Does anybody know the story of how and why Moku‘ula got turned into a ballfield in the first place?
Green's instincts seem to be of the authoritarian sort, but it also seems like everybody would prefer a unique "historic" site rather than a baseball diamond.
I'm not an expert, but from my looking at a few sites, the area was a vibrant area producing food and surrounded by fish ponds. The fresh water that fed the ponds was diverted to sugar cane fields. Eventually the ponds and island fell into disrepair.
"A refuge for Kamehameha III, who struggled to adapt during a time of overwhelming change,
Moku‘ula fell into disuse when the court moved to the growing commercial center of Honolulu.
The pond grew stagnant and eventually was filled in, while Lahaina became first a sugar town
and then a tourist destination."
Since the ponds were stagnant which basically breeds mosquitos and becomes home to other pests, the local government filled in the ponds to create the ball field. Now that, too, has become neglected.
While the fire might be an opportunity to let the state take over the repair and renovation of the area, I think the state needs to get its priorities in order: help the victims rebuild and return to their homes first. Spending for something like this takes resources away from that effort.
https://www.mauimagazine.net/maluulu-o-lele-park-history/