(BIVN) – Hawaiʻi County officials and community members celebrated the reconstruction of the iconic bridge pavilion at Lili‘uokalani Gardens in Hilo on Friday. 

The previous pavilion was removed late last year due to extensive termite damage that significantly deteriorated the structure. 

“This unique bridge at Liliʻuokalani Gardens is beloved by so many of our community members, who have special memories connected to it,” said Mayor Kimo Alameda in a news release. “Our County employees did a tremendous job rebuilding it for all of us to enjoy. I also want to express my gratitude to the Friends of Lili‘uokalani Gardens for their continued support.” 

Photo of the new bridge pavilion at Lili‘uokalani Gardens in Hilo, courtesy the County of Hawaiʻi

From the County of Hawai‘i Department of Parks and Recreation:

Carpenters in the Parks and Recreation Maintenance Division replicated the previous structure using Alaskan yellow cedar — a species known for its termite resistance – while adding several details that bring it closer to its original design.

After building the new structure in the shop, carpenters and other Maintenance Division staff transported it to the park on Aug. 26 and installed the wooden pavilion on its stone foundation. Once the main structure was in place, they added roofing, the capstone, railings, and other finishing touches.

The Friends of Lili‘uokalani Gardens purchased some of the lumber that was used for the project.

Lili‘uokalani Gardens was established in 1917 by the Legislature of the Territory of Hawai‘i and dedicated to Queen Liliʻuokalani.

The bridge pavilion was part of the original park construction and has been rebuilt several times. The original, and its successor, were destroyed by tsunamis in 1946 and in 1960.

“It’s exciting to bring back this bridge, which is an iconic feature of Lili‘uokalani Gardens,” said Clayton Honma, Director of Parks and Recreation. “It’s something people have enjoyed for over 100 years, and we hope the community can appreciate it for the next 100 years as well.”

The bridge has been painted various colors over the years: green, brown, tan, red, and most recently vermillion, a red-orange color recommended by a garden designer from Kyoto. The new bridge continues to be vermillion, or “shuiro” in Japanese, a color that holds special significance in Japanese culture.