Mayor Roth, along with the Department of Parks & Recreation, Councilwoman Villegas, and West Side Hawai‘i Little League (WSHLL) celebrated improvements to the ballfield at William Charles Lunalilo Park in Kona.

Joined by local little league players, Roth threw out a ceremonial pitch at the ballfield, also known as Pualani Park or Blue Park, to 11-year-old little leaguer Matthew Gandomi.

In a press release Mayor Roth said, “We recognize the significant need for adequate facilities to support our keiki’s athletic pursuits in West Hawaiʻi. This partnership exemplifies how we can transform what we have into something we can all be proud of. Sports provide a space for our keiki to learn teamwork, understand how to win, and, most importantly, learn from their losses to show up better for the next game.”

Parks & Recreation and WSHLL formed a Friends of the Park agreement in 2023 and since then have worked together on park enhancements. A project completed through the partnership was the addition of a home run fence; the Parks & Recreation fencing crew and maintenance staff installed the fence after WSHLL raised funds from local businesses and individuals for the purchase of the fencing materials.

A new scoreboard is expected to soon be added to the park through a similar arrangement, and WSHLL has also made significant improvements to the infield. The enhancements have resulted in a beautiful park that hosted the District 4 Little League tournament in June.