Growing the Hilo Grant Program with Community Input

THE HILO PRESERVATION & BEAUTIFICATION STAKEHOLDERS MEETING

On March 30, 2023 more than 30 members of the Hilo community gathered at the Mokupāpapa Discovery Center on Kamehameha Avenue in Hilo’s downtown core. The main objective was to receive community input on ways the program can be beneficial to the Hilo community and its historic places. The agenda included an update on the Hilo Preservation Grant Program, launched in 2019, which has provided grants to an impressive array of downtown icons including: Palace Theatre; Kaikodo, Calica, Smallwood and Hilo Plaza buildings; Kalakaua Park; East Hawaii Cultural Center; Central Christian Church and more. The meeting also afforded an opportunity to discuss impacts and results with the Hilo community and gather input to help inform the program’s future trajectory. Goals for the event included identifying additional potential projects and needs that could be supported; and providing information on next steps and how to apply for a grant (scroll down to the Hilo Preservation Grant Program section below to learn more).

The event commenced with introductions and a chance for each person to share what’s special to them about Hilo. Some responses included:

The rain (mentioned several times).

The people.

Its authenticity.

Hilo’s uniqueness.

Feeling of community, community bonds.

The history and resilience.

The beauty of this place.

The connections.

That what makes Hilo special has remained and is still visible.

It’s real…

Participants engaged enthusiastically in small group discussions on the following topics:

• What is working well for the Hilo Preservation and Beautification Program;
• What advice do past or current grantees have for others planning a project (for a past grantee);
• What are buildings, sites or areas that could benefit from a grant or project support;
• What could be improved in the application and grant making process;
• Any additional ways to build community support and engagement in Hilo preservation and beautification efforts.

Continued collaboration with the Hilo community will help grow the program and possibilities for this special historic place.

Hilo Preservation and Beautification Program Overview

VIEW OVERVIEW

Learn more about the history and moʻolelo of Hilo through the Hilo Story Map. Tour in person or visit from your smartphone or computer.

VIEW THE STORY MAP

EVENT PHOTOS

THE HILO PRESERVATION GRANT PROGRAM

The Hilo Preservation Program provides grants for the preservation, rehabilitation, restoration and beautification of historically-significant buildings and structures located in the core downtown area of Hilo. The program supports historic preservation as a mechanism for building community, enhancing Hawaii’s sense of place, and support for improved societal relationships.

The overall goal is to support projects that improve the appearance and longevity of Hilo’s historic waterfront and downtown area. Grant deadlines for 2023 are June 15, October 15 and February 15.
LEARN MORE & APPLY.

Image at top: Aerial of Hilo by Andrew Richard Hara.

WHAT MAKES HILO SPECIAL

Lifelong Hilo resident, photographer and media specialist, Andrew Richard Hara, reflects on what makes Hilo special in this October 23, 2021 Instagram post.
Reprinted with permission.

Volcanic gas. Tsunamis. Massive flooding. Homelessess. Drugs. Constant rain. No white sand beaches, expensive private schools, or Costco.

Hilo is far from perfect but it is for many, including me. I love this place because it doesn’t matter who you are, what you do, how rich you are, or how perfect your life looks. Hilo doesn’t want to be anything else but what it is. Hilo is just Hilo. What matters is treating people well, sharing a special warmth, and understanding a slower, more thoughtful pace toward sharing life.

We will drop off three bags of tangerines unannounced at your house, give a pair of slippers to a crazy drugged out aunty in downtown, jump your car in the pouring rain at KTA, drive behind cyclists at night so that they don’t get hit from behind, wave and say hello to people who you went to school with and forgot their name, and make sure that the wild pigs on Mohouli/Komohana St. intersection are fed bentos at 5pm.

We will also call you out when you’re being too mainland or arrogant. Sometimes we can be rude because old traditions hold strong and require effort and time to change. Stuck in our ways also means deep roots. But it doesn’t necessarily mean all roots are good. However, the majority of our roots are good and good for others. And that’s what makes this place exceptional. A feeling of belonging to each other. Even if we don’t know every single face.

Is this place called Hilo tough to live? Yes and no. Does the feeling of community outweigh the hardships? Absolutely. Love this soft, humble, perfectly balanced with a little ghettoness that makes it hilariously quirky, and filled with some of the best food on the island. Place called Hilo.