, which he says will make Hawaii’s tallest mountain — held sacred by Native Hawaiians and prized by astronomers — an international symbol of peace and learning. At this point, it remains much more a broad concept than plan.
“I’m not sure where it will lead to, but I have my fingers crossed,” Kim said.
He said he met with University of Hawaii President David Lassner and UH-Hilo Chancellor Don Straney at an astronomer’s home Monday evening in Hilo to discuss the vision, and will take it to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs later this month.
Kim previously spoke about it with Gov. David Ige.
He said it remains his personal wish, not Hawaii County policy, and he doesn’t intend to form a county committee that could work out the details. Kim said it will be up to state officials if they share the vision.
“It’s beyond me,” he said he told Lassner. “It is for people of your level.”
The university holds a master lease for the Mauna Kea Science Reserve, which hosts 13 telescopes and the proposed site for the Thirty Meter Telescope, strongly opposed by some Hawaiians. The mountain is state land.
Lassner was not available for comment by deadline.
Kim, who supports TMT, said he sees the park as being a home for scientific research and Hawaiian culture.
He said there needs to be more of a recognition of mismanagement of that space in the past.
“We are all to blame,” Kim said.
“If we want to continue, to go forward, we need to acknowledge that,” he said.
Kim said he will speak to the OHA board of directors June 29.
Doug Simons, director of the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope, who hosted the Monday meeting, said there’s a lot of appeal to Kim’s unifying message. He didn’t confirm who was present.
Simons said he would like to see it develop out of the conceptual phase. But he said it would take more time and meetings.
“He needs all kinds of help and support to implement the concept,” Simons said, adding he’d like to be involved in a working group or committee. “He’s not going to get that until he’s gone through this whole process of one-on-ones or group meetings.”
Email Tom Callis at tcallis@hawaiitribune-herald.com.