On Saturday, April 21, 2021 The Hanalei Initiative (HI) broke ground on a new Basketball Court in Waioli Town Park.
What’s the big deal - why is a basketball court so important? Communities that participate in sports and recreation develop strong social bonds. Places where physical activity is a priority are safer places and the people who live in them are generally healthier and happier.
Sports and recreation builds stronger, healthier, happier and safer communities. This is what The Hanalei Initiative is all about. Having a clean and restored Basketball court next to the Soccer fields encourages community members to come together and have a good, safe time.
The idea for the project began on November 21, 2020
“The restoration of the court started one day when I was driving to work and the county was out removing the old backboards. Within the hour my phone was blowing up from lifeguards and others who really enjoyed the recreational activity the old hoops provided. That’s when we mobilized and got to planning” said Joel Guy, Executive Director of HI.
We started with a community fundraiser. “Our goal was to replace the basketball hoops which had rusted out and were falling over. We held a half-court free throw contest and were overwhelmed by the support we got from so many young men and women who frequently use the court for pickup games."
Luca was the winner of our half court shot contest and won this surfboard!
Through that fundraiser, in early 2021 the old hoops were replaced with ones that met County product and building specifications in anticipation for the court resurfacing. This got the ball rolling to improve this special feature of Wailoi Town Park.
Next step was to replace the old asphalt surface with a much stronger concrete surface.
Funds were raised through a partnership between the County of Kauai, Waioli Corporation and HI. This new and improved Basketball court was also made possible by generous donations from North Shore resident Amy Frazier and Billy Eckert who immediately saw the value in having a safe and fun place where people could recreate. Staging and demolition to remove the old asphalt basketball court and replace it with a concrete surface started in the spring of 2021. This was no easy task!
The project was completed in February 2022. The benefits are easy to see. All you need to do is drive by and see kids out there playing basketball. They will even bring their bikes to ride or have fun on their skates.
Chad Mizushima of Hanalei likes to play pickleball with his uncle from time to time. “I’ve lived here for 20 years and had to coordinate playing up in Kilauea or Princeville and compete for a free court. Now all I need to do is cross the street and get set up. My Uncle and I like the exercise and it’s good fun.”
We are so grateful to all who were involved in this project and made it happen. It wouldn’t have been possible without the help of the County of Kauai, Waioli Corporation, and the North Shore Community. We are all interconnected here on this beautiful island and we value the hard work and commitment of all involved to make it an amazing place to work, live, and play.