Transforming A Community, One Park At A Time

City News…City Councilwoman Kymberly Pine

Earlier this year, I attended an event at Makaha Community Park and was alarmed to find the park in unacceptable condition.

As with many parks, its facilities had fallen prey to vandalism and graffiti, leaving restrooms in need of repair.

We must do something about this. Cleanups and beautification projects are just temporary “band-aids.” But maintaining it year-round will require long-term community commitment to prevent further vandalism.

We can do this through the City’s Hoa Paka Adopt-a-Park program.

Hoa Paka gives community groups, organizations and businesses the opportunity to not only serve the community through volunteer park maintenance and improvement efforts, but also to impact it in a positive way by changing the culture of destroying property that belongs to all of us.

In addition to volunteer efforts, park partners have contributed gifts, including park benches, picnic tables, exercise stations and play apparatus ranging from $3,000 to $100,000 in value.

There are 33 parks in need of adoption in West Oahu, including parks in Kapolei, Makakilo and Ewa Beach.

Makaha Community Park will become the first park adoption of the Hoa Paka Leeward initiative, and it will be launched Aug. 23 with a Community Work and Clean Up Day.

Active Hawaii Organization has adopted the park and plans to work with others to provide youth and family activities and cultural programs to empower the community to take pride in its neighborhood park.

Groups and organizations interested in participating in Hoa Paka Leeward can call my office at 768-5001 for more information.

City Councilwoman Kymberly Marcos Pine serves District 1 (Ewa to Makua). You can reach her by phone at 768-5001, via email at kmpine@honolulu.gov, or online by visiting councilmemberpine.com.