Questions remain, reports the Ka’u Calendar

PAHALA, Hawaii: The environmental assessment notice for the new Ka`u Disaster Shelter and Gymnasium is expected to be posted on the state Office of Environmental Quality Control website starting February 23rd, according to Julia Neal’s Ka’u Calendar.

Consultants PBR Hawaii are drawing up the document.

The $17 million disaster shelter and gymnasium will be be built in this open, grassy field makai of the Ka’u high school offices and next to the Pahala tennis courts.

Several community meetings have already been held on the project, including a multi-day design charrette, where – as Neal reports – “questions included whether there will be equipment to clean the air in the gym during bad vog days, whether there will be photovoltaic panels for power in case the disaster shelter is cut off from the power lines coming into Ka`u, and whether it will be necessary to pave the entire field and install parking lot light posts around the shelter and gym.”

The disaster shelter and gym will be managed by the Hawaii County Department of Parks & Recreation, which has been active in the design process.