HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.C.R. NO.	315
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2008
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

requesting the university of Hawaii to support the creation of a historic preservation trades program within the community college system.

     WHEREAS, tourism is Hawaii's primary economic driver, and cultural and heritage tourism represents a growing and valuable niche for Hawaii, as cultural and heritage visitors spend, on average, $623 per trip compared to $457 for all U.S. travelers, excluding the cost of transportation; and

     WHEREAS, the growth of the cultural and heritage tourism markets in Hawaii comes at a time when the idea of preserving Hawaii's sense of place and its heritage is gaining prominence in the public mind and in government; and

     WHEREAS, historic preservation is an ever growing field due to the maturing of our communities and developing interest in sustainable building practices; and

     WHEREAS, one concern voiced by preservation organizations as well as historic property owners is the shortage of, and difficulty in finding, skilled and qualified tradespersons to maintain and repair historic structures; and

     WHEREAS, goals of other historic preservation trades programs throughout the nation, which could be included in a historic preservation trades program within the community college system, include: gaining the understanding and capability in solving problems related to issues about historic preservation and sustainable building; actively engaging in the manipulation of materials and equipment to demonstrate, produce, restore and/or replicating products used in restoration and rehabilitation work; comparing, contrasting, and being knowledgeable of codes, standards, and competencies related to the historic preservation field; being a collaborative partner in preservation education and resource information for the community; and providing an educational environment where participants fain essential competencies in the field while becoming self-directed learners and historical stewards; and

     WHEREAS, other historic preservation trades programs offer courses such as drafting and documentation, an introduction to historic preservation, courses in building materials, historic building maintenance, internships, and others; and

     WHEREAS, a historic preservation trades program would prepare students for a professional career in the areas of preservation and restoration of historical buildings by providing education in traditional, historic methods, materials and technology necessary in preservation and renovation projects; and

     WHEREAS, a historic preservation trades program would also create a network of skilled practitioners who fulfill the historic preservation industry's lack of properly trained craftspeople in areas of restoration, renovation, rehabilitation, and adaptive reuse; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-fourth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2008, the Senate concurring, that the Board of Regents of the University of Hawaii is requested to support the creation of a two-year associates degree program in historic preservation trades at the community colleges; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Board of Regents of the University of Hawaii.

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title: 

Historic preservation trades associates degree program; support