KAILUA-KONA — A revamped Honaunau Rodeo Arena — complete with a new community pavilion, bleachers and more — should be complete by this time next year.
The county Department of Parks and Recreation is moving forward with the project after concluding in its final environmental assessment issued Wednesday that the improvements to the South Kona facility will have no significant impact. After securing necessary permits, the $3 million to $5 million effort will get underway.
If all goes as planned, the arena will be finished in late 2016.
The project includes adding a 2,260-square-foot community pavilion with a concession stand for public and rodeo use; replacing, expanding and improving spectator seating with a new eight-tier aluminum bleacher system seating 500, including eight ADA wheelchair spaces; and replacing an existing comfort station with an 800-square-foot facility. It would also reroute and improve vehicular access; expand parking to 41 regular and nine ADA compliant paved stalls; and improve the water system, to include adding a tank for fire protection.
The county said the pavilion would be the lone such public facility between Hookena and Honaunau.
“The Honaunau to Hookena area is serviced by very few County recreational facilities, and community and family groups from this area must travel to Captain Cook, Kailua or event Holualoa to find a facility,” the document reads. “There is thus a clear need for such a venue.”
The current arena hosts one large annual event by the Kona Roping Club, drawing about 700 people annually. Because of the crowd, the county said traffic circulation and parking becomes an issue. In addition, restrooms and concession areas are inadequate for such events.
“It’s a good improvement and it’s long overdue. We’ve been doing the rodeo for like 25-plus years and never had any major improvements,” said Lino Kamakau, an officer with the club. “For the south Kona people, it’s going to be a major plus.”
The 6.126-acre parcel near Ke Ala O Keawe Road is owned by the state, but the county controls and manages the park under an executive order approved in 1969.
No impacts are expected from construction to any biological or water resources and archaeological sites in the area are limited to cattle walls that have previously been modified.
Mitigation includes timing clearing to avoid impacts to listed vertebrate species, best management practices during construction to avoid erosion and sedimentation, consultation with the state Department of Health concerning the need for a community noise control permit during construction, a dust control plan and precautionary conditions related to inadvertent finds of cultural materials.
