HONOLULU (KHON2) — After 10 months of hauling heavy equipment over 1,048 steps, the initial repairs to the popular Koko Crater Tramway have been completed. A blessing ceremony was held on Thursday.
It’s all thanks to the hard work of Kokonut Koalition, a nonprofit comprised of unpaid volunteers, who worked weekly — and sometimes several times a week — to do the repairs.
“We’re so proud of our accomplishment,” said David Nixon, President of the Kokonut Koalition. “Huge numbers of people sacrificed weekends and weekdays for 10 months, huffing & puffing, dragging the supplies up the mountain, and laying each new step or load of gravel by hand. By putting our blood and sweat into this mountain it has made our community strong in every way.”
Kokonut Koalition was formed in 2018 when it advocated for repairs to the stairs in order to preserve the historic tramway. In January 2021, the nonprofit partnered with the City and received approximately $100,000 to help launch the effort. Koalition fundraised another $120,000 from a combination of individual donations and larger contributions from local businesses.
The repairs were projected to take two to three years to complete, but thanks to the overhwleming volunteer support from the community, they were able to complete the initial rehabilitation in 10 months. Volunteers put in an estimated 6,000 hours of work, carrying nearly 608,000 pounds of supplies.
Stolen jewels, boa constrictors killing owners, check out Weird News here
Although the condition of the stairs has greatly improved, there is still work to be done to maintain the trail as popularity of the tramway continues to grow. To help with these volunteer efforts and donate to the cause, click here.
