HILO — Bank of Hawaii is donating a North Kohala building and land worth $440,600 that the county Parks and Recreation Department and Office of Aging plan to use for community programs.
HILO — Bank of Hawaii is donating a North Kohala building and land worth $440,600 that the county Parks and Recreation Department and Office of Aging plan to use for community programs.
The property, at 54-3888 Akoni Pule Hwy., is adjacent to the King Kamehameha statue in Kapaau. The County Council accepted the donation Wednesday at its regular meeting in Hilo.
Bank of Hawaii officials said earthquake damage at the building has been repaired. The bank is requiring the county to leave the automated teller machine and night depository accessible to the public as a condition of accepting the property. In all, the property is only about 14,125 square feet. The building does have solar panels on the roof.
Council members fast-tracked the measure through in order to meet the bank’s April 15 deadline. Bank of Hawaii plans to hold a formal ceremony turning the property over later this month.
Council members praised the bank for the donation.
“This is something that county is getting at no cost to the county,” said South Kona Councilwoman Brenda Ford.
“This is a big score to the county,” added Hilo Councilman Dennis Onishi.
Kohala Councilman Pete Hoffmann, also expressing gratitude to the bank, asked the county administration to be sure to include the new facility in its budget requests coming before the council next week.