If you follow our blog, you may remember when we talked about the culturally and historically significant purchase of Lipoa Point here in West Maui in 2014. According to Representative Angus McKelvey, Governor David Ige has recently released $500,000 in critical funding for this iconic landmark.
The funds will be used for the process of community planning, along with some vital maintenance and repairs to the access road and some of its other areas. Rep. Mckelvey made the following statement about the Governor’s decision in the last legislative session. “I want to thank Gov. Ige for releasing these funds so that we can engage in the beginning stages of developing a community plan and also to ensure that access and safety is preserved for the public until the community can come together for unified vision of what Lipoa Point should be.”
Lipoa Point is a beautiful piece of West Maui land that features breathtaking ocean views from atop its rugged cliffs. Its striking features have made it a culturally significant site, and its natural beauty has added to its environmental significance as well. The Department of Land and Natural Resources plans to use some of the funds to restore the gravel lining on walking trails, add barrier boulders along the main access road, place signage as needed, and add trash receptacles, all of which will make the site safer and more convenient for those exploring its remarkable sights.
As for the community plan, McKelvey mentioned the fact that the state is in discussions with an experienced local consulting company to develop a plan for the future of Lipoa Point that will accommodate the most diverse collection of stakeholders that they can manage. They hope to find a healthy consensus on the use and continued protection of the site that reflects the interests of the community.
As discussions continue, we will start to get a better idea of what’s in store for Lipoa Point in the future. Since many different groups of people were involved in securing the land for the public, McKelvey hopes that everyone will be satisfied with the outcome as interested parties share their ideas. We’re looking forward to future news on these kinds of developments in West Maui, and will add updates as we find out more. Mahalo!
