Aloha no! I would like to share a little history of Hilo’s soccer field area, as I learned it from my kūpuna and some others who have researched it:
Back when Paiʻea Kamehameha was building his Peleleu Fleet, the beach went all the way back to the canal. This is why this part of Hilo, from the Wailuku to the Wailoa, is named Hilo One, “Sandy Hilo.” Behind the beach, and throughout the area where Wailoa Park is now, were lush taro fields, as well as fish ponds.
The entire area between the Wailuku and Wailoa are Hilo’s natural floodplain. Waiākea is also part of this natural floodplain, as you can see by the name, “Broad Water.”
From Hilo One to mauka, and crossing where Komohana Street is now, were Haili Forest and Mokaulele Forest. The remnants of Mokaulele are above the ʻImiloa Astronomy Center.
This forest created a natural sponge which helped to absorb the famous rains of Hilo. Many ancient chants describe the heavy rainfall of Hilo, and how it fills the waterways and tears at the edges of the shore.
Paiʻea Kamehameha logged huge swaths of the forest surrounding Hilo One to build the Peleleu Fleet.
Later, more of the forest was logged to build Hilo Town. Haili Church is named for the forest that its lumber came from.
Later, when Sugar was King, railroad tracks were built on the beach. A berm was created to protect the railway.
Over the years, communities grew up along the railway and in the Wailoa Park area (most famouly, Shinmachi). Roadways were installed, in addition to the railways.
The communities were destroyed by the tsunamis of 1946 and 1960.
After 1960, the devastated areas were made into parks so that people could not rebuild there and suffer such losses again.
The Kaikoʻo area was created with fill, to elevate governmental and commercial areas above the worst of the tsunami’s reach.
By then, Hilo had grown so much there was no place to put a replacement for a major road to serve the makai areas, so the bay front road would have to remain, and because it is so close to sea level, it would have to be protected by a berm. Still, when the sea is rough, the road must be closed.
I often hear people say that the berm needs to be cut through and opened up to allow the water on the so-called “soccer field” to drain into the bay. The problem with that idea is that the “soccer field” is only 10 feet above sea level. If that berm were removed, there would be little difference between the floodplain and the bay. Rough seas would use the entire area for a beach.
Yes, there was poor planning, but the poor planning was done in the 1800s. The city should not have been developed makai of what is now Kinoʻole St. All of that area is part of the natural floodplain. But what is done, is done, and the current situation is the best possible solution taking into account the various needs of Hilo.
In 1994, plans were made to mitigate the problems through the Alenaio Stream Flood Control Project. Draining the water into the remains of the floodplain keeps it out of the rest of Hilo, and allows it to slowly seep away, rather than “bite the shore like an angry dog,” as the old chants describe.
Rather than be angry that the soccer field and park get flooded, I think we should be happy that enough of the floodplain was opened up to provide for much of the storm waters, and when it is not storming, we have a wonderful soccer field and park to use.
Just my manaʻo. If I have made any errors, please give me links and documentation, as I am passionate about the history of our town, and always seeking to learn more!
Malama pono!
Mahalo to Baron Sekia for the info about the Alenaio Stream project.
For some amazing photos, check out Extreme Exposure’s Facebook page.