Waimea trails Waimea trails ADVERTISING Arguing against it In response to Mr. Matt Piercy’s letter to the editor May 8: From Seattle to New York, many communities such as Dunwoody, Ga.; Greenwood, Ind.; Dunedin, Fla. and Rego Park, N.Y. are
Waimea trails
Arguing against it
In response to Mr. Matt Piercy’s letter to the editor May 8:
From Seattle to New York, many communities such as Dunwoody, Ga.; Greenwood, Ind.; Dunedin, Fla. and Rego Park, N.Y. are rejecting trails and greenways. Some reasons these communities rejected trails and greenways include:
Increased crime — a lone female bicyclist was killed in Paulding County east of the Dallas trailhead. Another example was in Rockmart, Ga., where two females were attacked on the trail one with a gunshot wound to the chest. In another example, a girl in her middle teens was raped as she jogged alone.
More locally, here in Waimea, lewd behavior was reported to the police when it occurred along the existing Waimea Trails and Greenways next to the Waimea Country School.
Loss of property values — there are several reputable studies that show property values decrease when they are adjacent to concrete bicycle paths.
Increased gas prices —the price of oil has recently dropped to below $100 per barrel. According to CNN Money, “While experts were issuing warnings about $5 per gallon gas … a drop in the price of gasoline futures may indicate that prices at the pump will fall even farther.” It is well known, as gasoline prices drop, more people use their cars. This is the reality.
If you build it they will come — to use the “Field of Dreams” fantasy-drama script as reality is ridiculous. In reality, the actual “Field of Dreams” baseball field was built solely for the film. The land of the “Field of Dreams” was sold on Oct. 30, 2011. If you build it, they won’t come. Back to reality: Should taxpayers spend millions on the Waimea Trails and Greenways concrete path and bridges?
Waimea Trails and Greenways users — Matt Piercy states many people will use the Waimea Trails and Greenways concrete path. How many people will use a 4.8-mile path that has a 600-foot climb into the routine 15-25 mph trade winds and frequent rains? Athletic bicyclists will not use a 4.8 mile path. It is too short.
Parker Ranch connector road path —This path exists already. It is very rarely used although it connects to the heart of Waimea town where schools, shopping and restaurants are available. If you build it, they won’t come.
Barbed wire and signs — Matt Piercy states people are kept out of green spaces.
Wait until the Waimea Trails and Greenways destroys more than 357 large, old trees to create a path of concrete with nine stream crossings, including one 16-foot-wide concrete bridge. Clearly, the beauty, culture and heritage of the place will be lost forever. Once this path is built as proposed, we will be left with a dust bowl with potential flood and fire risk. Who will want to walk or ride the Waimea Trails and Greenways dust bowl?
We are not alone in warning of the inherent risks of the Waimea Trails and Greenways concrete path. More than 889 signatures on an opposition petition were submitted to the Hawaii County public record.
Fran L. Tabor
LaDonna M. Shively
Waimea
Coral grafitti
Paint is worse
So much has been written, I would like to add my two cents.
I object to the people who use a can of white paint to spray the lava with their names, etc., and even worse, those who use cans of colored paint and spray the white coral.
That is not cute, it is grafitti and is disrespectful to our land.
Carole Abarcar
Waikoloa
