The Wailoa River State Recreation Area is a park in Hilo, on Hawai?i Island in the US state of Hawaii.
Video Wailoa River State Recreation Area
Description
The name wai loa literally means "long water" in the Hawaiian language. It is located at 19°43?7?N 155°4?30?W, between downtown Hilo, Hawaii and Hilo Bay. The Hawaii Belt Road (Route 19, known as Kamehameha Avenue at this point) forms the northern boundary of the park, but the beach is a public park of Hawai?i County. On the east side of the Wailoa River bridge another county park is Lili?uokalani Gardens. The Wailoa "river" itself flows just a short distance from Wai?kea Pond within the park to the Pacific Ocean.
The 131.9-acre (53 ha) park is administered by the Hawai'i Department of Land and Natural Resources. It includes a boat ramp and visitor center with cultural displays. The Wailoa Arts & Cultural Center, founded in 1967, has free admission, but limited hours.
On display is a Kamehameha Statue (although not the original work by Thomas R. Gould) honoring King Kamehameha I, founder of the Kingdom of Hawaii. The statue was originally commissioned by the Princeville resort on the island of Kaua?i. However, it was put into storage when the local population pointed out that Kaua?i was the one major island never conquered by Kamehameha in war. An alumni group from Kamehameha Schools raised funds to transport the statue, and put on display in 1997.
The Royal Order of Kamehameha I objected to the first placement of the statue, pointing out that the shorefront has a history of being devastated by tsunamis. In fact, the area of the park was a residential community within Wai?kea before the tsunami caused by the 1960 Valdivia earthquake. The state condemned the land and took possession in 1969.
Maps Wailoa River State Recreation Area
References
Source of article : Wikipedia
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