The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1905-03-24
Report
OF Research
Club.
Strong Arguments Why
Action Should Be
Taken.

The following is the report of the
special committee of the Research Club
| upon Tantalus Park:
1t is generally recognized and adj
mitted that a park system is essential
to the health, pleasure and we'll being
of an urban population. In Honolulu
under climatic conditions which de-
mand an out of door life, the people
need parks and open spaces as much
as do those in other American com-
munities.
With the expansion of the city it is
eminently desirable that a comprehen-
sive plan for a park system be adopted,
and that the land be set apart while it
is still available.
The areas which are now under dis
cussion as most suitable for parks are
the proposed reservations at Waikiki,
Punchbowl, and Tantalus Heights.
There seems no question as to the de-
STABILITY of the Waikiki and Punch
bowl Parks and little question as to
their boundaries. In the case of Tan
talus the location of the best boundary
is not so evident.
There is no doubt that in Tantalus
Honolulu has a natural mountain park,
combining the advantages of accessi-
bility, charm of situation and beauty
of outlook. of which few places in the
word can boast. The matter then of
how much land it is best to make
available for the use of the public. de-
ulands d thoughtful consideration of
all those who are interested in prevent
ing the repetition of a catastrophe SINH
lar to that which deprived Honolulu of
its Waikiki bathing beach.
The only pertinent objections which
have been made against the reserva-
ton of Tantalus Heights as a park,
are as follows:
1. That in it's present financial con- |
dition, the Territory cannot afford to
appropriate any money for the creation
or maintenance of parks, or to lose any |
possible realization, especially from
such a course, as the sale of the re-
naming available house lots on Tan
talus.
.. That it is being made in the in
terest of a few property holders and is
not justified by any real necessity.
8. That the proposed park is too
large in area and that it would not be
used by the people if it were set apart.
A. That even if it were advisable to
set the land apart the same results
could be got equally we'll by making
it a forest reserve.
To make clear certain of the points
brought out in the following discus
sion, the accompanying map has been
prepared. 1t shows the relation be-
tween the government and the private
ly owned land on Tantalus, the owner
ship of the several lots lying within
1inn
which have been suggested for the
lower or makai boundary.
To meet the objections stated above
the following arguments are presented
to show the reasons why it is desirable
that Tantalus Heights should be re-
served and set apart as a public park:
l. 1t is true that the Territory is not
at present in financial condition to
make outlays which are unnecessary
Or which can be avoided. but neither
can it afford, for a small immediate
gain to sacrifice what may be to its
best future interest to retain. The
money which could be derived from the
sale of all the possible remaining lots
on Tantalus would probably not
amount at the outside to more than
s15. 900. The value of such a park as
free use % the people of the Territory,
is difficult to measure in money but the
good which it would do is out of all
to the amount of money in
volved.
AS perhaps the chief beauty of Tan
talus consists in its very wildness, the ;
cost of maintaining it as a forest park {
will be practically nothing. With the
good road already existing all that is
now or will for a long time be needed {
Is the opening of a few trails This ]
work. which would occupy one man for ]
l short time only. could probably be
done by the forest ranger to be APP {
pointed for the eastern end of Oahu, !
and consequently at no additional eX- {
1ense to the Government. {
The time for the creation of parks is \
when the land is easily available or to :
De had at small cost. Surely if Tan I
-alus is ever to be reserved the time i
$ now. {
>. The objection that those who al {
-aadv have lots on Tantalus are the !
mes who would be primarily bene- 6
tied bv the establishment of the park t
: not well founded. Considered strict {
y from a financial point of view, I
whether or not the few available gov I
eminent lots now remaining are sold {
md built upon viii not materially alter
he value of existing property nor 9
would the reservation of them notice I
bly, increase prices Some of the best l
OTIS on T'antalus are now and have for
some time been in the market without 7
purchasers. a fact showing the absence I
# any pressing demand for more lots.
If the remaining government lots i
we're for sale cheap there would natur- i
lily be plenty to take them up. but II
he price were put on a par with the I
OTIS now on sale it is hard to see why /
hey should be more in demand, eX- G
ept as their location is better, In any t
vent the number of good lots remain @
ng is so small that the time when no