The city’s ignorance of history is no excuse for destroying the heritage of Thomas Square. This is an instance where the mayor needs to step forward and take action to save this highly symbolic piece of island history.
Thanks to Doug Matsuoka for reminding us of the situation in a Facebook post last week.
He wrote:
The City & County of Honolulu is erasing the Hawaiian flag from Thomas Square… The pathways in Thomas Square are designed to look like the Union Jack in Honor of Admiral Thomas who restored Hawaiian sovereignty back in 1843. You can still see the design in the Google Earth image.
But this last Sunday… check the pano. No paths. They’re fertilizing the paths away, disappearing even the memory of Hawaiian Sovereignty. WTF?
The top photo from Google Earth shows the design of Thomas Square. The Union Jack design is still clearly visible.
But in the photo below, taken just over a week ago, the paths and the historic design are being obliterated. Click for a larger version of the photo.
This isn’t esoteric Hawaii history. Do a quick online search for Thomas Square and you’ll find numerous references to the importance and significance of the British flag design.
Read Denby Fawcett’s recent column in Civil Beat, which is an excellent review (“Denby Fawcett: Tap The Brakes On Thomas Square Proposal“).
Earlier, Thomas Square was identified as one of our most threatened history sites in a 2014 Honolulu Magazine review (“The 8 Most Endangered Historic Places in Hawai‘i“).
From the article:
Thomas Square is Hawai‘i’s first official public park, dedicated in 1850 by King Kamehameha III for British Rear Adm. Richard Thomas. During a ceremony in 1843 on the plot of land now bearing his name, the admiral restored the sovereignty of the Hawaiian Kingdom after British subjects unlawfully seized the Hawaiian government. It was during that ceremony that King Kamehameha III spoke the famous words that would become the state’s motto, “Ua mau ke ea o ka ‘?ina i ka pono.” Nearly 90 years later, additional features would be added to the park, including a central water fountain, radial coral pathways arranged in the pattern of the Union Jack and the Beretania Street Promenade, designed by landscape architects Catherine Jones Thompson and Bob Thompson. The park was placed on the National Register for Historic Places in 1972 based on its political significance.
WHAT THREATENS IT?
In his 2014 State of the City address, Mayor Kirk Caldwell listed the restoration of Thomas Square as one of his top priorities, says Curtis Lum, spokesman for the city Department of Planning and Permitting. “His vision is to see Thomas Square emerge, once again, as a crown jewel and, with the Blaisdell, become a more active gathering place that anchors a vibrant arts and cultural community,” Lum says. While concrete plans have not been developed, one proposal discussed in April includes designing a bike path through the park, box planters and hard pathways. The concepts “were not based on restoring the features and characteristics from the historic period, but rather would erase most of the landscape architecture designed by Thompson and Thompson,” says Kiersten Faulkner, executive director of Historic Hawai‘i Foundation.WHAT CAN BE DONE?
The public should make its opinions known. The city has made no decisions on Thomas Square’s future, says Lum, but the public will be asked for its feedback during the various phases of planning.
The city expects to complete an environmental assessment of the project soon, and public comment will be essential.
I find it sad that Mayor Caldwell, who benefited from a large property tax exemption due to the historic designation of his residence, is turning a blind eye to the far more significant history of Thomas Square.
Come on, Kirk. The city can certainly renovate the park without destroying its historic character. Show some leadership.
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The mayor seems intent on ramming bike paths down everyone’s throat and placing them everywhere up the yin-yang, with seemingly no regard to safety, loss of parking stalls, community opinion, and in this case, historical considerations. Good luck in getting Caldwell to snap out of his bike path obsession.
AMEN !!!
Other than the occasional tree root, the coral paths that are already in the park are quite adequate for bicyclists. I’m not sure where the idea came from to put a formal bike path through the park, but it’s extremely frustrating to know that the city had the opportunity to put a nice shared-use path along the back of the new transit center on Alapai and instead put in a path that doesn’t even meet federal guidelines.
Yeah fuck bike paths! The city is for cars only!
Wow.
Another good reason to not vote Kurt.
Well said Ian. Mahalo
Just for the record, the draft master plan does indicate that The Jack path pattern is retained and somewhat enhanced:
http://www.slideshare.net/ChrisDacus/thomas-square-masterplan-presentation
What am I missing? The master plan removes the Union Jack, replacing one arm with a “performance stage.” This destroys the meaning of the park and should not be permitted to get through the historic review process.
If anyone wants to find out about what’s happening at Thomas Square. And would like to talk to the Houseless & Activists Community. Please stop by the park on Sundays from 5 to 8. Food not Bombs holds a free Veg potluck with lots of books and a few clothing every week. If you like politics this is the best place to find out what’s going on. I think that the real reason why a few government officials want to shut down Thomas Square for four to six months is because they wants to get rid of the homeless. Sam Mitchell Maikiki NB / Union Activist
So, a question for Ian and all commenters, since y’all are usually good with correcting inaccurate info.
It looks like Kirk Caldwell GAVE UP exemption in 2011.
How long did it take to find info? Like 5 minutes after googling then skimming articles below.
http://www.civilbeat.org/2013/10/audit-honolulu-property-tax-assessments-inconsistent/
http://www.staradvertiser.com/2010/09/12/hawaii-news/hidden-homes-get-big-tax-breaks/
Truly sloppy reporting and disappointing silence about error from audience.
If I’m wrong about historic exemption, please let me know where to check for info. Thanks.
Can’t let the facts get in the way of self-righteous Caldwell hate…
You are correct that he gave up the exemption. I’m not sure when, but 2011 sounds about right.
Take a look at Fort St Mall and tell me the place is any better since the benches taken out to prevent homeless sitting. I like Thimas Sq as it is.
Hi Ian, I missed this when you first published it. CivilBeat also published my more detailed account of Mayor Caldwell’s plan for Thomas Square, a rather devious one, if you ask me. It requires management of the State owned park from the Department of Parks and Recreation to the Department of Enterprise Services. Why?…
http://www.civilbeat.org/2016/07/what-the-city-doesnt-want-you-to-know-about-thomas-square/
I am very concerned about what is going on at Thomas Square – why the large fence, what has to be done in secret. Where are all the little birds going to go – the one part of this city were they seem to thrive?
The City was asked long ago to install windows in the fences to allow us to watch the “progress”. No windows as of yet. They definitely do not want people watching or even discussing Thomas Square.
At the last Makiki Tantalus Neighborhood Board meeting Mr. Kaulukukui of the City’s Dept. of Enterprise Services, deftly steered the conversation away from Thomas Square which is in that district by handing out maps of the Neal Blaisdell Master Plan well before his talk. The Neal Blaisdell Center is not in their district.