Kapiolani Park
Ronald
K.Y. Chun
Kapiolani
Park was dedicated on July 11, 1877 as Hawaii's first
public park and has steadily remained one of the most
enthusiastically patronized recreational facilities on
Oahu. This beautiful 170-acre park, named for the queen
consort of King Kalakaua, was landscaped by Archibald
Cleghorn, father of Princess Kaiulani, and originally
included a racetrack and later, a polo field. Kapiolani
Park is a favorite of Hawaii's multi-ethnic population,
a popular center for running, kite flying, a variety of
ball games, picnicking, concerts, cultural events, and
other community and family activities.
On
Marathon Sunday, this tranquil park is transformed into
a carnival-like extravaganza complete with multicolored
tents, festive flags, and people of many nations all gathered
together to participate in the world-renowned HONOLULU
MARATHON!
Preparation
for this one-day affair means reconstructing the wide-open
spaces of Kapiolani Park into efficient operational sectors
able to accommodate more than 27,000 runners and 48,000
well-wishers, supporters, volunteers, and people-watchers.
Preliminary
planning begins months before the Marathon. Coordination
is made between the City and County of Honolulu, State
of Hawaii, Police Department, contractors, dozens of volunteer
groups, the United States Army, Navy, Marines, SeaBees,
Air Force, Coast Guard, Marine Corps Reserve, and the
Honolulu Marathon Association (HMA).
Several
days before the Marathon, Kapiolani Park is a beehive
of activity. More than 7,750 feet of electrical cables
and power lines are strung up. Several portable electric
generators must also be brought in to provide electrical
power to remote race operational sites in the park
Telephone,
radio broadcast, facsimile, computer data, television,
and video cables must also be installed. These lines and
cables total over 18,000 feet.
More
than 14,850 feet of rope barriers must be set up around
the various work areas. A large, portable shower station
must be installed at the Finish Line. Wooden stands must
be erected to facilitate the distribution of more than
27,000 leis for the Finishers. Hundreds of tables and
folding chairs must also be disbursed to various race
day operations within the park.
Approximately
465 porta-johns must be positioned and installed at strategic
locations to provide maximum use for the general public
with a minimum of exposure and smell and with plenty of
toilet paper to spare.
Kapiolani
Park literally becomes "tent city" as HMA contractors
put up what amounts to more than 14.5 acres of tents -
652,500 square feet of tenting material. This figure does
not include the tents and coverings put up by the public.
Bleachers
must be picked up from several locations around the island,
delivered to Kapiolani Park, and installed along Kalakaua
Avenue. Arrangements are made to bring in 16 massive dumpsters
that are placed in central locations for the tent users
and clean-up crews.
The
day before the Marathon, more than 13,000 feet of red
nylon fencing is installed along Kalakaua Avenue using
800 fencing posts. Before any fencing is put up, each
of these 5-foot posts must be manually driven into the
ground, a thankless back-breaking job by any measure!
A
huge tower is erected on the medial strip near the Finish
Line. Many an exhausted runner has been spotted by the
look-outs in the tower and medical help immediately dispatched
to their aid.
More
than 125,000 pounds (63.5 tons) of ice cubes are brought
in for the comfort of the runners and for use by medical
and shiatsu personnel for people who are suffering from
heat exhaustion.
The
result of all this is a carefully planned, well-organized
base of operations for this annual world-renowned event
- the Honolulu Marathon! Kapiolani Park welcomes the ecstatic
finishers and provides a perfect setting for everyone
to share in the Honolulu Marathon's Aloha Spirit promoting
health and fitness!
