The Waiakoa Gymnasium in Kula got its start through the vision of a teacher named Joaquin Vincent. Only six years old when he arrived in Honolulu with his parents from Madeira, Portugal in 1883, Vincent moved with his family to Maui in 1900. Here he spent forty-one years teaching and ultimately became the Principal of Kealahou School, which is now home to the Haleakala Waldorf campus. In the mid-1930s, Vincent began going door to door raising money from residents and local businesses for the construction of a gym. He wanted the local youth to have a place to congregate after school and participate in athletic activities.
The land for the gym was donated in 1936 by Violet Harris. The building was finished and opened in April of 1939. Some years later, the County of Maui began maintaining the gym. After leasing the property for over forty years, the County bought it outright in 2016.
The Waiakoa Gym (or “Kula Gym”) is still used today by youth and adult sports leagues along with schools and local organizations. It is also a popular spot for pickup basketball games.
The gym is located on Lower Kula Road near Copp Road. The building features an indoor basketball court, restrooms, locker rooms, and an ADA accessible ramp. For more info, visit the County of Maui website.