Hawaii County releases $21 million for first Waikoloa public library

Hawaii County has released $21 million to build Waikoloa’s first permanent public library, a long-awaited project that would give South Kohala a full branch on county land in the Kamakoa Nui Subdivision instead of forcing residents to rely on a daily bookmobile or drive nearly 17 miles to Waimea.

The planned library would be about 12,000 square feet, with an additional 3,000-square-foot Early Learning Center, a 71-stall surface parking lot and shelving for at least 50,000 books. The design also calls for private meeting rooms, a program room, a work room, support space and a librarian’s office. The early learning component would include two classrooms for about 20 students each, a detail that gives the project a broader role than books alone.

County and state officials have described the library as a response to one of the Big Island’s fastest-growing areas, where housing has expanded around Waikoloa Village while public infrastructure has lagged behind. The site sits on Kamakoa Drive, off the end of Paniolo Avenue, on about 2.0 acres of county land. Hawaii County had already authorized a 65-year, no-cost lease for the property, clearing the way for the state to move ahead with construction planning.

The project has been in the works for more than a decade. Supporters say planning and design were pushed steadily for 14 years, beginning in the living room of then state Rep. Cindy Evans. In June 2023, the state released $1.9 million to finish design work, and lawmakers approved $13 million that year for design, environmental analysis and initial construction. Rep. David A. Tarnas later secured another $8 million, bringing the two-year total to $21 million.

Tarnas has said the state librarian told him that amount should be enough to complete the project as planned. A final Environmental Assessment published in May 2024 found no significant impact, removing a major permitting hurdle. Once permits are in hand, the job is expected to go out for bids.

Construction could take 18 to 24 months, putting completion as late as 2028. For Waikoloa families, students and remote workers, the payoff would be immediate: a permanent public space for reading, study, meetings and early learning in a community that has outgrown its temporary fixes.