Tomorrow (Aug. 8) marks three years since fires destroyed the small Maui city of Lahaina, and damaged other homes on the island. More than 100 people were killed in the tragedy, which wiped out almost all of the historic city, which was once capital of the kingdom of Hawaii.
It’s a place I’ve visited at least 70 or 80 times over the 50-plus years I’ve been visiting the islands, and it’s a place I dearly loved.
It’s been a very slow process to rebuild the city, but there have been signs of progress of late.
The harbour reopened some months ago, although not all the former tour boats offering whale watching trips and sunset rides have returned. As well, the ferry that whisks visitors to the nearby island of Lana’i is still being run out of the harbor in Maalaea.
The county has refurbished parts of Front Street in Lahaina, adding new lighting, plants and railings along the ocean.
Hundreds of new homes have been built, and there are permits for many others. Some damaged restaurants and attractions have reopened north of town, near the Cannery shopping centre, including Star Noodle and the Old Lahaina Luau. But businesses have yet to return to the old, central part of town.
Plans have been announced for a building on Front Street that will be a new home for the popular restaurant Kimo’s (Kimo is the Hawaiian translation for “Jim,” I’ll have you know), as well as a Tori Richards outlet (famous for their lovely Hawaiian shirts), a Crazy Shirts t-shirt shop, and a Coco Nene home decor and locally made gift shop.
Lahaina and Front Street before the fire. PHOTO COURTESY HAWAII TOURISM AUTHORITY
The county also has said a short-term plan to boost the local economy with a downtown project called ‘Ulu’o Lele, which will feature a total of 25 food trucks and shops and be a welcome gathering spot for locals and visitors alike.
It’s scheduled to open this fall, and I’ll be certain to check it out on my visit to Maui in January.
The progress is slow, which is hard. But it seems from afar that politicians are listening to the voices of locals who want the new Lahaina to be more respectful of Hawaiian history and the wishes of local residents. And that’s a good thing.
AIR CANADA EXPANDS EUROPE OFFERINGS IN WINTER
Air Canada is expanding its Europe network this winter with seasonal extensions of its services to Athens, Manchester and Copenhagen, and new seasonal flights to Tenerife.
Copenhagen, Denmark. Nick Karvounis/Unsplash Photo
I’ve often argued that Europe is a great destination for winter, as the crowds are way down and it’s much easier to get into popular attractions and restaurants. The weather isn’t great in northern Europe in winter, but it’s not like anyone goes to England or Denmark to work on their tan. Southern destinations such as Athens and the Canary Islands (part of Spain) are usually quite mild in winter. A quick search of the Internet found the average daily high in Athens in January is 14C, while it’s a very comfortable 20C in Tenerife.
Air Canada Winter in Europe Highlights:
- Montreal–Athens extended into January 2027 (up to 3x weekly)
- Toronto–Athens extended into January 2027 (up to 4x weekly)
- Toronto–Manchester and Toronto–Copenhagen become year-round services (up to 4x weekly each)
- New Tenerife (Canary Islands) services from Montreal (up to 2x weekly starting Oct. 31) and Toronto (2x weekly starting Oct. 25)
AIR CANADA TO NIGERIA NEXT YEAR
Air Canada is welcoming the Government of Canada’s announcement of an expanded Air Transport Agreement between Canada and Nigeria. Air Canada intends to launch scheduled service to Lagos in 2027 and is starting the process to obtaining the necessary government approvals to operate commercial flights to Nigeria.
“We welcome this expanded Air Transport Agreement and look forward to obtaining the necessary government approvals to begin service to Lagos, Nigeria in the coming year,” said Mary-Jane Lorette, Vice President, Revenue Management, Partnerships, and International Affairs at Air Canada.
