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 Kepaniwai Park's Heritage Gardens was established in 1952 as a showcase for Maui's island's heritage with ethnic houses and gardens representing the Hawaiian, Portuguese, Japanese, Caucasian and Filipino cultures. Virgie Cantrona, project chairperson, said "The idea for the project started in June 1990, when I came up to Kepaniwai Gardens for a picnic. It saddened me to notice the six buildings in this park were very run down. They were weather beaten. Some of them were destroyed by termites. The ponds that I remembered from my wedding and in high school were filled by mud. There was a lot of overgrowth by plants - almost jungle like. I notice that as bus loads of tourists would come to the park, they would express dismay. It saddened me!" Restoration was badly needed. A project was started with a goal to restore the park in 5 days. The project was planned, and in 1994, eight hundred volunteers from ages 6 to 80, worked two weekends to restore the gardens. Virgie and graduates from "People Synergistically Involved" spearheaded the clean up and rebuilding work. Two dozen local business's provided generous in-kind donations and materials in restoring this historical park. Other help came from cultural groups, high schools, Maui Community College, Community Work Day, and Tri-Isle RC&D Council, Inc.
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The Filipino building was almost totally rebuilt. Termite damage on the Japanese building was repaired and the intricut painting on the Chinese Cultural House was redone. The ponds were resealed and new barbeque pits were built. The ethnobotanical gardens in front of each house was landscaped with native plants consistant with the areas culture.
